Reader comments
Town's fears of FLDS easing

It's the boogie man! It's the boogie man! Run and hide! Run and hide! Save yourselves while you still can.

What a bunch of trash.

Not the article itself - that's well-written, but the premise that in this age, people are still so paranoid about what they don't understand.

Instead of walking up to the front door and sticking out their hand to say 'hello,' they get out their guns and barricade their doors because of false stories, innuendoes, and out and out lies about a peaceful living culture that prefers to be left alone and not buy into the same crap we do.

Good grief.

Glad that folks can learn more about what's happening with the FLDS in our community. At this time there�s at least 6 FLDS properties here, 5 of which were purchased for over $2 million total, "the largest known cluster of land holdings outside of the FLDS-controlled communities of Colorado City, Ariz. and adjacent Hildale, Utah,"
one reporter wrote.

We would definitely not object to being able to openly speak with all members of the FLDS here - men, women and children, as we do with other neighbors when we meet them at the PO or store. That would be great! I can't personally say if Step Up! would host a meeting where an FLDS member spoke as we've completed our series of 3 community meetings where we were honored with excellent speakers who volunteered to help us learn more & the opportunity was never given .

We are deeply concerned for the people of the FLDS, as well as for the rest of our community, as they are under a number of leaders who have been indicted or found guilty of numerous crimes. It is our desire to educate everyone involved so we will not be vulnerable to similar crimes.

Residents in the Westcliffe area tried to meet their new neighbors and say "hello". One lady took a plate of brownies to the FLDS living next door to her in an effort to welcome them to the neighborhood. The FLDS neighbors REFUSED to even open the door! They just hid behind the curtains.

Why were they so secretive? Why wouldn't they answer the door? What were they hiding?

Doesn't anyone get it. They wany to be left alone.
Why not leave them alone? They don't bother you. You don't bother them.
If you knock on the door and they don't open it perhaps it just means they want to be left alone.
Go home and speculate about anything you wish to speculate about. Heck..write a book about what you think is going on just be sure to put it on the fiction shelf.
You could buy binoculars and stand back a distance if you want to see something.........then they might put up a fence....lol.

Maura wrote:

It is our desire to educate everyone involved so we will not be vulnerable to similar crimes.

>>>What crimes are you referring to here?

* the crime of infanticide?
* the crime of sodomy?
* the crime of fornication?
* the crime of adultery?

I don't think you'll find much of that, if any, amongst the FLDS.

You'll have to look in the mirror.

These people feel they have good reason to be suspicious of outsiders. Amish want to be left alone and are respected for it. The FLDS want to be left alone and are hated for it.

the flds practices "lying for the Lord" from the time they are very small, so even if any of them were to "speak at a meeting," there is a very good chance that their"speaking" would be well-laced with numerous half-truths and outright lies. They have PLENTY to hide, and the winsome-sounding line, "we just want to live peacefully" is a smokescreen for, "we just want to continue our illegal practices without interference." Read the numerous books by ex-members. Look up flds101 online and let your stomach churn. I would NEVER want them as neighbors and I think it is an utter disgrace that people all over the US west are being forced to endure their presence as "neighbors"now.They DO NOT want to be "neighbors" to anyone, ever, since they view all non-flds as "going to hell" and that's a real pillar of what they believe. They are one of the very worst "religious" (or otherwise) groups in the US today, bar none, and that opinion is based on about 5,000 hours of my own research and some talking with a few ex-members that I have been able to do. They are a law-flouting, national disgrace.

Only in America can people flaunt the law under the banner of religion. Last time I checked, polygamy was against the law in Colorado. We're not talking about neighbors with funny habits, we are talking about people committing crimes and rubbing our faces in it. Is Texas the only State with an Attorney General who will not tolerate this abominable crime?

These people are scared of outsiders and rightfully so, we try to seize their children, currently in process of stealing and robbing their trust in the twin towns, and we wonder why they are afraid of us? Gosh, who wudda thunk?
IMO the attitudes reflected by some of the posts here are a National Disgrace.

I come from PA Dutch stock and I can tell you that the Amish don't wish to be left alone like the FLDS. The Amish manage markets, furniture companies and tourism businesses and are friendly people. When the Amish break the law, their cases often enough end up being heard by the Supreme Court which rules in the favor of them. The Amish have an opportunity to leave the community when they are teenagers. The Amish do not impregnate their children. They don't build giant temples on pastoral land. The Amish would not refuse a plate of brownies as they are capable of being nice to their neighbors. When the Amish school shooting occurred, outsiders were very generous with their response as they like the Amish. The Amish have funds to deal with the economic side of problems. They value being self-sustaining. Nevertheless, the Amish were strong enough to set aside their value in order to accept the kindnesses of outsiders. I've never heard of anyone complain about the Amish as there really isn't anything much to complain about. I would have no problem living next to the Amish, but I would worry about living next to FLDS.

