| Hatch: We need to protect our children Polygamy surfaces at town meeting | |
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By Rachel Olsen The Spectrum | |
ST. GEORGE -- Crowd members became very passionate Thursday as they discussed polygamy and other issues in a town meeting with Sen. Orrin Hatch. Hatch, R-Utah, came to St. George to participate in several events Thursday and today. One of those events was an open town meeting, where residents could ask about issues pertenant to Southern Utah, said Heather Barney, the senator's spokeswoman. Several topics were discussed, ranging from the lack of facilities for veteran care to the Patriot Act, but the most heated issue was that of polygamy. Bob Curran, an anti-polygamist activist with Help the Child Brides, brought up the issue of polygamy with a question asking Hatch why an hour away "thugs" rape children and nothing is being done to stop it. "No one should be raping a child ... we need to protect our children," Hatch said. Although Hatch continually focused on the fact that no one should be abusing or raping a child, his response apparently did not appease some members of the audience. It was not until Sonya Blancke, a relatively new resident in Washington County, expressed her dismay with the breaking of laws, especially the laws broken by polygamists, that there was a little unrest. Hatch said if Blancke could provide evidence of the laws being broken, then he could do something, but that he could not take unsubstantiated claims and enforce law, and he would not "sit here and judge anybody just because they live differently than me." "There will be laws on the books, but these are very complicated issues," Hatch said. Hatch also brought up the fact that wilderness acts need to become more focused and that only the most pristine wilderness should be preserved as wilderness areas. Hatch recognized state Rep. Dave Clark, R- District 74, who was in the audience. Clark remarked on the ability of being able to ask questions and get answers from such an experienced civic leader. "Where else can you go in the world and ask questions that can be very uncomfortable ...?" Clark asked. | |
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TheSpectrum.com Originally published April 17, 2003 | |
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