Guilty! Verdict sends message to men, gives hope to women
 
By Norma Najacht
Custer County Chronicle - Custer, South Dakota
 
Jane Blackmore, former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), is happy that Warren Jeffs, prophet of that sect, was found guilty of two counts of rape as an accomplice last week in Utah.

"I hope my testimony had some part in the verdict," she added. Blackmore’s daughter, Susie, is at the FLDS enclave in Custer County. Blackmore has not been allowed to see either Susie or Susie’s four sons.

"I am so proud of Elissa (Wall)," the Canadian woman said. "She gave an amazing presentation."

Wall brought the lawsuit against Jeffs, which found him guilty of arranging a marriage for her at the age of 14 to her first cousin, Allen Steed, who has now been charged with rape, an action he admitted to under oath during the trial.

Cookie Hickstein of Pringle, FLDS neighbor, says she is overwhelmed that our justice system is working and that Jeffs was convicted.

"I hope it will continue with other convictions of other men who have done the same thing," she said. "I think it will make all FLDS men realize they cannot have their celestial marriages to these young girls."

Elaine Tyler at The Hope Organization, said the volunteers of that organization are overwhelmed with joy for Elissa Wall, who dedicated and sacrificed so much to make justice happen for so many other young girls (children actually) who find themselves in a similar situation.

The HOPE Organization is a non-profit group dedicated to assisting survivors of abuse within polygamous relationships.

"Together with Elissa’s courage and Warren Jeffs’ conviction by law enforcement, this form of child abuse within the FLDS and other similar sects will hopefully never again go unnoticed. The entire practice of forced underage marriage is now rightfully being scrutinized and successfully being prosecuted under the law," Tyler said.

She added that the organization is optimistic that the facts presented and the message sent in this trial will finally help abolish this horrific practice. "Continued support from the community and law enforcement is needed to bring it to fruition. These children deserve nothing less!"

Mike Watkiss, award-winning TV reporter in Phoenix who himself comes from a polygamist background, was at Jeffs’ trial.

"I think we’ve waited a long time to see justice brought," he said. Watkiss has been covering the polygamist underworld for his entire career which spans 30 years, and the FLDS in particular for the last 15.

He believes it sends a message that the men in that sect can’t prey on young girls in that community.

"The state of Utah has sent a powerful message — it’s got to stop," he said.

Polygamy may be illegal, but it will be tolerated, he believes.

"The state is not going to after them on that, so they’ve got to figure out a way to give these young people an education. The girls have got to have a choice."

The control starts early in these communities, he noted. "When you deprive someone of an education and tell them the outside world is a bastion of evil and wickedness and that people out there are devils, it can play in a child’s head."

Hickstein also hopes that one day the young girls and women will have the choice to continue their education or marry whomever they choose.

"All of them need to learn that the rest of the people in the world are not as bad as they think we are," she said. "They need an open society that allows the people to come and go as they wish, not just the men."

And they should be allowed to learn the ways of the world and be able to be part of the world and at the same time keep their religion if that is their wish, she added.

So what does the future hold for the FLDS?

Blackmore says she is not sure what to expect.

"I don’t think that much will change for awhile," she said. "People will believe Jeffs is falsely accused and that they and him are being persecuted. This will put them up a notch for brownie points. I think all we can do at this point is watch and wait and pray."

Hickstein doesn’t believe much will change at the compound in Custer County. "Building will continue along with more of the true followers of Warren Jeffs coming to live here or in El Dorado, Texas. Warren will continue to be their prophet and have his apostles do his work."

"The FLDS compound in Custer County will continue to grow; it is not going away."

Hickstein hopes that Ben Johnson, person-in-charge at the Custer County compound, will allow his wife, Susie, to see her mother, Jane Blackmore.

Watkiss believes the FLDS will go on, although some people may splinter off.

"To the hard core, Jeffs will be a martyr," he said. "Some people will go to their graves believing Jeffs is the mouthpiece of God and seer and revelator of God."

If Jeffs is incarcerated for a lengthy period, eventually a new leader will take over. "Life goes on," he said.

"But they will be put on notice that if they rape the young girls and excommunicate the boys, they will get into trouble. This verdict has been a powerful message to send to them."

"As far as this making a difference in the Pringle compound, I just can’t say because of the fences surrounding the properties and the onerous guard towers watching over life within the compounds and around the perimeters of the properties," said Tyler. "This situation scares me to death! Why do they need fences and a guard tower? Is it to keep the 'wicked' out or to keep the 'faithful' in?"

Either way, she said, she sees it as a prison-like existence where people are not free to come and go. "At least in Hildale/Colorado City, the people are not surrounded by such physically intimidating barriers as fences surrounding the perimeters of the community and gigantic guard towers staring down on everyone’s movements. The whole thought of this situation just makes me shudder!"

She noted that the FLDS has moved to some very tranquil areas in the West — small town places where folks know each other and probably don’t even lock their doors.

"I have been to Custer and know that prison-guard-type protection is NOT needed," Tyler said. "So why create an ominous atmosphere by fencing and gating off the property — and then building guard towers? What kind of 'good neighbor' sense of friendliness does this create?"

Maybe they do plow the snow off the roads in the winter for the other folks living around the compound, she noted, but then they also came out in force to prevent a mother from Canada from having access to her daughter and grandsons.

"What’s up with that?" she asked. "Is that a loving attitude? Is that righteousness? I’m sorry, but something is REALLY wrong with this picture!"

A lot of people would like to take credit for Jeffs’ conviction,

Watkiss noted, from reporters, to politicians to the legal justice system.

"But the people who started this revolution are a handful of women," he said. "They are the heroes. Those women risked something."

After the trial, Wall said when she was young, her mother taught her that evil flourishes when good men do nothing.

"This has not been easy for us," she said. "The easy thing would have been to do nothing. But I have followed my heart and I have spoken the truth."

The trial was not about religion or a vendetta, she said. It was simply about child abuse and preventing further abuse.

"I hope that all FLDS girls and young women will understand that no matter what anyone may say, you are created equal. You do not have to surrender your rights or your spiritual sovereignty. I know how hard it is, but please, stand up and fight. Fight for your voice and choice."
 
CusterCountyNews.com
Originally published Wednesday, October 3, 2007
 
Back