The FLDS are not friendly to outsiders for inexplicable reasons. If someone shot up an FLDS school, most outsiders would be very happy. Some Amish have been accused of molesting children both adolescent and prepubescent, but we must treat them as individuals! Some FLDS have been accused of having relations with near majority teens but remember, their guilt is collective since they are FLDS.
Amish are GOOD people, FLDS are BAD people.
Remember everyone, Amish prairie skirts are blue or black and they often wear white scarves, FLDS prairie skirts are pastel colored. Just a head�s up to make sure we direct our bigotry and hatred toward the right ones. This has become an issue in Colorado since Amish and FLDS live in the same area. To quote the Wet Mountain Tribune-a local CO paper
�Members of the FLDS should not be confused with the Amish and Mennonite families living here.�

zxcvbnm is right. If the people next door want to be left alone, leave them alone. That works in Colorado just like it does here in NC. The FLDS have reason to be distrustful of strangers and I can't say I blame them. There is enough misinformation out there to fuel more than a few teeth knashings by the likes of gretchen and some others. If they commit a crime, treat them like anyone else who commits a crime. If they don't, then treat them like anyone else that abides by the law and wants to live in peace. I heard the story about someone allegedly taking brownies over to their house and the FLDS refusing to answer the door. Sounds like something made up to fuel the fire. More of the same no matter where they go. Sounds more like an indictment of the Neo-Christian attitudes out there than the FLDS.

thank you texas and colorado for taking some of the stain in southern utah away!!!

Maura

"We would definitely not object to being able to openly speak with all members of the FLDS here - "

Have you offered for any of them to come to your meeting? How come all you refer to at your meetings are anit-FLDS crusaders?

By the way, indictments are not proven crimes, they are ALLEGATIONS. What crimes were you referring to that have been proved in a real court, not in Barbara Walthers (another FLDS hater) court?

Have any FLDS members committed crime in your neighborhood? Have they hurt you personally? Do they have guns?

NO! NO! NO! to all of the above. Then what are you afraid of? Sounds like you're afraid of your own shadow. "Oh, they haven't talked to me. I think they hate me." And what if.....what if....

Sounds like your community has the problem. Maybe you should look in your own back yard for the crime, or in your school.

I wonder what the crime rate in Eldorado Tx was before...and after the FLDS moved in.

Way to go Maura. The problem with open dialogue with flds members is the name calling starts and the gossip based accusations start flying.
Many accusations have proven false or wildly exagerated but still they have a habit of being brought up again and again. From education to simple legal rulings facts are distorted or simply ignored.
FLDS members have tried to answer questions....but the answers are twisted or misconstrued.

To crimes,
I think your point is good, although I think you chose the wrong crimes.
Let us see what crimes they might fall victim to.
A-an FLDS man marrying their daughter when she is 15. Well, not as long as the FLDS don't open the door, so don't worry.
B. An FLDS man beating their grandchild (from a failure to prevent crime A) and breaking his ribs. Oh wait, Sarah and her stories were a myth, well take that one off.
C. People getting fradulent welfare money. This does not directly hurt you, and as a regular citizen knowing people will try it, you can't do anything.
D. Someone marrying more than one wife. Unless you think FLDS men falsely represent that they do not have a first wife, which is not the case, this is an unlikely crime.
E. The FLDS killing all the dogs on their (the FLDS) property. The problem with this is, A. there is no compelling evidence to support this happened at Colorado City, B, I am not sure that killing dogs is criminal, and C since they do it on their property it will not hurt you as a neighbor.

While Warren Jeffs has been convicted, last I checked he was only one man and did not qualify as "leaders".
Indictments are accusations not convictions. The case merely has to be plausible.

Nice of you to bring up the dogs Lambert. It seems that after an attack by a dog on a child Jeffs ordered the elimination of all dogs.
Some say cruel...others say effective. I live near a small Tx. town that had a stray dog problem. The city council declared open season on the animals. Seems like ole Jeffs fits right in here in Texas.

The FLDS build temples on pastoral land, that is another good reason for hating them, they deface the beautiful West Texas landscape. Such horrible people they are. FLDS=Bad, Amish=Good