In our contributions here at the Underground Bunker to the ongoing controversy about Linkin Park returning to the stage seven years after the death of Chester Bennington with Emily Armstrong as singer, we have focused particularly on the Scientology Sea Org past of Emily’s mother, Gail Armstrong.
Mike Rinder told us that he and Gail had both been prisoners in “The Hole” together in the 2006-2007 time frame, the notorious office-prison that Scientology leader David Miscavige had created for his high-ranking executives at the secretive Int Base near Hemet, California. And we learned that Gail had also taken part in a smear campaign of Rinder after he had left Scientology and took part in the 2015 film Going Clear.
Marc Headley added more detail about the work that Gail had done, including speeches she had written for Miscavige and briefings about the work done by Scientology’s secret police force, the Office of Special Affairs.
But we still wondered, what kind of relationship did Gail have with her daughter Emily? After all, Sea Org officials, and particularly those locked up at a remote and secret base, can go years without seeing non-Sea Org family. Did they have much of a relationship at all? And much of what Mike and Marc were telling us took place many years ago. What was the situation more recently?
Mitch Brisker reached out to us this week to tell us that he had much fresher information. He only left his position as a director of films for Scientology a few years ago, and he says he was working with Gail Armstrong as recently as 2020.
“I originally met her when she was the editor of Freedom Magazine,” Mitch tells us. “In my opinion she’s a lovely, talented person who deserves better. She was love-bombed straight from college to editor of Freedom with a degree in journalism. She was later transferred to IMPR as a speech writer. In 2005 she was assigned to work with me on the Industry of Death Museum, but Miscavige reneged on his promise to get me some help and ripped her off for event speeches. She was later assigned to The Hole.”
Mitch didn’t know how long she was a prisoner there, but he did end up working closely with her later.
“In 2018 Gail was assigned to work with me to assist me with scriptwriting, at which point we spent a lot of time together. She never mentioned Emily with respect to doing Scientology or even identifying as a Scientologist, but why would she? It was assumed,” Mitch says. “From the way she spoke of Emily the impression I got was that they were close and that Gail was very proud of her daughter.”
And Mitch adds that he has a very distinct memory in 2019 when Gail was leaving Int Base to head to LA to see Emily, and she was wearing “a very hip leather jacket,” and the implication to Mitch was clear: Gail was going to see Emily perform.
That seems like a pretty important detail to us. And Mitch says that he does assume that Gail is still in the Sea Org today and continues to have this close relationship with her Scientologist daughter.
But as a recently escaped member of Scientology management himself, Mitch argues for a sympathetic view of these women.
“I totally agree with those who believe Emily should speak out about Scientology. For me, having been close to Gail for many years, what stands out is the tragedy of these brainwashed victims having to do a dance to maintain their relationship, but it seems no one wants to view this situation with an empathetic eye,” he says.
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I agree with Mitch that empathy for those still mentally imprisoned by the insidious Hubbard mind control dogma is the best route to eventually waking up to the truth.
And the whole controversy with Emily is very mainstream. I’m glad Tony has been writing about it.
Yesterday I visited my spouses family and I had a conversation with my niece who has no connection to Scientology. She is a big LinkIn Park fan and she was very aware of the Emily Armstrong controversy. From a fan point of view she felt Emily is a good singer and a poor choice to replace Chester. My neice felt Emily did not have the emotional depth to sing songs originally sung by Chester. We had quite a discussion about LinkIn Park. I explained that unfortunately Scientology squash’s genuine emotions. That is why I feel Scientology is toxic for music artists. It is drag that so many talented people sucked dry by the cult. If my neice knew about this I know that this situation has got to be a nightmare for OSA.
Excellent views, Mitch's take on things I'd read everything he says, he's got a bead on the atmosphere and particularly helpful info for non Scientologist family outside those caught within Scientology.
In one of Steven Hassan's books, forming the group of outsiders to somehow connect with someone in the Scientology world, empathy and a tight relationship to the person in Scientology is critical.
I wonder who Emily's friends in the band best are? Likely her circle of non Scientology friends, among them is one or several who likely have the most empathetic impact on her.