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Dossiers based on 'paranoia,' FLDS attorney says

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Hmmm... | 1:45 p.m. June 17, 2008
"Willie Jessop, for example, had sniper weapons aimed at him, extra security placed around him, and accusations made that his mere presence in this public proceeding was intimidating a witness, yet your own security officers acknowledge that they observed nothing intimidating in his conduct," Parker wrote.

How "intimidating" would you be if you knew "sniper weapons" were aimed at you?
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Oh Please... | 2:06 p.m. June 17, 2008
Slander is next to impossible to prove...

This sounds like a smoke screen. Let's get the attention off the sect by accusing people of wronging us.

Just leave the children innocent and untouched. Is that too much to ask?
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Think!!!!! | 2:51 p.m. June 17, 2008
The Utah Attorneys office knows they have a lot of sway with the public, so why not throw out accusations against FLDS that have tried now to meet with Mark Shirtleff. Instead of extending a hand and meeting with Willie, Mark is hiding behind his staff. He knows he has not said it the way it really is, so now the accusations.

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yeeah | 2:54 p.m. June 17, 2008
How can we deprogram these people? We dont want to run into the same situation as the middle east.
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Utah started this mess | 2:55 p.m. June 17, 2008
Texas proceeded on good faith that all the stuff told to them from Utah public officials was true. Proof is in the pudding. I feel ashamed to be from Utah, just glad I am not from Washington county.
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Funny if it was so sad | 3:17 p.m. June 17, 2008
"We do the best we can to gather reliable information and pass it along," Murphy said Tuesday. "If he has information that can help correct anything that's been said we welcome that information. I think he unfairly characterizes where we get our information."

Uh-huh. Well if the Utah AG office passed on "reliable information" to the Texas authorities, they sure didn't use it.

And that's not just my opinon; their own Supreme Court said the same thing.

Hypocrisy, thy name is Paul Murphy.
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saddened | 3:24 p.m. June 17, 2008
I can not believe anyone could possibly take those dossiers seriously
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John Lambert | 3:37 p.m. June 17, 2008
Utah's AG who refuses to prosecute people for breaking the laws, thus acting as if he has the power to create the law instead of just the duty to enforce it, does have a valid point. The dossiers were the work of officials in Washington County, not of state officials. Parker has showed that he is as willing to play by mass attack and guilt by association tactics as are any of his enemies.
Despite having been glorified by some people as a defender of people from persecution, Parker is willing to start his own persecutions to help his clients, trying to blame people for things they had no part in.
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On the other hand | 3:46 p.m. June 17, 2008
Re: Oh Please..."Just leave the children innocent and untouched. Is that too much to ask?"
Are you referring to the state of Texas? Or the FLDS?. If it is the state of Texas, I agree whole heartedly, if you are referring to the FLDS, from all I've seen and heard, these are just parents loving their children and teaching them from the way they perceive the world to be. They same way, I presume, that your parents did. If that perception differs from the way you see things, so what?

Re: yeeah. What the...?

Re: Utah started this mess. I very much doubt Texas proceeded on good faith, intentions or anything else. Their own statements bear this out. Oh by the way, the phrase is the proof is in the putting..think about it for a moment, you'll get it.
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There's paranoia on both sides | 4:14 p.m. June 17, 2008
I think it's fairly obvious there is rampant paranoia on both sides (FLDS paranoid of outsiders... Outsiders paranoid of the FLDS). I think this situation is all based on rumors started intentionally to cause this type of paranoid reaction.

I live in Utah and I thought it was almost commical the paranoia that was evident in our law enforcement community at the beginning of the Warren Jeffs trial. Every time he was moved there were heavily armed convoys of vehicles with unusually heavy police presence, even air support. The first few days of the trial there were snippers stationed on the court building and helecopters circleing, and agents watching these FLDS "enforcers" they have dosseirs on. It was a joke and eventually they figured out they were over-reacting and it settled into a little more normal atmosphere for a high visibility case.

Similarly, FLDS leaders have taught their people to be paranoid of outsiders and especially judges and politicians. Teaching children to stay in the compound or with FLDS protectors because someday people will try to take you away from your family.

