Two men, two approaches
Already, the difference in personality and situation between the two men charged with polygamy in Canada and the groups they lead is becoming apparent. Jimmy Oler has remained silent while an FLDS spokesman speaks for him. Winston Blackmore, once part of the sect but now affiliated with another fundamentalist Mormon group, held a press conference today and, while he did not take questions, spoke forthrightly about his lifestyle and religious beliefs. Here is the statement Blackmore issued:
Since I am not going to take your questions upon advice of legal counsel, and since you all know that whether I have liked it or not I have always tried to accommodate the media, I will try to anticipate your questions in this statement.
Almost nineteen years ago we were discovered by the media. We didn't even know that we were lost. It has taken three AG's, many special prosecutors, and millions and millions of taxpayers dollars, almost nineteen years to arrive at the conclusion that Fundamentalist Mormons want to practice the fundamentals of their faith.
Canada has a law against polygamy. It was made in or around 1892 and was made specifically against the Mormons. Canada also has a Charter of Rights and Freedoms that guarantees every person the right to live their religion, and I guess now, every person except those of us who are Fundamentalist believing and practicing Mormons.
This is not about the police. They kindly waited until my children would be all at school before they came to arrest me. They certainly did not expect that school would be delayed for two hours because a foot of heavy snow had fallen in the night and all my school children were still home. They also did not know that my three children that want to be police officers when they grow up, a 16 year old girl, a 12 year old boy, and an eleven year old boy got to witness the process. My children hated the police all day long and were still hating them when I got home. I have met dozens of police officers over the years and made many good friends among them. I was treated very kindly by the arresting officers but can honestly say to them, you have some pr work to do with some of my family members, and perhaps since Canada has chosen to disregard our basic charter rights then you should at least work in some sensitivity when it comes to dealing with our children.
This is not about polygamy. Tens of thousands of polygamists among many different cultures are hiding in plain sight all across Canada. They are known by their neighbors, policemen, legislators and media just as we are. I am sure that they are an active valued part of the economic structure of the communities in which they live just as we are. But they are not fundamentalist Mormons! To us this is about religious persecution. Persecution has always been about politics. Whatever else is involved with it, it is still about politics. It is therefore no surprise to us that this spectacular grandstanding event has happened in the face of an up and coming provincial election. I hope this government has calculated all the risks. Time will tell.
My family reaction was negative and yesterday was a hard day for them. There was no way that we could talk. They listened to the news, collectively fielded hundreds of phone calls and waited. My little children couldn’t do their school work, and were emotional and traumatized by the uncertainty of the event. My college children couldn’t focus. I didn’t know about it all day but a number of my dear family members waited outside to see me when I was released. We had a wonderful reunion and as I stood there in Cranbrook with a dozen grown up sons and daughters, all struggling in their own way to understand this religious persecution, not to mention the inevitable question of why a government presiding over this economy, would target them as employers, students, workers, taxpayers, all the while wasting enormous amounts of their hard earned dollars waging a political religious campaign. One quipped, ''wouldn’t it be nice if this government focused their political and financial energy on creating jobs?'' I had this huge feeling of gratitude that these fine men and woman are what my life is really all about. My family will be just fine.
Where do we go from here? I have to make an appearance on January 21. You will all be welcome to stay home from that event. I plan on doing what I have always done. I will get up and get my children up for school. We will live each day as we have done for the last nineteen years. We will teach our children the best we can, help them get a good education, and I will try and encourage my children that want to be police officers to do so, because Canada needs good, fair, unbiased officers, from coast to coast that will honestly deal with the diverse multicultural society that it has become, without discriminating against those visible or invisible minorities, whether racial, religious or simply cultural.
I want my children to respect the First Nations People of our great country, to stand in honor with them and recognize according to our Book of Mormon teachings that they were preserved by the hand of God upon this land. I want my children to grow up, get a good education, go to work and do a good job for the business that hires them, and a better job for the people that they employ. Naturally, I want them to cherish my faith, but if they do not, they are growing up knowing that their dad will always till the day he dies be there to joy in their joys, sorrow in their sorrows, and encourage them to do right along the way. I am what I am, we are what we are. We are descended from a long line of Mormon believing people. My family did not make up our faith nor did we establish the fundamental teachings of Mormonism. Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. He has taught us, and I have taught my children that they should pray for their enemies as well as their friends. That is what we will continue to do.
