Reader comments
Summit targets FLDS

114 comments   |   Read story

Bogus Headline | 1:51 a.m. June 12, 2008
Headline "Summit targets FLDS" the very name of the headline states it�s unconstitutional, Government/ Law enforcement should never target any Religious group, they should be targeting Crimes. I hope the federal Government or someone stops this Blatant Attack on THE U.S.A. that is if this Headline is Accurate news, I�m not sure anymore.
mensem | 4:48 a.m. June 12, 2008
Ok, I'm still waiting for the "charges" that were suppose to come out of the CPS investigation. I read about a lot of CYA from local and state authorities after this flap and I'm still waiting for some kind of proof. A bunch of embarrased law (?) enforcers meeting in Utah means nothing. Where's the proof. Put up or shut up.
You know what's really scary? People who don't have the money to get lawyers and fight these people often get rolled over. Often it's just an abuse of the poor. Sad, sad, sad!!!
watching | 5:55 a.m. June 12, 2008
I think it's great something is being done, and the sharing of information going on. This whole flds needs a heads up that certain things aren't allowed to happen in the name of religon... keep the lines open and inforce our laws.
Comments continue below
Anonymous | 6:01 a.m. June 12, 2008
What are they targeting?

Our entire "main stream" culture has completely denigrated the idea of marriage. Multiple partners throughout a life is considered normal. People marry and divorce or never marry at all....
So, what are they targeting? Perhaps, that these groups actually seem to value their children and don't throw them away?
NoMo FLDS | 7:11 a.m. June 12, 2008
Good. It's about time that religious prisons were shut down, no matter where they go. There has to be a line somewhere before whatever takes place to get underage girls to have sex with their creepy old uncles. Before young lives are denied and robbed so they can be sex slaves. This isn't religion. Go get 'em.
a visitor | 7:11 a.m. June 12, 2008
Its unbelievable that a government agency is targeting a specific religion.
leelee | 7:12 a.m. June 12, 2008
There is something we tend to forget. We have freedom of religion until that religion puts someone or something at risk of danger or abuse of any type. Including, verbal, mental, physical, and sexual. Talk to anyone who was a part of the FLDS and they are usually open about what went on. The majority of the people are not bad. They just don't know any different. And when you have one man telling everyone what to do for everything in your life and it goes on for generations, and your education and communication is close to non existent, it a harsh cycle and the government will step in. When you are denying you children an education to help further their lives, or worse forcing your family to live in poverty and malnourished, the government will protect the childrens civil rights. Thats what America is about.
Re: What are they targeting? | 7:25 a.m. June 12, 2008
Lawbreakers

It's about time law-enforcement agencies targeting these lawbreakers. For far too long they have been thumbing their noses at the law, ignoring any laws that they didn't agree with.

Forced child marriages, child rape, kidnapping, welfare fraud, child abuse, slavery, false imprisonment, denying constitutionally guaranteed basic freedoms, illegally reassigning women and children to new men, lying to authorities, incest, etc., etc.

Live & Let Live | 7:26 a.m. June 12, 2008
As long as the FLDS are no longer practicing underage marriage --- they need to be left alone.

Prosecute those who are involved in underage marriage --- let them "repent from afar" with Warren Jeffs.
betty | 7:31 a.m. June 12, 2008
i would sure like to know if any of the fathers of these many children, who are receiving benefits of unwed mothers, are being investigated to find out why they are not caring for their own kids. if you cant feed them, dont breed them. social security payments, medicaid payments, food stamp payment, etc. why am i, as a taxpayer, having to pay for all these children who have fathers with enough money in their pockets to pay off the church every month and make jeffs a wealthy man.
Southern Utah Resident | 7:39 a.m. June 12, 2008
This is NOTHING but smoke and mirrors by Mark Shurtleff to give the appearance that he's doing something during an election year. Do we really have a more two-faced politician in our state? It was just a month ago that he held a meeting with 300 FLDS in St. George and assured them that he wasn't going to come after them.
Re: a visitor | 7:58 a.m. June 12, 2008
"Its unbelievable that a government agency is targeting a specific religion."

