Bi-state meeting on polygamy takes on conciliatory tone
 
By Mark Hall
Today's News-Herald - Havasu City
 
ST. GEORGE, Utah - The two top law enforcement agents in Arizona and Utah said they can't and won't arrest all of the polygamists in the twin cities of Colorado City and Hildale, Utah because it would require too many resources and many bigamy laws are archaic.

However, one Mohave County supervisor is calling for much stiffer law enforcement intervention than has already been seen, including the enforcement of current bigamy laws.

"When they talk about the abuse of money, and say 'were giving out these food stamps to the people to try to help the children,' those people might be qualified to receive those food stamps, but the children and the families are not the ones getting the money," District 3 Supervisor Buster Johnson said after a town hall meeting Thursday. "The money is going to the leaders. So I think that states have allowed this practice and this lawbreaking, and they owe it to the children to stop the practice, no matter what the costs are."

Over the past two years, on an average annual basis, Johnson said Colorado City has received about $2 million in food stamp assistance. He said the abuses will continue and both states will have little success in trying to build criminal cases on domestic violence or sexual abuse, two of the most alleged crimes in the area.

"We don't want to prosecute polygamy because it's a small crime compared to the abuses of children, but they got (Al) Capone on tax evasion. They didn't get him on murder and racketeering," Johnson said.

Despite Johnson's aggressive strategy, Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard and his Utah counterpart, Mark Shurtleff, painted a more tolerant picture in front of a large crowd of people, many of whom were polygamists. Both officials said their main goal for being there was to listen, and in return, build trust while letting people know what services were available.

However, both skirted questions from the audience that directly addressed polygamy.

"Whatever your faith, whatever your cultural background, whatever your race or religion, we're here to serve you," Shurtleff said in his opening remarks, and he reiterated the statement during the two-hour event. "We're grateful for the polygamist communities that are learning how to prevent child abuse and domestic violence."

However, he said his state would not tolerate those crimes in any segment of the population, especially those hiding behind the guise of religion.

"But we do pledge again that we will not target any group of people because of their religious beliefs. It's never been about religion. But we certainly won't sit back and allow people to commit crimes in the name of religion."

Goddard echoed many of Shurtleff's remarks in his opening statement and in later dialogues, but expanded on the idea of building trust and ending any hostility. He also touched upon the efforts that have taken place since both offices held a similar meeting in 2003. Results of that meeting included the formation of a joint justice facility in Colorado City.

"I think we are here in a mission, which involves, I hope, breaking down decades of hostility and suspicion that have existed between the states of Utah and Arizona, and the communities in the northern part of Arizona and southern Utah," Goddard said in his opening remarks. "I think we have made progress because of the impressive results of many, many people."

Goddard also took the opportunity to apologize for the 1953 incident in which Arizona State policeman and National Guard Troops raided the polygamist community of Short Creek, which is near present-day Colorado City and Hildale.

"I hope the past buries the past," he said.

There were many St. George and Washington County law enforcement officials at the meeting.

At least 20 members of the audience made statements or asked the four officials questions. Some citizens - many of whom said they were newcomers to the area - defended the polygamists as good people.

Anne Wilde, co-founder of Principle Voices of Polygamy, a pro-polygamy advocacy group, said the practice has been negatively portrayed in the media.

"We would like people to know that there are many, many happy families that are living this lifestyle. It is a freely chosen lifestyle and believe it or not, there is a lot of happy women," she said.

Conversely, polygamy opponents were blunt in their condemnations of the practice, and like Johnson, wanted to know why people were not being arrested under current bigamy laws.

One St. George woman, who said she has taken custody of a so-called "lost boy" - one of many males teenagers who have been excommunicated from the community - said she cannot get benefits for the boy, even though his biological father is still receiving government assistance in his name. Other people complained of large-scale government fraud.

Both Goddard and Shurtleff assured the concerned citizens that they were interested in prosecuting the crimes. However, they said that in order for them to make worthwhile criminal investigations people were going to have to present real, documented evidence.

You may contact the reporter at mhall@havasunews.com
 
HavasuNews.com
Originally published Saturday, March 5, 2005
 
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