| Remembering those who took a stand Memorial replaces monument that disappeared after dedication in 2003 | |||||
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By Brian Passey bpassey@thespectrum.com | |||||
COLORADO CITY - This Arizona border town known as a polygamist enclave once again has a memorial to residents arrested during a major 1953 raid by law enforcement, but those at the memorial's unveiling Wednesday do not expect the engraved stone to stay for long. "I really don't think it will last," said Merlin Johnson, one of the dozens of residents attending the memorial dedication at a small park. "I think someone will tear it out real soon." Johnson's fears are founded in a former memorial to the same raid. Colorado City officials used city funds and state grants in 2003 to erect a monument and build a museum to the historic raid. But less than a month after its dedication, the museum - housed in the old Short Creek School - was closed and the stone monument disappeared. At the time, officials were mum about what happened to the monument. However, that was before Warren Jeffs, self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, became a federal fugitive and returned the spotlight to the twin towns of Colorado City and Hildale, which are filled with his followers. There are now many in the community who were excommunicated by Jeffs or have chosen to separate themselves from him. They are the ones who rebuilt the monument in honor of past leaders and in defiance of current ones like Jeffs. Ross Chatwin, a Colorado City resident who has gained notoriety for speaking out against Jeffs, said the monument shows that they will not allow Jeffs and his followers to oppress them as they have others. "We're not going to be cowards," Chatwin said. "We're going to stand up and be men." Chatwin agreed with Johnson that the monument likely will not last long. An American flag flying at the monument site Tuesday night was reportedly stolen before the morning ceremony. "We know of Warren's extreme jealousy," Chatwin said. "That's why he had the first (monument) destroyed - because he was jealous of the people who were in the raid." Those arrested in the raid do seem to have a hero status in the community. They stood up for what they believed in - that plural marriage is a commandment from God - even if it meant imprisonment, he said. Chatwin said many of Jeffs' followers probably find nothing wrong with the monument. But if the fugitive prophet gives a commandment that it be destroyed, his followers will obey because they think their salvation depends upon it, Chatwin said. Winston Blackmore, a former bishop for a group of FLDS members in Canada, was the only speaker at the dedication. Chatwin said Jeffs is also reportedly jealous of Blackmore because he is a more charismatic leader. Blackmore gave a history of the church's beginnings and its ties to the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which disavowed polygamy in 1890 and excommunicates those who advocate it. He spoke of the 1953 raid and more recent events he also termed "raids." The former leader admitted - to his "everlasting shame" - to going along with changes Jeffs made to the church at first. But then, he said, came a raid from within their own ranks as Jeffs began excommunicating those who crossed him or posed a threat. Blackmore defended his people's belief in plural marriage, quoting the First Amendment protection of religion. He said they were simply people trying to meet the fundamentals of their faith. However, he also acknowledged the problem of underage marriages and quoted a statement made by Rulon Jeffs, Warren Jeffs' father and predecessor as prophet, saying the FLDS church would abide by laws against underage marriages. In addition to the elder Jeffs, Blackmore spoke highly of Leroy Johnson, another former FLDS prophet, saying the memorial stone was dedicated to his memory. | |||||
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TheSpectrum.com Originally published July 27, 2006 | |||||
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