I want to thank the hundreds, if not by now thousands who have called in their support. You guys are the best.
Since I am not going to take your questions upon advice of legal counsel, and since you all know that whether I have liked it or not I have always tried to accommodate the media, I will try to anticipate your questions in this statement.
Almost nineteen years ago we were discovered by the media. We didn't even know that we were lost. It has taken three AG's, many special prosecutors, and millions and millions of taxpayers dollars, almost nineteen years to arrive at the conclusion that Fundamentalist Mormons want to practice the fundamentals of their faith.
Canada has a law against polygamy. It was made in or around 1892 and was made specifically against the Mormons. Canada also has a Charter of Rights and Freedoms that guarantees every person the right to live their religion, and I guess now, every person except those of us who are Fundamentalist believing and practicing Mormons.
This is not about the police. They kindly waited until my children would be all at school before they came to arrest me. They certainly did not expect that school would be delayed for two hours because a foot of heavy snow had fallen in the night and all my school children were still home. They also did not know that my three children that want to be police officers when they grow up, a 16 year old girl, a 12 year old boy, and an eleven year old boy got to witness the process. My children hated the police all day long and were still hating them when I got home. I have met dozens of police officers over the years and made many good friends among them. I was treated very kindly by the arresting officers but can honestly say to them, you have some pr work to do with some of my family members, and perhaps since Canada has chosen to disregard our basic charter rights then you should at least work in some sensitivity when it comes to dealing with our children.
This is not about polygamy. Tens of thousands of polygamists among many different cultures are hiding in plain sight all across Canada. They are known by their neighbors, policemen, legislators and media just as we are. I am sure that they are an active valued part of the economic structure of the communities in which they live just as we are. But they are not fundamentalist Mormons! To us this is about religious persecution. Persecution has always been about politics. Whatever else is involved with it, it is still about politics. It is therefore no surprise to us that this spectacular grandstanding event has happened in the face of an up and coming provincial election. I hope this government has calculated all the risks. Time will tell.
My family reaction was negative and yesterday was a hard day for them. There was no way that we could talk. They listened to the news, collectively fielded hundreds of phone calls and waited. My little children couldn’t do their school work, and were emotional and traumatized by the uncertainty of the event. My college children couldn’t focus. I didn’t know about it all day but a number of my dear family members waited outside to see me when I was released. We had a wonderful reunion and as I stood there in Cranbrook with a dozen grown up sons and daughters, all struggling in their own way to understand this religious persecution, not to mention the inevitable question of why a government presiding over this economy, would target them as employers, students, workers, taxpayers, all the while wasting enormous amounts of their hard earned dollars waging a political religious campaign. One quipped, ''wouldn’t it be nice if this government focused their political and financial energy on creating jobs?'' I had this huge feeling of gratitude that these fine men and woman are what my life is really all about. My family will be just fine.
Where do we go from here? I have to make an appearance on January 21. You will all be welcome to stay home from that event. I plan on doing what I have always done. I will get up and get my children up for school. We will live each day as we have done for the last nineteen years. We will teach our children the best we can, help them get a good education, and I will try and encourage my children that want to be police officers to do so, because Canada needs good, fair, unbiased officers, from coast to coast that will honestly deal with the diverse multicultural society that it has become, without discriminating against those visible or invisible minorities, whether racial, religious or simply cultural.
I want my children to respect the First Nations People of our great country, to stand in honor with them and recognize according to our Book of Mormon teachings that they were preserved by the hand of God upon this land. I want my children to grow up, get a good education, go to work and do a good job for the business that hires them, and a better job for the people that they employ. Naturally, I want them to cherish my faith, but if they do not, they are growing up knowing that their dad will always till the day he dies be there to joy in their joys, sorrow in their sorrows, and encourage them to do right along the way. I am what I am, we are what we are. We are descended from a long line of Mormon believing people. My family did not make up our faith nor did we establish the fundamental teachings of Mormonism. Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. He has taught us, and I have taught my children that they should pray for their enemies as well as their friends. That is what we will continue to do.
I want to thank the hundreds, if not by now thousands who have called in their support. You guys are the best.
