Portage council reads proclamation marking anniversary of Dianetics; residents criticize move

The Portage City Council at its May 11 meeting presented a proclamation recognizing the anniversary of the publication of L. Ron Hubbard’s book, Dianetics, the Modern Science of Mental Health. The proclamation was read aloud by Jeff Breedlove, director of external affairs and a representative of the Friends of L. Ron Hubbard Foundation.

The presentation prompted several members of the public to urge the council to reconsider. Jordan Horn, a master’s-level psychologist and part-time instructor at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, told the council that the book is “clearly pseudo scientific” and that municipal recognition could be mistaken for government endorsement of its claims. “We should care about pseudoscientific ideas because they provide opportunity cost,” Horn said, adding that the book’s claim of a single source for all mental-health problems conflicts with established psychological science.

Richard Hewitt, a Portage resident and former licensed counselor, said he and his wife oppose the proclamation and view Dianetics as “a threat to community mental health.” A third commenter, who identified herself only as Cheryl, said she discovered the proclamation hours before the meeting and told council members she wanted a published list showing how elected officials voted on it.

City Attorney Catherine Kaufman responded that proclamations are issued through a city process and are handled in a viewpoint-neutral way. “They are reviewed with a viewpoint-neutral standard, and there is no viewpoint discrimination,” Kaufman said, describing the administrative process for requests.

A supporter who identified himself as a long-time reader said Dianetics had improved his life and thanked the council for recognizing the publication’s anniversary.

Mayor Patricia M. Bridal appears in the proclamation text as the issuer; the document read by Breedlove notes the mayor’s recognition of the anniversary. City Manager Pat McGinnis later said he had learned from the public comment and appreciated the discussion.

The council took no legislative action on the proclamation during the meeting. The city attorney reiterated that proclamations are ceremonial and that the council does not cast votes for or against proclamations as part of the process.

Why it matters: Residents told the council the proclamation risked lending municipal credibility to a work they said conflicts with mainstream mental-health practice; city officials said the proclamation process is administratively neutral and ceremonial in nature.

The meeting continued with other agenda items after the public comments concluded.