Even though I wasn't there, I had many good friends there, including my good friend and fellow burner, Gary Taylor, who once worked directly for the Safety Net.
I did get a chance, however, to listen in on the proceedings via the link provided above. There was first an opening statement given by the bill's sponsor, Senator Deidre Henderson. Then a variety of speakers were allowed to testify from both sides of the argument, both pro and con.
I don't really want to focus very much on the opposition. There were a couple of representatives from law firms speaking against the bill. There were a coupe of teenagers who didn't clarify why they were there, perhaps hoping to become the Greta Thunbergs of anti-polygamy. There were mostly former victims of polygamy who now work with/ for the state's various anti-polygamy hate groups. My opinion - biased as it may be - is that the opposition was mainly using emotionality and projection as their tool. "These horrible things happened to me in polygamy, so it must remain illegal." The general argument was that the bill will not reduce crimes committed within polygamy, but that it will give polygamists the green light to increase their rampant efforts to practice it without fear of recrimination. Fear was also expressed that Utah would become a safe haven for people across the world who want to live polygamy. Like Muslims. It wasn't voiced directly in the hearing, but it has been stated in other forums. Anti-polygamists are afraid of Muslims coming to Utah to live polygamy. Can you think of anything more racist?
As far as those arguing in favor of the bill - I want to emphasize that none of those who argued in favor of the bill defended it from the standpoint of being pro-polygamy. In fact, some of them were very against polygamy. But they recognized that generations of Prohibition cannot and will not end the practice, only nestle it in a place to be taken advantage by perpetrators of evil. In fact, some like Dr. Cristina Rosetti, a scholar who studies Mormon fundamentalism, pointed out that the bill keeps polygamy a felony in instances of other crimes like abuse, rape, or fraud. (Her speech was erudite and very well-expressed, by the way. She's a freaking rockstar.) There were other speakers like Loretta Barlow, from the FLDS in Hildale, Utah, who spoke about the affect the 1953 Polygamy Raid had on her father, upon her and her other siblings. Donia Jessop, the mayor of Hildale, along with Shirley Draper, the trustee of the UEP Trust, also spoke. Alina Darger - one of those Dargers - also spoke on how she was afraid to speak about a very private incident for fear of bringing negative attention to her plural family. Then Christine Marie Katas from Voices From Dignity spoke. Some of you who follow my blog might remember when Christine and I clashed. She has since become one of my favorite people on the planet. She has done so much to help the disenfranchised and displaced in Short Creek whether offering emotional support or helping people find homes. Christine is the perfect example of someone who came into this with preconceived notions about polygamists only to find that things are not always as they seem.
The next step is for this bill to be placed before the entire House of Representatives. I will keep you informed! This is an exciting time for me!
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