30 Comments:
Good luck Winston Blackmore! I hope this doesn't cause you and your family too much harm.
I've always liked Winston. He has always seemed like such an amiable fellow. I hope this prosecution goes all the way to the SCC and the laws against polygamy are found to be in violation of the Charter.
Then, perhaps there will be someplace on this continent--where Zion itself is to be established--where the Laws of God can be practiced freely without fear of persecution or prosecution. Perhaps a Zion people can flourish and be ready to welcome Christ upon His return.
But throughout all this, I pray that Winston and his family and congregation are given the strength to handle these difficult matters. Even if the polygamy laws are struck down, it will only be at a high price to the Blackmore and Oler families and congregations, and we must keep them in our prayers through all of this.
It looks as if "big brother" is getting po! They must think polygamists are raking in the cash.
Sad state of affairs.....
What a gracious statement!
And wasn't it interesting that he talked about his children in college and his wish for all his children that they get good educations....and that even if some of them choose to not remain in the community, he will always love them and share in their lives.
Why my goodness...he sounds like any other parent!!!...Why he sounds "normal"!!!!....it must be a mistake....Brooke must have been copying the wrong statement! This couldn't have come from a Fundamentalist Mormon!!!!
Holy diversity, Robin! He even talked about racial and cultural differences and a multicultural society!!!....He used words with more than two sylables!!!! Could it be he has a functioning brain? And still be a Fundamentalist Mormon???
Despite the internal strife between the Blackmore group and the FLDS, these are the same people. Same families, same doctrinal beliefs, same lifestyle choices. Mr. Blackmore's words are true for everyone in both communities.
Despite what some want us to believe, these are not monsters or devils. These are people with far more in common with all of us, than different. We need to support them in coming to a resolution that is fair and equitable and allows all of us to begin to feel a little safer and more secure in our beliefs in fairness and personal freedoms and the right to choose our lifestyles than we can now feel. We need to support them in patching the crumbling cement that holds our most precious underpinings of a freee society together. If we fail to do this, we are all at risk...American or Canadian....
Each of us, as we have our conversations with our individual Higher Powers, need to include these people and their representatives in our dialogue. We need to pray that they are given wisdom and strength and patience. And we need to pray that those empowered in government are also given wisdom, and a renewed belief in fairness......
Good morning, everyone...by the by....
This is really an impressive statement. Wally Oppal should about now be realizing he's made a mistake on a par with the Texas invasion of YFZ. And once this plays out, I expect some of his more virulent backers will turn against him. They'll be calling him Offal, the man who legalized polygamy in Canada.
I, too, appreciated the graciousness of Mr. Blackmore's statement. I wish him well and especially pray for his family and children. They have a huge struggle before them. At least the children were not ripped from their homes and separated from their mothers. Canada seems to have a more empathetic system than we do when it comes to the well being of children and concern for their emotional and mental health.
It occurs to me that Canada did it 'right.' They removed the alleged offender from the home rather than victimizing further the victims.
I thought that was how CPS was supposed to operate in the United States, but from what I read, even though the alleged perpetrators at the YFZ offered to leave the ranch so the women and children could stay, CPS was relentless in their removal of the children from everything and everyone they knew.
I hope Canada continues to set the example of how things should be done, and hopefully Texas CPS/LE can learn something from how to compassionately deal with alleged victims.
Silver Rose said...
It occurs to me that Canada did it 'right.' They removed the alleged offender from the home rather than victimizing further the victims.
---------
In Canada there weren't any alleged victims. The men were arrested purely for violating the laws against polygamy.
Silver Rose, Yes, I agree with you, wholeheartedly!
In fact, they not only used restraint and reasonableness in their behaviors, they also followed the law. They assessed whether there was immediate danger for the alledged victims, determined there wasn't, and allowed the alledged perpetrators to return home. They respected the integrity of the family while doing their jobs.
They put the pieces together to best test the underlying issue, the legitimacy of the laws concerning polygamy, before they leapt to accusations of 'collateral crimes'.
I'd like to think they learned from our mistakes, but it is more likely they did it the right way because they, the Canadians, have a history of thoughtful action.
Vancouver Sun
http://www.vancouversun.
com/Life/will+expensive+
guess+will+foot+much+bill/
1158226/story.html
The title should be "Two men, two roaches..."
