Posts by Terry
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14THE SAD BALLAD OF HAYDEN C. COVINGTON (Attorney of record for the Watchtower Organization)
by Terry inali did not serve even five minutes of time in prison and that had zero to do with hayden c. covington..
june 19, 1967 in houston, tex..
there are a number of salient facts concerning this man who possessed a big reputation..
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WT LAWYER REPRESENTED MUHAMMAD ALI
by badboy inhayden c. covington represented muhammad ali when he refused to sign up for the draft.. covington's argument was that muhammad ali was a religious minister.. this argument failed.
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Terry
One point I'll make here is that everybody knew Covington was NOT anointed when he took his position as Vice-President. The reason given for stepping down is ridiculous Public Relations nonsense.
Rutherford and Covington were simpatico. Covington and Knorr were opposites. Knorr was a farm boy without much education. Rutherford had been a farm boy--but one who put himself through law school.
Covington was extremely intelligent and Knorr couldn't stand him.Fred Franz and Knorr came up with the subterfuge of Covington 'stepping down' for the reason publicly given. The alcoholism and bullying was the real reason.
Covington was way too valuable to kick out. This sort of thing had been done already and led to a lost lawsuit by the Watchtower Org when Rutherford DF'd attorney Olin Moyle on the spot and Moyle turned around and sued! Moyle won that one. I'm sure the old boys trembled in their boots at the prospect of bad publicity and lawsuits if they tried a peremptory DF without firm pretext.
Covington cut short his legal presentation (Draft case) for a JW brother from Oklahoma (I was in prison with him and he told me this) because he had been offered a quarter of a million dollars if he could get Muhammed Ali off in his Draft Dodging court case.
Only JW's whose families had money could afford to hire Covington. Sam, my friend in prison, ended up paying Covington ten-thousand dollars and got convicted anyway.
Covington jumped at the money and took the lazy way out, suggesting Ali win on appeal rather than fight the prosecution with a lengthy court battle.
He got the prosecutor to go along with a tentative deal. However, the Judge did not feel bound by any such arrangement and threw the book at Ali.
Ali's other lawyers pushed to fire Covington (who was a real Publicity hound) and succeeded.
Ali never served any jail or prison time.
An investigation into Ali's Draft Board demonstrated they had been prejudiced toward his religion. Further, he had failed the Army intelligence test.
The case was overturned.
One of Muhammed Ali's other attorneys had been the lawyer for Martin Luther King. Big lawyers are really big in the Ego department. The conflict between Covington and the other lawyers probably had at least as much to do with ego as with tactics. -
15
WT LAWYER REPRESENTED MUHAMMAD ALI
by badboy inhayden c. covington represented muhammad ali when he refused to sign up for the draft.. covington's argument was that muhammad ali was a religious minister.. this argument failed.
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Terry
There is something very wrong with the formatting and I can't seem to correct it.
When I get it re-jiggered, I'll repost. -
14
THE SAD BALLAD OF HAYDEN C. COVINGTON (Attorney of record for the Watchtower Organization)
by Terry inali did not serve even five minutes of time in prison and that had zero to do with hayden c. covington..
june 19, 1967 in houston, tex..
there are a number of salient facts concerning this man who possessed a big reputation..
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Terry
Ali did not serve even five minutes of time in prison and that had zero to do with Hayden C. Covington.
June 19, 1967 in Houston, Tex.
There are a number of salient facts concerning this man who possessed a BIG REPUTATION.
1. Covington and Rutherford were pretty much the Type A personalities who got along famously. In fact, Rutherford wanted Covington to be the next GB executive of the Watchtower corporation.
2. Fred Franz and Nathan Knorr were the polar opposites to the (above) dynamic duo. These two would conspire to drive Covington out. Knorr hated Covington. Knorr was anti-intellectual and Covington disdained his lack of education.
3. Both Rutherford and Covington were hard drinkers. Eventually, the drinking and bullying of Knorr would get Covington sideways with Franz and Knorr and the excuse would be given that Covington would "step down" from the Vice-President position because he wasn't of the heavenly class. This is bullshit for an obvious reason: he never claimed to be anointed in the first place, and this was never an obstacle before.
