From Deseret News archives:

Senate leader passes out a polygamy primer

Allen wants to keep issue on the minds of senators

Published: Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 6:43 p.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Although polygamy is not the subject of any legislative bills, Senate Minority Whip Ron Allen hopes to keep the issue on the minds of fellow senators.

Joking that he wanted to give senators "something to read on the bus" during their afternoon ride to Fillmore for Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s State of the State speech, Allen, D-Tooele, distributed copies of "God's Brothel."

He also hopes the book, written by Andrea Moore-Emmett, tells the stories of former polygamist wives and provides a history of polygamy, provides a new perspective on an old debate, even if it is not something being tackled during this session.

"We're just trying to raise the consciousness level of policy makers about what happens in these communities," Allen, who was distributing in cooperation with the author and publisher, said. "There's no agenda."

Sen. Parley Hellewell, R-Orem, said that he was a little bothered by the book's subtitle, which referenced "Mormon and Christian Fundamentalist Polygamy." Regardless, he doubted that the book would receive any of his attention during the coming weeks.

Story continues below
"I couldn't even tell what the book was about, and whether it was saying that Mormons practice polygamy — which they don't," he said. "I put it on my bookshelf, but I probably won't even get to open it before the session ends."

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints abandoned the practice of plural marriage more than 100 years ago.

Among the women featured in the book is Vicky Prunty, executive director of Tapestry Against Polygamy, a Salt Lake City-based organization of former polygamous wives.

"This donation to the Legislature just kind of happened. We didn't instigate it," said Prunty. "It was very altruistic on the part of the donors."

The books were purchased from the publisher by a group of anonymous donors that includes an attorney, a social worker, and a health-care professional, she said.

"You may have some preconceived notions about polygamy until you read something like this book," Prunty said. " 'God's Brothel' is one of the first books to come out with detailed stories of women who left polygamy and the barriers they faced."

Assistant Minority Whip Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake, said that while he was "intrigued" by the book and wanted to give it a chance before dismissing it, it may fall to the wayside because of the sheer amount of information they receive during the session.

"I'm going to glance at it, and see if it is interesting," he said. "But will I read it? It's tough to say."

Should they open it, Mary Batchelor, the director of the pro-polygamy Principle Voices of Polygamy, hopes they realize it is "biased against a culture" and that the stories are not "word-for-word fact, but they're victims' stories" and thus lack balance. It is no different than collecting stories of abuse from monogamous marriages and claiming that they represent the entire institution.

She also worries that the book does more harm than good by creating and encouraging biases against polygamist marriages. But she does not expect to counter its distribution with any of their own material, although the group did distribute the book "Voices For Harmony", which Batchelor described as "equally one-sided, in favor of polygamy," a few years ago to legislators.

"If Ron Allen thinks that he's helping victims of abuse, he's doing the opposite," she said. "Bias will create more abuse."


Contributing: Nancy Perkins

E-mail: jloftin@desnews.com

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

Davis has no offense? I guess having one of the best, if not the best RB in...

'Start knocking heads' on healthcare

As The A-TEAM would of put it, "I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER." The...

Dick, how is your golf game you haven't mentioned it in ages.

'Too expensive!' Thinking man, healthcare as it is now is too expensive....

Mitchell wants testimony excluded

I'm so sick of Mitchell's attorneys exploiting the legal system to keep...

Hope for single moms

Gee, what a shock, something to help the poor trodden down single mothers. I...

TCU showdown has big implications

It's football, and each team has their chances. i think both will play well....

Prep girls soccer MVPs named

Alta wasnt even a playoff team without Kealia Ohai!

Leave. Duh. No WMD's. No Osama Bin Laden. No reason to be there. Our...

I enjoyed seeing the old uniforms. Bring them back! Great day for Tampa Bay!

Advertisements
Advertisement