Was watching a biography on the history channel about presidental securities and secrets, how the president is guarded just in case of an attack, an assaination attempt, etc. It got me to thinking about if any of the past or current GB members (or WT presidents) have ever had any death threats? Do they have a specific plan for a GB member when they visit a city or country? I know that JF Rutherford had security (he was a nutty watchtower rock star back in his day ) and I believe some people on here have said some things about Nathan Knorr and Fredrick Franz?
Does the Governing Body (or past presidents) members have (or had to) have body guards?
by Joliette 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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jean-luc picard
Why? What are you thinking of doing?
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Joliette
No...(LOL) I'm not thinking of doing anything...I was just wondering. I'm not a killer or loose cannon, just discussion.
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slimboyfat
I am sure there is a picture of Knorr with what looks like bodyguards somewhere. As I recall Gary Botting also mentions bodyguards at the start of his book The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses. Rutherford probably would have had some sort of bodyguards given the strong opposition he provoked. There is the incident where Rutherford was attacked during a talk at Madison Square Garden. On the other hand I doubt Governing Body members these days have body guards. Recall the time Jaracz was confronted by the Panorama reporter at a convention, there were no one on hand to prevent the journalist gaining access.
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Joliette
Oh...it seems like they would have some type of security to travel with them, at least at the international conventions or district conventions.
I'm really surprised by that.
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Aussie Oz
Rutherford had bodyguards with canes at conventions.
the current GB? I think they would love to be mobbed by the rank and file... after all, they are engaged in a pretty hard campaign of PR for them selves.
oz
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Gary Botting
In my several encounters with Nathan H. Knorr, first as a volunteer at the 1955 and 1958 conventions in New York, the 1960 convention in London, England (where I tried to interview him as a volunteer with the PR department), and again in 1962 in Hong Kong (by then I was a secular journalist with the South China Morning Post, trying to get the "inside" scoop), "Brother" Knorr always had bodyguards present, as was alluded to in The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses. When I tried to interview Knorr I was given the brush-off (almost literally) by the heavies, not by Knorr himself. Both in England and Hong Kong, the bodyguards practically stiff-armed their way down the stairs and down the hall, not allowing any questions whatsoever. Because I wanted to talk to someone at or close to the "top", in London in 1960 I settled for an interview (over Chinese dinner with him and several special pioneers) with Vice President Fred Franz, who had no bodyguards and was quite approachable. After The Orwellian World was released in July 1984, I visited Bethel and asked to see then Fred Franz, as has been chronicled elsewhere. He met me in the lobby where, quite incidentally, there was a guard present. On October 2, 1984, I returned to New York to participate in a protest against the governing body, since Armageddon had not come with a 70-year generation of 1914 ("this generation will by no means pass away..."). This time I tried to interview Schroeder, who surrounded himself with bodyguards. I tripped one of the guards, inadvertently, allowing me to walk side by side with Schroeder from one building to the next, and questioned him about disfellowshipping. This was all captured by several television cameras. I was pointedly denied access at the factory, the bodyguards having reasserted themselves at the door. The police were called, of course, and I had a brief interview with them, explaining that our protest was peaceful. As we were talking, the Bethelites left to go to dinner, walking briskly in double file at the end of the block.
"There goes the neighbourhood," I said to the cops, pointing to the retreating line of Bethelites.
The black cop chuckled.
"Why did the Bethelites cross the road?" I challenged.
The white cop shrugged. "I dunno. Why?"
"Because they was a-chicken!"
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No Room For George
Hey Gary, welcome to the forum. I imagine you have some stories to tell, and we'd all love to hear them. Glad you're here.
I seem to recall there being an individual mention by Ray Franz, who was always with Fred Franz? A Jewish fellow, who was not a JW, but Franz kept this guy close. He served sort of a bodyguard role, and interpretation role if my memory serves me correct? I thought I read something about not being able to even see Fred Franz, without having to go through this guy first, but I cant recall?
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Glander
I remember meeting an older brother at conventions during the late '50s early sixties when I was a kid. Can't recall his name at the moment but he was an old friend of my Grandads. A specimen of rock jawed manhood. Handsome guy, built like he was chiseled from granite. He had been a bodyguard for the Judge when he visited areas of the midwest, Texas, Oklahoma, etc.
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Band on the Run
My father served as a bodyguard to Rutherford and Knorr. He was not selected for his fine theocratic life. His father took him to a convention when he was about eighteen. My father was so brawny he worked in the coal mines shoring up the structures for the miners. The Bethelites took one look at him and he was Brooklyn bound.
He never talked about it but my mom told me some cool stories. Knorr was hated by the normal factory people. He and some friends spied on Rutherford having an intimate affair with a woman not his wife.
My mom was present at Madison Square Garden in NY when a right-wing Catholic priest, Couglin, who had a great media presence whipped up people into an antiWitness fervor. They attacked the Garden and threw ammonia bombs directly at women and children. The Witness men had canes. I think it had to do with NY concealed weapons law. They used the canes to fight the thugs off. I assume the police finally came.
Decades later, my mom would get worked up about what happened that day. She despised right wingers. I experience a lot of history working in NY and DC but that one of her big traumas. When you read about an org, peoplel tend to forget the individual people. The WTBTS forgets them altogether.