Mr Huntsman Please do the right thing here, I am not LDS nor am I FLDS but I am one of your constitutints and I think you are fully aware of what the repercussins of ignoring the constitutional and civil rights of the /flds people can do to the future of all of Americas freedoms. I have wayched lately as you have done the things you should have done much earlier, but I figured better late thAN NEVER. Now you are faced with an even bigger problem, the freedom of the American people is hurting in a big way and I think you have seen what the rest of the world has thought about the morman religon, If you do not speak out right now in defense of those children and the parents, the next religous perseeqition will be dropped right on your doorstep. This is kidnapping clear and simple. The cps in Texas must charge at least one person and prove those charges, returning the rest of those children to the parents immediatly, or face kidnapping charges to say the least or I think treason against the people of the us at worse. Your move, don't let us down,

Gov huntsman

You are just lately realizing how fragile your status as gov of utah is, I have sen your last minute try to save your job, do the right thing by your fellow utahns and the rest of America by putting pressure on Texas cps to return those children they have kidnapped to their parents immediatly. The freedom of religion in utah and the rest of our once great nation could rest on you. Go down in history as one who rallied to the American citizens defense and uphold the laws of our constitution. The current administrations ways of taking our constitutional and civil rights away in the name of national security is a bunch of bunk. We will not let them take our children away and break up anyone families anymore. We the people of this great nation will continue to live by the laws that have made us the best country in the world, and if anyone thinks we will just stand by and let them steal our children THEY ARE WRONG. If we do not defend our constitution right now we can not expect anyone to help us when they come to take our children.

How can they ask for help when their polygamist lifestyle is against the law? AND they have found underaged girls pregnant?

What foundation do they have to stand on?

Thats awfully ignorant...asking another state to get involved simply because some of the FLDS members are originally from Utah. Obviously they left Utah for the seclusion of this Texas town because Utah was not keen on the child molestation and virtual heaven created for sexual predators like the men that are drawn to this way of life.
The children in these compounds dont have a chance. Its a shame that men like Jessop act the victim when they have created so many of their own. Way to act like a man, buddy.

Not to rain on the parade hear, but Rick Perry has far more political pressure from within the our state to put a lot of these people in jail and keep those children out of the compound then Utah could ever mount against it. A good many of those kids may be returned to their parents, but not to the property near El Dorado. Also, one pregnant 15 year old with a grudge and a good trial lawyer and the FLDS assets are toast. That 100 million in assets is a very attractive target for a Houston trial lawyer, and a crying 15 year old on the stand can get a big judgment from a Jury.

Did sue/susan just threaten the governor of Utah?

The FLDS blatantly defied the governments of Utah and Arizona in breaking the law, committing welfare fraud, deliberately not keeping valid birth and marriage records, performing underage "spiritual" marriages, and kicking young boys out of their community. They moved to Texas to avoid the increased scrutiny they were receiving back home in Utah and Arizona. Now that Texas has taken action, the FLDS have the audacity to expect Utah to intervene on their behalf.

If they feel their rights are being violated, they should start by cleaning up their own house and stop violating the rights of their children. Then, maybe, their pleas for help would have a more sympathetic ear.

The video of Willie Jessop standing in front of the camera pleading for his children?

Why Governor Huntsman should get involved in the State of Texas issues? FLDS moved to Texas and become residents of Texas not Utah. Utah, stay out of Texas, only the Feds can interfer with this matter. The Utah Governor can say whatever he wants base on human right issues but not to represent the FLDS. They belongs to the State of Texas and the Feds right now.

Here is the constitutional matter we should all be concerned about: We live under a principle that the will of the majority rules. When good people stay home, evil can prevail. The majority can pass laws that may be based on correct principles or not. That is how fragile our freedom is.

We are in the midst of deconstructionist thinking. ("That all depends upon what the meaning of 'is' is.") Child abuse has been defined, and procedures put in place to allow the government to take children away from their parents.

It is not inconceivable that in the next 20 years, we will see laws that define "spanking" as abusive to children.