The government isn't targeting a specific religion, goverment is targeting the illegal practices of a group of people who have decided that they are above the law and can do whatever they please, or are told to do by their "prophet," whether it's legal or not.

Hiding behind the excuse that this is simply what we believe doesn't make it right.

If we start allowing personal religious beliefs to trump the law, we might as well abolish all laws, because all anyone would have to do to get away with breaking any law would be to start their own religion and then declare that they were no longer going to follow a certain law because it violated their religious beliefs.
Re: betty | 8:09 a.m. June 12, 2008
Trust me, I'm no fan of people who suck the welfare system. However, being on welfare isn't against the law, nor is it any reason to target a religion. If you want to make welfare illegal then go about it legally; going after the FLDS because they're on welfare is wrong.

PS Did you know the YFZ was not on welfare? I had thought they were until I actually did some research...
Bruce | 8:14 a.m. June 12, 2008
It's so petty to target a peaceful group to pull public attention from problems that really should be being addressed like illegal immigration, drugs, and secular violence.
The problem is that they are running out of cheap buzzwords like "compound" and "child abuse".

I know, maybe they could start calling them a "terrorist organization" or a "hate group".

The problem authorities have is there is no "fear" of the FLDS. If they can somehow generate some "fear", then they can throw millions at the nonexistant problem while the masses cheer.
Barny | 8:15 a.m. June 12, 2008
I wounder when those of the Islamic faith start to practice polygamy in the US if they will be prosecuted?
It's the right thing to do | 8:17 a.m. June 12, 2008
I agree with leelee (above). While we cannot condone what the state authorities and CPS did, that does not nulify the underlying issues within the FLDS. Give it time - let the authorities "work together" in completing their investigation and bring to justice those who have committed real and veifiable crimes.
James J | 8:18 a.m. June 12, 2008
I think as long as they are doing what they do with adult women, who are we to say they are wrong?? Betty, your right why are we paying for these peoples children? Oh yeah, America is about helping the poor. If you look at it, a lot more people who are not FLDS receive food stamps and welfare. Lets not single these people out because they have different views then some of us! Seems like LDS people in Utah have such a hard time accepting people that are different.
PS You want to get mad about something, Ask your stake president how much welfare he is giving out in his stake, the number is astounding!! And this is our tithing money!!!
I agree with "watching" | 8:20 a.m. June 12, 2008
And it's not about targeting a "specific religion" it's about targeting specific crimes! It's about time!
Re: Barny | 8:40 a.m. June 12, 2008
In answer to your question, the conservative columnist Mark Steyn noted that if it's stump-toothed old white guys marrying teenage girls, then that's disgusting and needs to be stamped out.

If it's Muslim men importing child brides and having them circumcised, well then that's "celebrating diversity".
AJ | 8:44 a.m. June 12, 2008
@Southern Utah Resident:

The meeting from a month ago was of other Mormon Polygamists and to my knowledge the FLDS was not represented there. What I saw reported on it was a promise not to go after polygamy and to try and get the status reduced to a misdemeanor (?) instead of a felony. His promise was only for the crime of polygamy itself. Child abusers, etc will still be prosecuted where found.
Good can come from bad | 8:44 a.m. June 12, 2008
The FLDS deserve an apology for what happened in Texas and the fact that the Utah attorney general held their coats while they were doing the act.

The FLDS owe an apology to all their young men they kicked out to make room for polygamy.

Perhaps this bad that Texas did will have a good effect. The FLDS will be forced to take parenting classes that will teach them to finally become decent parents.
AdamDiahman | 8:46 a.m. June 12, 2008
The factions should return to Adam-ondi-Ahman
Grandpa Phil | 8:47 a.m. June 12, 2008
It has long been established that the best defense is always a good offense. Sheriff Shurtleff is using this as his defense against what is surely coming his way.
This says it all | 8:47 a.m. June 12, 2008
"Beyond the marriages, authorities have conducted probes into financial crimes and child abuse. Those investigations have been stymied by a lack of hard evidence or witnesses willing to step forward."

In other words, the lurid exaggerations of former polygamist women -- some of whom have significant personal and financial motives to stretch the truth -- are turning out to be less than factual.