Think about it... The violent armed resistence Utah officials predicted in their paranoia never happend. But-The-FLDS-kids-who-were-taught-to-hide-from-outsiders-WERE-kidnapped-just-as-their-paranoid-leaders-taught-them-would-someday-happen.

Who's-paranoia-was-more-justified?
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Huh??? | 4:44 p.m. June 17, 2008
Same situation as the middle east? What in the blazes are you talking about? These are religous fanatics, true, but they aren't teaching each other to terrorize others, they are teaching to keep to yourself. There's a HUGE difference. Let's THINK before we make assumptions and generalizations.
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Anon | 4:59 p.m. June 17, 2008
Might makes right. Whoever has the guns, makes the rules.
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uh-huh | 5:08 p.m. June 17, 2008
now does everyone understand why these polygamist were allowed to vote for years and years since 1890..while the original inhabitants ..native americans weren't allowed to until 1954..utah being the very last state to do so. now who's zooming who...they still think all natives are in Pioneer park and even when the educated ones apply for anything..we are overscrutinized!so i feel for ya FLDS..even if you do commit felonies.
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Creepy | 5:36 p.m. June 17, 2008
This FLDS stuff gets stupider by the minute. I am so sick and tired of this obnoxious polygamist FLDS group of people that I could scream!....Too many liars.

Looks like possibly Warren Jeffs could be the father to many of those FLDS children running all over the compound. I understand that Jeffs had approximately 180 wives.
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FLDS lover | 6:27 p.m. June 17, 2008
No, actually I'm not. But I don't hate them either. In fact, I respect their right to exist, and hope that they receive constitutional protection just like anyone else. I think its great that Willie Jessop reaffirmed the official FLDS policy that marriage age laws were to be recognized and honored. I hope that they rebuild their shaken community at YFZ ranch and thrive! CPS has caused enough anguish already.
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Long | 6:43 p.m. June 17, 2008
Creepy: some people are totaly Creepy I think you take the cake!!yup!
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Gal50 | 7:14 p.m. June 17, 2008
I agree that there is paranoia on both sides. In fact, it is well-understood that people who are paranoid often attract the suspicions of others.

Today on Oprah, Lisa Ling took viewers on tours of two communities. One consisted of former FLDS members who live in a beautiful and typical suburban community. Except for the polygamy and the 30,000 square foot homes, everything else was normal. The residents were friendly and appeared normal in personality and dress.

Then she and Carolyn Jessop drove down to Short Creek. Lisa Ling, who has reported from various battlegrounds was, like Texas CPS, very sensitive to the fact that they may not be safe. The FLDS acted extremely bizarrely. The FLDS appeared to be calling each other to report the intrusion of strangers. The FLDS let Lisa, Carolyn and the TV crew know that they were not welcome by blaring their horns. It was very similar to Texas in that very tall walls had been built to separate the streets from the homes. There were clearly people who assumed a spying role and immediately alerted the residents to the strangers. It seemed to be a paranoid society that does a disservice to polygamy.
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COSMO | 7:33 p.m. June 17, 2008
I wonder,if a State agency maliciously misrepresents
a citizens name,can that person appeal to the U.S Attorney General, for justice,directly?

Re:Creepy; I heard he had 280 wives, and 4 sets of rocket powered underwear. :-)

Re:zxcvbnm; I would bet that old HappyHips Hildebrand
wishes he had rocket powered underwear.
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COSMO | 7:53 p.m. June 17, 2008
I see Gal50 was worshipping her God;Oprah. And you know that everything Oprah says and does, is perfect
and true. Now if all you peons would do as Oprah says
you to can find perfection.

P.S. Now Texas attacks peaceful people, and they barely escape with their children, And the High Priest of Oprah, "Gal50", states that the Flds
people are "paranoid"! Gal50 go back to your false
God Oprah, and grovel properly.
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Toes | 7:55 p.m. June 17, 2008
Polite people make appointments. Perhaps if Lisa Ling and Carolyn Jessop had called a few people in Short Creek ahead of time to ask if anyone would like to visit with them, their reception would have been different.
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No. Utah sees a major earthquake every 350 years. Last one? 350 years ago.