I attended a U.N. convention where the licensing of parents was advocated. We might see that in 40 years or sooner. The state will then define what parents can and cannot do and believe, in order to be licensed to have children. Sterilization as young as age 12 was also advocated.

I know it sounds a lot like China, but my friends, all it takes is a few with a tyranical mentality to become the majority. Since these deconstructionist ideas are being taught on our college campuses, beware.

By the way, I do not condone children being married, spiritually or not, or sexual abuse of a child.

One point that is misunderstood in the reader comments here is that this letter is an appeal to Governor Huntsman to intervene for those who are CURRENT residents of Utah who were visiting for their general conference at the time of the raid.

I'm not an attorney, but I believe that gives the state of Utah some jurisdiction. Also, if Utah has not outlawed polygamy (that I don't know), then it would also follow that those polygamists whose marriages were performed in Utah would be included in this appeal.

This is a very complex matter. The way Texas has handled this situation will have negative implications for generations to come. Our leaders must use great caution in how they act to secure our constitutional freedoms in the broader sense.

Funny to see the FLDS here threaten the governor of Utah...they don't even vote!!!

I think that many people just like me will be extremely disappointed if our Gov. Huntsman helps these people...I imagine that he will loose more votes than he could possibly count!

"We the people of this great nation will continue to live by the laws that have made us the best country in the world"

Ok...let's live by the laws...polygamist lifestyle is against the law!!! When will they put that in their heads??!!!

I think the country should help the states that have a polygamy problem and put a stop on all of it! Since Utah and Arizona said that they don't have the means to put all the polygamist in Jail. Ask for help and do it!

I don't understand that. He should be asking that aclu

Underage sex - on the girls.

Child abandonment - on the boys.

Massive abuse of welfare (44% vs. 5% for normal Utahns).

Violation of minimum wage laws.

Denial of education for all their children for the purposes of keeping them ignorant and suspicious of the outside world.

I am pretty tolerant of giving parents a wide berth in how they raise their own children, but we see here why polygamy is illegal and why it should remain illegal.

If we are going to allow these people to continue practicing their religion, then fine - but it's going to have to require a rearrangement of society, including the elimination of food stamps, medicaid and so on. A married couple with kids shouldn't have to pay taxes to support the guy with 5 wives and 30 kids.

Without eternal vigilance, the bad will drive out the good.

Even if they have broken the law, they still have constitutional rights.

Murderers, rapists, drug dealers... all have constitutional rights. Who hasn't heard of a murder suspect getting away because of an illegal search or other illegal technicalities caused by authorities bent on getting evidence or a conviction even if they had to bend/break the law?

Just because we have pre-judged the FLDS to be abhorant... doesn't mean they don't have the same constitutional rights you and I have.

If and when they are convicted, they could loose their freedom, but they don't loose that freedom and protection offered to all citizens by the constitution just because they broke the law.

Laws are there to protect all of us (even those who are under suspicion of breaking the law until PROVEN guilty in a court of law). As far as I know, none have been convicted in court yet (just in the court of public opinion in Texas).

I don't sympathise with the FLDS practices, but I'm suprised at how willing and quick many DMN readers are to withdraw the constitutional protections these people have.

"
I am pretty tolerant of giving parents a wide berth in how they raise their own children, but we see here why polygamy is illegal and why it should remain illegal."

When the anti-polygamy laws were passed, there was no Federal welfare, very few child abuse laws, and the legal marriage age was about 14. You need to look somewhere else to find out why polygamy is illegal.

Do not feel sorry for Flds.
The men are using religion to cover for what is called a swingers lifestyle. It is nothing more than that. They can have multiple partners and say it is God will.
After seeing how brainwashed the women have become it is not right.
I have lived in Utah and seen this yet everyone turns their head.
When you abuse the welfare system and underage girls
for a perverted lifestyle you need to go to jail and I hope that is what these so called men get.
The men knew it is wrong and most bolted like a child molester being caught on dateline.
No matter how you paint it it is still rape when you
have sex with an under age girl.
Using God to say it is okay is wrong and hoping this will go to court outlawing this Flds in any shape or form.
The only ones rooting for the Flds are predators on women and childern.

