These days, Utah a state located in the west of United States, is hitting the headlines for practicing polygamy among Mormon fundamentalists (the umbrella term for those who broke away from the main Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over the practice 100 years ago).
The issue being surfaced in here is not coming up for the first time long before in 1953 the community was drenched with raid that ended with hundreds of children taken into care and parents jailed causing blow to the public relations.
Thus, talking about polygamy in the state has always been a difficult situation to deal with and that also among more than 40,000 polygamists.
The community lived a life of hypocrisy since after the raid some groups withdrew to their shells while those residing in the wider community ‘kept their mouths shut and their heads down’. Children were kept in close knit scrutiny.
Then in 2003, in a direct challenge to prosecutors, Tom Green, a polygamist, began appearing on television shows to argue his right to his five wives. Not only this, his youngest wife was only 13 and had borne him a child - proof of a sexual relationship. Mr. Green was charged with child rape and polygamy.
Similarly, a closed cult led by Warren Jeffs came into light, when Carolyn Jessop, who escaped with her eight children, explained the abuse of young boys and girls and threats to slit their throats if they escape.
Thus, a warrant was issued against him, though he made a run but was later recaptured. The wicked testimony of a former child bride at a hearing last month convinced a judge to send Mr Jeffs to trial. The community people who have dubbed polygamy as a ‘religious duty’ and so have accepted it to undertake it to ‘reach the highest level of heaven’ however, did not accept the trail.
In order to protect the reputation of the community, Anne Wilde, a widow of a high profile polygamist began accumulating the tales of plural wives and launched a website called Principle Voices. She also came forward with a pro polygamy magazine, Mormon Focus and promoted the right of Mormon wives for an alternative lifestyle.
Mark Shurtleff, attorney general of the state has backed up Annie’s altruistic work but says that the community people are quite adamant in their approach towards change, he further said, ‘you could probably infiltrate the Taleban movement easier’.
Mr. Shurtleff’s decision to co- operate Anne in the venture has caused an ignition among some pockets of the community as they think that its like, ‘Trying to come to a solution with the perpetrator or their wives is unrealistic.’
However, there are some women who are actually supporting the idea of polygamy and are of the view that that their plural marriage was a choice that has brought them fulfillment. Still others talk about the benefits of female companionship.
Decriminalization, Mr Shurtleff believes, like Ms Wilde’s group, will make it easier to shine a light into the dark corners of the most secret societies. He attempted legislation a couple of years ago to reduce polygamy to a misdemeanor but dropped the clause under political pressure.
The women, meanwhile, have vowed to keep up the fight until the felony law is struck from the books.