Brooke was close.
Sadie (pasteldress),
With yellow journalism like that, who needs enemies?
From the Vancouver Sun:
"All of these court actions are taken to protect women and children. Yet its women and children in Bountiful and the United States have been going without bare necessities such as food and clothing as church leaders demanded their husbands and fathers pay ever more onerous tithes."
Site moderators:
Can you tell whether pasteldress is posting from the same geographical area as Laurie?
rericson said...
And wasn't it interesting that he talked about his children in college and his wish for all his children that they get good educations....and that even if some of them choose to not remain in the community, he will always love them and share in their lives.
Why my goodness...he sounds like any other parent!!!...Why he sounds "normal"!!!!....
This has happened time and again, not just in Mormon fundamentalist groups, but splits happen, and one group becomes more "normal", and the other becomes more extreme. This happened in the '80's with the Centennial group, and around 2000 with Winston. It will happen again, and many who are current FLDS that won't see their "apostate" children will become more "normal".
I hope the best for both Winston and Jim. As far as underaged marriages, it's too late for that charge, and what grown men and women do, why does any government have a right to dictate? How is multiple marriage worse than adultery? If a government regulates who can marry who (aside from incest that has definite genetic problems), aren't they heading toward a Taliban?
furnace posted --
Why my goodness...he sounds like any other parent!!!...Why he sounds "normal"!!!!....
Exactly!!! thats how you know he's lying
Lucille,
Funny, I was thinking the same thing...could be a couple of them...Laurie, Poena....
pastel--that first paragraph was a quote; not mine.
"Pasteldress" is not necessarily Laurie, but I strongly suspect she's someone's sockpuppet.
Why not someone from Bountiful?
Funny thing is, I'm none of them. Funnier still is that you think I am.
Lauries here in Canada. She's been all over the airwaves. I think she met with law enforcement today.
I know you don't like her, but I do. Most of what she says is true. I told her to work on this for another year or two and retire. The people need to make an effort to save themselves. She agrees.
I don't come here often. Nobody here knows much. rericson repeats what we tell outsiders.
I always read Brooke Adams. I like the clever way she spins her stories. We all do.
I forgot to say I hope they convict the two roaches.
Why not someone from Bountiful?
I highly doubt that.
You switch between referring to the FLDS in first person ("what we tell outsiders") and third person ("the people need to help themselves"), for one thing.
pasteldress, flyingfree, and heavenhelpus are all three the same person, I have little doubt. She goes by ladysadie on the the Comment side of the Trib.
She is the online version of Rozita Swinton.
Great - he issued a staement - big deal! If only he could have put as much thought into whether or not he should take CHILD BRIDES!
"Celestial marriage" and "plural wives" is just part of the made up doctrine of a fake religion created by a horny man who was looking for a way to legitimize his own selfish desires!
Great - he issued a statement - big deal! If only he could have put as much thought into whether or not he should take CHILD BRIDES!
Child brides? What child brides? I thought he was merely being charged with polygamy.
pliggy said..."pasteldress, flyingfree, and heavenhelpus are all three the same person, I have little doubt. She goes by ladysadie on the the Comment side of the Trib."
Like minds talk alike.
I recently videotaped a polygamous woman's funeral, and I captured some incredible footage of her daughters who spoke at the podium. I've had several people watch the video tape, including some topnotch television producers, and nobody can believe it.
The daughters all sound like clones of each other. This is common.
That's why women at YFZ sound alike and have similar blank expression.
Lucille said..."Child brides? What child brides? I thought he was merely being charged with polygamy."
The child brides issue will more than like come up as well. The investigation isn't over, and Blackmore admitted to matting underage girls.
Apparently you folks didn't learn anything from Tom Green.
"Matting" underage girls???
What is "matting"?
Lucille,
"Matting" is a problem I'm having with my new MacBook Pro. I'm having other problems as well, and Apple thinks I have a bad mother board. I'm shipping it back on Friday so they can repair it while I'm out of town.
Meanwhile, if you think really really hard about "matting", stare at the word for hours, and study the context, it might jump-start your brain cells.
I wonder if the two roaches in Canada are chitchatting on the phone?
Post a Comment
<< Home