4. Having an 80%win record with the Supreme Court, Covington was sought out by wealthy Jehovah's Witness families to represent their sons who had refused Alternate Service before the courts. For a retainer of $10,000 dollars, Covington would agree.
A friend of mine who ended up in the same Federal Prison told me Covington botched his trial and cut short his presentation. Why? During his trial, Covington was offered a quarter of a million dollars if he could get Cassius Clay / Muhammed Ali out of his Draft refusal case.
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Here is the B.S. public relations spin on Covington:
"Declaring the Good News Without Letup (1942-1975)", Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, page 91, "In September 1945, Brother Covington graciously declined to serve further as vice president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (of Pennsylvania), explaining that he wished to comply with what was then understood to be Jehovah's will for all members of the directorate and officers—that they be spirit-anointed Christians, whereas he professed to be one of the 'other sheep.'"
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5. Covington racked up 37 Supreme Court victories representing the Watchtower's interests. This gave him tremendous clout.
6. Covington had replaced Olin Moyle, who had had a huge confrontation and blow up with Rutherford. (Moyle sued Rutherford and won, but his monetary settlement was stretched out over many decades spitefully by the Society.)
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During and after the trial, Covington made ridiculous statements to the press such as this:
"I take exception to remarks that this man is under the influence of the Muslims in any way."
_________________
Lawyer Hayden Covington took the lazy way out and suggested Ali should accept a guilty sentence and seek to make a deal with the prosecutor, Morton Susman, United States Attorney. In fact, he talked Ali into requesting that the Judge sentence him immediately!
It was this tactic which frustrated and upset Ali's first-hired attorney, Quinnan A. Hodges of Houston. It is also the reason Ali's handlers refused to pay Covington.
(Attorney M.W. Plummer andAttorney Chauncey Eskridge are the real 'heroes' of the Ali story).But first:
How was Covington's plan supposed to work?Federal District Judge Joe E. Ingraham sentenced Clay to five years in prison and fined him $10,000. This was the maximum penalty for the offense, which is a felony.
The judge's sentence was pronounced immediately at Clay's request.
"I'd appreciate it," the 25-year-old boxer said, "if the court will do it now, give me my sentence now, instead of waiting and stalling for time."
Prosecutor Morton Susman and Hayden Covington had worked out a deal, but IT WAS NOT BINDING on the Judge!
New York Time news article: "Both Mr. Covington and Mr. Hodges asked Judge Ingraham to put Clay on probation. Failing that, said Mr. Covington, the former champion should not be given a sentence more severe than those given in similar cases. "That's 18 months," he said."
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How then, did Muhammed Ali avoid serving a moment of incarceration?
The appeals process allowed his competent attorney's M.W. Plummer and Attorney Chauncey Eskridge
to pursue the real problem in the case:1.Ali's Draft Board didn't consider him to be sincere as a real minister
2. Ali failed the Army's intelligence test and did not qualify to serve
The Supreme Court in Clay v. United States reversed his conviction in 1971. (Ali’s birth name was Cassius Clay.) “[T]he Department [of Justice] was simply wrong as a matter of law in advising that the petitioner’s beliefs were not religiously based and were not sincerely held,” the opinion said. Even though Ali prevailed 8-0 before the high court, Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong later reported in The Brethren that the justices initially voted against him, finding that he wasn’t really a conscientious objector and that he should go to jail. Apparently, one of Justice John Marshall Harlan’s law clerks loaned the justice a copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Harlan read the book and changed his views on Black Muslims.
______________________
Bottom line of all of this:
There was bad blood between Knorr and Covington, but Hayden C. Covington was a legend. The
Watchtowr Organization NEEDED HIM for publicity purposes. He was reinstated before his death.
My encounters with the Draft Board and my subsequent trial and imprisonment took place in October of 1967, after Cassius Clay / Muhammed Ali had his highly publicized clash with authorities.
I cover this in some detail in my book I WEPT BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON (A Prisoner of Conscience in a Time of War.)
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15
WT LAWYER REPRESENTED MUHAMMAD ALI
by badboy inhayden c. covington represented muhammad ali when he refused to sign up for the draft.. covington's argument was that muhammad ali was a religious minister.. this argument failed.