And after having seen how the Texas CPS treated the victims of polygamy, it's not surprising many polygamist wives would not want to testify against their husbands.

Many have concluded it's better to be a polygamist wife and live with your children than a state's witness who can only see your kids when the courts allow it.
Self-sufficient Delusion | 8:49 a.m. June 12, 2008
Welfare fraud is a natural consequence for most polygamists. It is simply IMPOSSIBLE for the vast majority of men to support 3 or more wives and dozens of children without government assistance.

Warren Jeffs justified the FLDS reliance on government assistance -- food stamps, medicaid, etc. -- by teaching the practice of "Bleeding the Beast." In other words, the so-called, evil outsiders needed to be punished by god (that is, the FLDS) taking as much from the beast (that is, the rest of us evil, tax-payers) as possible.

The FLDS have argued that people living at the YFZ ranch were self-sufficient because they weren't living on welfare. Maybe not directly, but they refuse to reveal where the money and resources to purchase and build the ranch came from.

The answer, of course, is that ALL of the money and resources came from the FLDS who were living in Hildale and Colorado City, where the vast majority of FLDS were heavily dependent on welfare.
Anonymous | 8:48 a.m. June 12, 2008
anon, 6:01am: "So, what are they targeting? Perhaps, that these groups actually seem to value their children and don't throw them away?"

you're kidding me, right? doesn't everyone by now know about the lost boys? and the systematic belittling of women-- you might as well say that they're throwing those girl's lives away too.
California Andy | 8:53 a.m. June 12, 2008
From reading these comments, you can tell which are written by sick, twisted women. Rape! Incest! Malnutrition! Polygamy! Food stamps! And on and on. Yet, to this moment, has any FLDS member (Other than Jeffs, and I am beginning to wonder about that) of the FLDS church been convicted of ANYTHING? And of course, old "Harry the Red" Reid, who has recently seen the light and joined the LDS Church (Reason enough for other LDS to get out!)has to get his warped $0.02 into the entire mess. With him in there, you can bet there will be another Harry the Red debacle like the mess he caused attempting to shut down a well-known talk show host.

Ruby Ridge, Waco, and now FLDS. Facism is rampant in this nation.

And one writer is correct. When the Islmao-terrorists start moving in, you can bet the same whinnying naysaying creeps will be groveling, complimenting them on how well they take care of their women who would otherwise be destitute, excepting for their polygamous beliefs. Yep. Wait and see.
COSMO | 9:00 a.m. June 12, 2008
I can see that Betty still has not connected with the fact,that the FLDS were not recieving any state
assistance. When one is blinded by hatred, one is incapable of seeing anything.

Betty, you should get yourself a nice SS uniform!
Anonymous | 8:59 a.m. June 12, 2008
I wonder if the Federal Attorney has ever heard of the Mann Act.
Prophet | 9:00 a.m. June 12, 2008
The outside world seems to forget that Warren Jeffs is a prophet. What he says will benefit us all.
SLC gal | 9:03 a.m. June 12, 2008
What the FLDS need to do is quit hiding. I belive the fact they are so off to themselves was what started this issue in the first place. It's their closed environment that allowed so much garbage to spread.
Grandpa Phil | 9:06 a.m. June 12, 2008
What comic book or gossip tabloid have you people been reading? "Re: What are the targeting" came up with a slew of allegations that have LONG since been proven false but some recalcitrants insist on repeating them incessantly. Y'all just make yourselves look stupid when you do that. "leelee" claims the kids "live in poverty and are malnourished". Where the H*LL did THAT come from? None of the kids I have seen look even remotely malnourished. On the contrary, they look healthier than a majority of American kids. It has long ben established that NONE of the families on the ranch were on welfare but you people just will NOT give it up. Some of the older adults are on Social Security but I'm sure the only crime there is the amount of the checks they worked all of their lives to earn. Shurtleff is going to wish he had left well enough alone. He and the rest of you need to leave these people alone and let them get on with their lives. Hold them accountable like everyone else and stop singling them out and running roughshod over their rights.
re: James J | 9:09 a.m. June 12, 2008
James, the Stake President doesn't have control of the "welfare" funds of his Stake. He has general oversite and provides guidance to his bishops, but has no direct authority; nor does he have authority to dispense funds - that authority rests solely with the bishops. And, welfare funds are drawn from Fast Offerings which is a separate donation made by the members. Welfare assistance is not provided from your tithing donations.

