Preface

The publication of Murder of a Prophet, The Dark Side of Utah Polygamy outraged the Mormon fundamentalist subculture. Utah polygamists feared the book portrayed all polygamist men as exploiters, potential murderers, and female abusers. In the cities of Colorado City and Hildale the book was banned. In direct opposition to this book, three matriarchs in the polygamist subculture decided to publish a book of their own that showed the positive side of polygamy. They circulated a proposal to several hundred polygamist women explaining their objective and asked them to contribute anecdotes showing the positive side of polygamy to counter, they said, what had been written about the "occasional" bad side. The contributors were told their names would be kept confidential.
I personally know two of the women, both are intelligent and outstanding writers. As women and mothers, I rank them among the best, and as representatives of plural marriage, they are more virtuous, knowledgeable and spirited than most polygamist men. I e-mailed these plucky ladies, wished them the best, and told them it is the women and not the men who ought to hold the priesthood key because women in general are more gutsy, intellectually superior, and morally better equipped. I believe women are more capable of managing the polygamist groups. If they were in charge, there would be less larceny, less spouse abuse, fewer child molests, deception would decline and subterfuge held to a minimum. 

In a short telephone conversation with one of the women, she said their response from other polygamist women had been excellent and so far they had received seventy replies. I told her it validated my contention that there are good and honorable polygamists in Utah. I suggested they go public with the book. I had to make that same hard decision knowing that if Murder of a Prophet were published, it would open me up to public scrutiny and my past polygamist lifestyle.

She said their book was for those inside the subculture. I was disappointed. Their stories should be told to balance out the negative and mythical side. As for me, I make no apologies or excuses for my past involvement. I received many personal blessings as an active polygamist, and I learned a great deal more about myself and how various people handle religion. I don’t recommend the lifestyle to others, and I discourage my children from following in my footsteps. The lifestyle is severe, demanding, exhausting, cruel at times, and contains some unsavory leadership predators who take advantage of good and well meaning people.

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