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Terry
Ali did not serve even five minutes of time in prison and that had zero to do with Hayden C. Covington.
June 19, 1967 in Houston, Tex.
There are a number of salient facts concerning this man who possessed a BIG REPUTATION.
1. Covington and Rutherford were pretty much the Type A personalities who got along famously. In fact, Rutherford wanted Covington to be the next GB executive of the Watchtower corporation.
2. Fred Franz and Nathan Knorr were the polar opposites to the (above) dynamic duo. These two would conspire to drive Covington out. Knorr hated Covington. Knorr was anti-intellectual and Covington disdained his lack of education.
3. Both Rutherford and Covington were hard drinkers. Eventually, the drinking and bullying of Knorr would get Covington sideways with Franz and Knorr and the excuse would be given that Covington would "step down" from the Vice-President position because he wasn't of the heavenly class. This is bullshit for an obvious reason: he never claimed to be anointed in the first place, and this was never an obstacle before.
4. Having an 80%win record with the Supreme Court, Covington was sought out by wealthy Jehovah's Witness families to represent their sons who had refused Alternate Service before the courts. For a retainer of $10,000 dollars, Covington would agree.
A friend of mine who ended up in the same Federal Prison told me Covington botched his trial and cut short his presentation. Why? During his trial, Covington was offered a quarter of a million dollars if he could get Cassius Clay / Muhammed Ali out of his Draft refusal case.
_________________
Here is the B.S. public relations spin on Covington:
"Declaring the Good News Without Letup (1942-1975)", Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, page 91, "In September 1945, Brother Covington graciously declined to serve further as vice president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (of Pennsylvania), explaining that he wished to comply with what was then understood to be Jehovah's will for all members of the directorate and officers—that they be spirit-anointed Christians, whereas he professed to be one of the 'other sheep.'"
_____________________________
5. Covington racked up 37 Supreme Court victories representing the Watchtower's interests. This gave him tremendous clout.
6. Covington had replaced Olin Moyle, who had had a huge confrontation and blow up with Rutherford. (Moyle sued Rutherford and won, but his monetary settlement was stretched out over many decades spitefully by the Society.)
__________________
During and after the trial, Covington made ridiculous statements to the press such as this:
"I take exception to remarks that this man is under the influence of the Muslims in any way."
_________________
Lawyer Hayden Covington took the lazy way out and suggested Ali should accept a guilty sentence and seek to make a deal with the prosecutor, Morton Susman, United States Attorney. In fact, he talked Ali into requesting that the Judge sentence him immediately!
It was this tactic which frustrated and upset Ali's first-hired attorney, Quinnan A. Hodges of Houston. It is also the reason Ali's handlers refused to pay Covington.
(Attorney M.W. Plummer andAttorney Chauncey Eskridge are the real 'heroes' of the Ali story).But first:
How was Covington's plan supposed to work?Federal District Judge Joe E. Ingraham sentenced Clay to five years in prison and fined him $10,000. This was the maximum penalty for the offense, which is a felony.
The judge's sentence was pronounced immediately at Clay's request.
"I'd appreciate it," the 25-year-old boxer said, "if the court will do it now, give me my sentence now, instead of waiting and stalling for time."
Prosecutor Morton Susman and Hayden Covington had worked out a deal, but IT WAS NOT BINDING on the Judge!
New York Time news article: "Both Mr. Covington and Mr. Hodges asked Judge Ingraham to put Clay on probation. Failing that, said Mr. Covington, the former champion should not be given a sentence more severe than those given in similar cases. "That's 18 months," he said."
______________________
____________________________
How then, did Muhammed Ali avoid serving a moment of incarceration?
The appeals process allowed his competent attorney's M.W. Plummer and Attorney Chauncey Eskridge
to pursue the real problem in the case:1.Ali's Draft Board didn't consider him to be sincere as a real minister
2. Ali failed the Army's intelligence test and did not qualify to serve
The Supreme Court in Clay v. United States reversed his conviction in 1971. (Ali’s birth name was Cassius Clay.) “[T]he Department [of Justice] was simply wrong as a matter of law in advising that the petitioner’s beliefs were not religiously based and were not sincerely held,” the opinion said. Even though Ali prevailed 8-0 before the high court, Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong later reported in The Brethren that the justices initially voted against him, finding that he wasn’t really a conscientious objector and that he should go to jail. Apparently, one of Justice John Marshall Harlan’s law clerks loaned the justice a copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Harlan read the book and changed his views on Black Muslims.