Finally, as you may be aware, the Church's assistencee is not met to be a permanent and/or long-term program - it is intended to be for short-term, temporary needs.

Just thought you'd like to know.
Re: James J | 9:10 a.m. June 12, 2008
"If you look at it, a lot more people who are not FLDS receive food stamps and welfare."

Maybe you could explain how your opinion differs so much from the actual numbers:

33 percent of the residents of Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona, whose inhabitants are predominantly FLDS members, are using food stamps to feed their families, compared to 6.7 percent of Arizona inhabitants and 4.7 percent of Utah inhabitants outside of these areas.

33% FLDS is 5 to 7 times HIGHER than 6.7% or 4.7%
re: CA Andy | 9:21 a.m. June 12, 2008
yeah, i guess we should all be in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant if you had your way, huh?
I find it interesting... | 9:24 a.m. June 12, 2008
that the first three comments on all of these stories are always pro-FLDS, it is like there is a couple of people that are just waiting for the stories to post and start out the comments. As to one persons comment about freedom of religion, yes that is true, but with any freedom, if you do the crime, you do the time.
R: Bruce | 9:29 a.m. June 12, 2008
"maybe they can start calling them a "terrorist organization."

Did you know that Washington County used Homeland Security money to fund the wages of an officer hired to drive Hildale streets. The officer herassed the people and stopped drivers when he realized they were young girls. Then when an investigation came out at the purgitory facility where he worked, all of the sudden he was transfered. (????)

If you talked to most the officers that have had to go out there and patrol, they say it is the most boring route because NOTHING happens.
Anonymous LDS | 9:32 a.m. June 12, 2008
To James J,
Maybe you don't know what you are talking about and stirring up madness about. The stake president doesn't give out welfare he supervises it. The Bishop and the Relief Society president gives out welfare and it is not our "tithing money" but out of our fast offerings. Realize that the "welfare" is subsisting those in need not necessarily LDS in the Bishop's area. If the Bishop doesn't have enough funds then the monies are pooled together in the stake and disbursed to the needy. If there is an excess of funds then they are sent into the Church to help other needy families in other areas. The Bishop also distributes, through the Bishops storehouse, food and other commodities to the less fortunate in his area. All this comes from the LDS Church's welfare department which sends thousands of TONS of commodities to earthquake, flood, hurricane victims throughout the world. Now don't you as an LDS member feel a little more PROUD for helping out the less fortunate!! Don't get MAD just get in and HELP!
annie | 9:32 a.m. June 12, 2008
what is worse, a man marrying two women or a man marrying another man?
Anyone who does not uphold marriage between a man and woman, as God's law at this time, has no right to persecute anyone.
Johhny Utah #9 | 9:38 a.m. June 12, 2008
By reading these posts, it's seems the FLDS apologists have forgotten that these people are breaking the law. Some have posted that "the very name of the headline states it�s unconstitutional". Well, the government is also targeting "Al Qaeda" does that mean all of them have committed crimes against America? No they haven't...yet. And the same is true of the FLDS people. By in large, as a group they are committing crimes and and should be prosecuted. I don't really care if you want to live a polyamyst lifestyle, just don't forcibly "marry" and rape underaged girls. And guess what, when your "religion" is well known for arrainged "marriages" of underaged girls, you're going to get "targeted". What is unconstitutional about investigated a group who regularly commits statutory rape? Nothing.
re: Prophet | 9:40 a.m. June 12, 2008
I, for one, don't care what your "prophet" says. he is not an honorable man, and from what I've learned of him, don't think anything he says would benefit anyone, except maybe the men who follow him wanting blind power over their families.
Dave | 9:45 a.m. June 12, 2008
I guess this proves why our smartest kids don't go into law enforcement.