What part of "ILLEGAL" don't FLDS members and their sympathizers understand? Illegal means illegal. Their offspring are illegal. They use public services, teach their illegal kids at our public institutions, and they don't even fly American flags on their compound. They suck the beast dry and now they want our sympathy?

No way, no how! They are ILLEGAL! We have to respect 'the Rule of Law' here, don't we? These arguments sure sound similar, don't they?

This is the enslavement and brainwashing of women and children by a few, power hungry men. If they didn't prey on little girls for sex they would have been left alone. But they raise them from birth to obey, tell them to 'keep sweet' as they marry them off to men old enough to be their grandfathers or fathers and they run off the teenage boys so there won't be as much competition. They tell them Gentiles are evil, but what is more evil than using little girls for breeding? Why should taxpayers support their wives and children while they have the funds to build a temple worth 22 million dollars? If these men want to start a religion fine, but marry full grown women who are old enough to consent to marriage, and have as many children as you can support. Just don't scream religious persecution when state laws (and moral laws) are violated and you learn you have to sow what you have reaped.

Who's next? The Amish, Meninite, Luthern, Baptist...Who?

Well said Motherbear. When people are raised in cult isolation, they will do what their leaders tell them to. I have no doubt that some of these mothers would have given their children the Kool-Aid just as the followers of Jim Jones and the People's Temple did if commanded to do so.

It seems from some of the posts that some think child abuse is constitutional if it conducted by a religion, while they wouldn't tolerate it under non-religious circumstances. That is why we have courts to sort out this type of thing. I am sure that those that oppose what Texas has done do not approve of impregnating 13-16 year old girls by older men, even if the girls feel it is an honor.

By the way this is not the business of Gov. Huntsman, and if he gets involved it would be for no other reason than political pandering to the conservatives that think people are losing their constitutional rights. He has no business in this just as he had no business making agreements with Mexico.

Let the courts take their course.

I am surprised how much hatred there is in America toward a small religious group, who seem to be doing a better job of raising their children than occurs in mainstream American culture.

Did Mr Jessop happen to mention why it was that so many Utah FLDS had skedaddled to Texas?

I'm amazed by how many people there are here that are entirely inhuman; Adopting unproved allegations against an entire people by their bitterest enemies, and very unreliable sources at that(having other interests besides being just and fair). Why? Whats the difference between them and you....Oh, I see. Different religion. You don't agree with them, even though thats the way they chose to live, so you a are stoking up the gas chambers. I am thoroughly disgusted. Why don't you all move somewhere besides America to start your own Nazi or communist countries that delight in a complete absence of due process like Texas has demonstrated? My ancestors paid with their life to give their children freedom, the opportunity to be innocent until proven guilty(even with this, hundreds of absolutely innocent people have gone to prison), and a protection of the right to believe and worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. The scriptures and common sense tells us that people accuse others because of their own wrongs and desires of their own heart(Hi, Flora)...I'm learning alot by you people.

This is NOT Gov. Huntsman problem or jurisdiction! Good grief people, we are in a war in Irag because we as a country got into someone elses business. The last thing we need is for our Governor to take away from leading our state to go rescue a group of people that are suffering the consequences of their actions. I do agree however, that the children need to be pulled out, and protected, but,the State of Texas has that jurisdiction. If they need help placing those kids, I am sure Utah would not turn them away, we never do. I am sure we would love to help out in that way, but to pull our Governor into their problem it is just wrong. This really isn't a religious matter, it is a criminal matter, those people are breaking the law of the land. The land of the USA..

Not hard to see the criminal conspiracy in goverment, social workers , catholic church and justice employees.

Sothing needs to be done now! Letter writing will not help. PRESS PRIVATE CRIMINAL CHARGES !

Isn't that interesting...Jessop's comment, "In the name of "protecting children" the state has torn apart functional...families." Wow! Haven't they been hinding behind "religion" long enough.
If Huntsman does anything to help these people I for one will not vote for him. After his involvement with the soccer stadium, I can no longer look the other way!