______________________
Bottom line of all of this:
There was bad blood between Knorr and Covington, but Hayden C. Covington was a legend. The
Watchtowr Organization NEEDED HIM for publicity purposes. He was reinstated before his death.
My encounters with the Draft Board and my subsequent trial and imprisonment took place in October of 1967, after Cassius Clay / Muhammed Ali had his highly publicized clash with authorities.
I cover this in some detail in my book I WEPT BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON (A Prisoner of Conscience in a Time of War.)
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WATCHTOWER'S basic premise is false (i.e. copy the earliest form of Christianity and you get it 'right')
by Terry inwatchtower's so-called 'scholars' (excuse me while i throw up) have a basic premise they have always worked under.
namely, the earliest form of christianity was the purest and least corrupt.
by trying to pattern jw's after this earliest form of "purity of christian doctrine" the so-called truth is supposed to emerge.. well--apparently this is a false premise, according to bart ehrman.. _____.
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Terry
Now that you mention it--you've got a point!
Perhaps they were like most of the uneducated people you'll find in Appalachia (Deliverance country) who are superstitious, naive, magic-thinking, and easily impressed.
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Free DEBATE in Dallas between Bart Ehrman and Dr. Justin Bass Friday 9-18
by Terry inhttps://www.facebook.com/events/1666142046937367/.
from ehrman's blog:.
for anyone in the dallas area: on friday (two days!
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Terry
LIVE STREAMING of this debate will occur beginning in 20 minutes.
It is now 6:10 central standard time.
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Inspiration, inscripturation
by Doug Mason inthe apostle paul stated at 2 timothy 3:16: all scripture is inspired of god.
the phrase inspired of god translates the compound greek word theopneustos, meaning, literally, god-breathed or breathed by god.
this is the only occurrence of this greek term in the scriptures.
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Terry
The shortcut for modern Evangelicals is direct visionary implantation (channeling) from God into the mind of the believer. It worked for the Adventists (Ellen White), the J-Dubs (FDS), the Mormons (seers and apostles) and Pentecostals everywhere.
It is an end-run around the tetchy problems kicked up by textual critics.
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19
The best surgery for men, Hernia surgery.
by James Mixon ini had one two weeks ago, i'm fine.
but how nice it was not to lift anything over.
10 pounds.
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Terry
I feel your pain! Nothing is more uncomfortable than feeling your intestines slipping down into your testicles!
This should cheer you up:
When I was a teen, I developed a bilateral inguinal hernia (both sides) from my job as a bricklayer's assistant.
I elected to try and repair it with sit-ups on an incline board and weights behind my neck.
Everybody told me I was crazy--but--I did not want surgery.
After 6 mos. of daily situps (three times a day!) I had managed somehow or other to strengthen my lower abdomen enough I no longer had the detectable slippage!
Here is the ironic part. My doctor had diagnosed me as needing surgery about the time I was fighting with the Draft Board and the Selective Service. By the time the Army doctor examined me, I no longer had detectable hernias!
If I had NOT done all those exercises, I probably would have failed my Armed Forces medical exam and wouldn't have had to go to prison! But I passed the exam, and the rest is--unfortunately--history!To this day, I've not experienced any problems again. I do continue to do situps. . . just in case!
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WATCHTOWER'S basic premise is false (i.e. copy the earliest form of Christianity and you get it 'right')
by Terry inwatchtower's so-called 'scholars' (excuse me while i throw up) have a basic premise they have always worked under.
namely, the earliest form of christianity was the purest and least corrupt.
by trying to pattern jw's after this earliest form of "purity of christian doctrine" the so-called truth is supposed to emerge.. well--apparently this is a false premise, according to bart ehrman.. _____.
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Terry
A microcosm of the contention is illustrated by the apostles arguing over who would sit at Jesus' right hand in heaven.
Those apostles didn't seem too bright or intellectually redoubtable.