Can someone let these geniuses know that polygamists don't pose a public threat?
prophet? yea right | 9:47 a.m. June 12, 2008
Warren Jeffs is no prophet. well maybe a false prophet. He is a sick man who has now admitted that he is not the prophet. The outside world has not forgotten anything. Warren is not, and has never been a prophet.
Astonished | 9:51 a.m. June 12, 2008
hmmm ... this sounds a lot like when Hitler targeted the jewish people and used the media and public forum to brain wash Germany into believing what he was doing was good for the entire country.
Once you start to infringe on the laws of one group it opens the door to take rights away from the entire whole. If in fact a certain "family" is committing crimes against a specific child then absolutely should that child be removed from the home whether it be an FLDS home or a "normal" home (whatever that might be).
I am from a polygamous family (not FLDS). My father never pushed marriage on me, I graduated from college and I am currently in grad school, I am not married with ten kids as most Utahns are at 25, and I come from a LOVING environment that I wouldn't change for the world. My family also supports itself on $300,000+ annual income ... so welfare fraud?? Please, at least get your facts straight if you choose to make an argument. Give away your freedoms and you give away what our country was founded on.
Re: This says it all | 9:53 a.m. June 12, 2008
"In other words, the lurid exaggerations of former polygamist women -- some of whom have significant personal and financial motives to stretch the truth -- are turning out to be less than factual."

Organized crime families are involved in murders, extortion, bribery, money laundering, prostitution, drugs, gambling, etc., etc.

There are clear indications of what the FLDS are doing. Just because their crimes are difficult to prove because of a lack of hard evidence or witnesses willing to step forward doesn't mean they aren't breaking the law.

Too many ex-FLDS have related the same types of experiences involving child abuse, kidnapping, welfare fraud, and other crimes to simply dismiss their testimony as nothing more than "exaggeration."

COSMO | 9:55 a.m. June 12, 2008
Re: SLC gal;With respect how well is your/our open environment doing? I would give you some details based upon todays headlines, but they would have to be censored.
az tax payer | 10:08 a.m. June 12, 2008
These vile old men are abusing the children, women, boys and the states of CO,ID,TX UT,NV AND AZ TAXPAYERS ALL UNDER THE FAKE EXCUSE OF FREEDOM OF RELIGION. The rest of the country is laughing at all these stupid law enforcement agencies who can't even convict this gang of really dumb uneducated CRIMINALS ......Shame shame on all the states and especially UT AZ and TX.
Agree | 10:26 a.m. June 12, 2008
Hear-Here-LeeLee-I agree!
Mike | 10:31 a.m. June 12, 2008
With all the pro-flds comments and time spent on here, sounds like there are a bunch of kids being neglected and/or not being cared for.
Re: Astonished | 10:39 a.m. June 12, 2008
Thanks for sharing! I'm amazed how many people are still clainming "child abuse", "welfare fraud", "slavery" with no proof. It will be a dark day when we throw people in jail because of the suspicious hearts of others.
It seems hating others is unfortunately the "communion of our race", but being charitable in thought and deed is indeed rare.

Add your comment

Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.

Words Remaining

E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.

Image
Ben Winslow, Deseret News

Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, left, and Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff leave a meeting on polygamy-related crimes.

previousnext

Latest comments

Grover was the last competent Commissioner we had, good luck to him.

BYU's old uniforms?

Some USU guy is going to complain about how BYU "stole" their particular...

Twilight

I completely agree... i had higher expectations than what was shown.

BYU's old uniforms?

It is Aggie Blue and you all know it!!! It's to honor the great Aggie Alum...

Fall sports academic all-state

As a former coach I was blessed enough to coach several academic all-state...

Twitterati to BCS: 'We hate you.'

Mega March Madness is fun and so will Mega January Playoff would be good! I...

Energy cuts likely to go unnoticed

aaaaaaaah yes, "HIGHER EDUCATION" vs "LiL Ole Me", not much smarter then a...

BYU's old uniforms?

Just do it. USU blue is not BYU blue.

Another private city army to satisfy a Mayor and Councils ego, that is not...

Thunder rolls by Jazz

re:Unbelievable Sorry mate but with a losing record in the playoffs, this...

Advertisements