Jul 18, 2008

Freedom and Liberty Defenders Society Petition


On July 24, 2008 the United States Senate is holding a hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding the FLDS Church and the polygamist lifestyle. In order for this hearing to be fair, we, as petitioners, feel that it is absolutely essential that members of the FLDS Church and those favorable to their cause be invited to testify to give a fair balance of the facts before that committee. 


Because of the one sided, and often greatly exaggerated and false reports, officers of the sate of
Texas raided a small community called Yearning for Zion Ranch and removed over 420 innocent children from their parents, and held them and two dozen adults in state custody for over two months. The raid was based upon public misconceptions about these people and a hoax phone call. We believe that persecuting the FLDS people in this way, the state of Texas has engaged in an egregious abuse of authority from start to finish and has already wasted over $20 million dollars of taxpayer money. 

F B I Director Robert Mueller has stated publicly that he does not feel a federal task force to investigate these people is necessary. 

The Federal Government should, instead, be heading a task force to investigate the state of Texas, The Child Protective Services, and every official who had a hand in the massive violation of basic human and religious rights that occurred against these people. We adamantly oppose conducting what could be tantamount to a federal witch hunt based on rumors and innuendo; much of which coming from the same individuals and organizations responsible for the current mess in Texas.


We, as signers of this petition, are not seeking support of the polygamist lifestyle. We are not seeking to legalize polygamy. We are not all sympathetic to the people of
FLDS Church or any of its practices. We are not all sympathetic to their position over those who have been invited to the hearing. What we are sympathetic to is the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United Sates. Indeed, we believe that the very foundation of this country, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, was created to protect all of her citizens from religious discrimination and persecution, even those we do not agree with.


What we are asking for is that all Americans, even members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, be afforded their Civil and Constitutional Rights—rights that the state of Texas conspicuously disregarded in the raid and subsequent events surrounding the YFZ ranch in Eldorado, but which are guaranteed to all citizens of the United States by our Constitution.  In the impending hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee has a moral and ethical obligation to hear the FLDS people, who are, after all, the DIRECT TARGET of the hearing.

A legitimate investigation into the activities of the FLDS Church, or any other organized group, would include representation from those favorable to that group, and even from members of the group itself. Please help us make our country free from religious discrimination by listening to us and affording these people their rights.



By signing this petition you are sending your comments along with a copy of the petition from your email address to:

US Attorneys office NV

Gregory Browers Office

(800) 539-8002

US Attorneys office UT

Brett Tolman's office

(800) 949-9451

 

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We highly suggest you contact the members of the Senate Committee and attach this petition:

Direct contact forms for Senators most involved:

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R) UT Phone: (202) 224-5251

http://hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Offices.Contact 


Sen. John Cornyn (R) TX  Phone: 202-224-2934
http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm 


Sen. Jon Kyl (R)  AZ Phone: Phone: (202) 224-4521

http://kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (D) NV Phone:(202) 224-3542

http://reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

(forms must be filled out) copy/paste the words of this petition and/or  your own comments


United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary - All Members

(Links to their individual web pages, hit the Contact links there)

http://judiciary.senate.gov/members.cfm


We also suggest you contact your own Senators and Representatives in congress as well: 

United States Senate

(Find BOTH of your senatorS by state, go to their web page, hit the Contact link)

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

 

United States House of Representatives

(Go to your state - or all! - all of the Representative’s web pages, hit Contact)

http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml#al

1245 Comments

Carl Holm   Jul 26, 2008 5:11 pm
U.S.A.

Christ,the worlds greatest example said, Love One Another. Leave judgement to Me. GOD said.
Father to Fawn Holm

Dilly Boy   Jul 26, 2008 3:24 pm
Canada
Janite   Jul 26, 2008 3:23 pm
Canada
Shana Blackmore   Jul 26, 2008 3:22 pm
Canada
Junita Palmer   Jul 26, 2008 3:21 pm
Canada
Todd Kingston   Jul 26, 2008 1:40 pm
UT

America is the land of the free, so just let us alone.

Rhoda Kingston   Jul 26, 2008 1:28 pm
Salt Lake City

Senator Reid is jumping to conclusions without the proper knowledge and information to make an unbiased decision.

  Jul 26, 2008 12:54 pm
Kristine Thompson   Jul 26, 2008 12:14 pm
u
Marjie Jessop   Jul 26, 2008 11:27 am
Short Creek, AZ

Count your many blessings. Cause I know I have many and being a member of the FLDS is my greatest. Warren S.Jeffs is the purest man on earth. Let the FLDS speak for themself.

Suzanna Zitting   Jul 26, 2008 11:11 am
Short Creek USA

I am an FLDS teenage girl, and I love my father, mother, brothers and sisters very much. We have so much freedom of choice in our religion. Please listen to more of our people than just those who are bitter for only selfish reasons.

Jan Moriarity   Jul 26, 2008 10:48 am
Galveston, Texas
  Jul 26, 2008 7:56 am
Teresa Smith   Jul 26, 2008 2:52 am
Canada

It's time to stop this gross violation of human rights, and it's time to stop abusing children and families who are so clearly innocent. And it's time to stop desecrating the Constitution with these totalitarian witch hunts and Star Chambers proceedings. American is supposed to be the land of the free - but it looks like it is becoming the land of the corrupt, greedy, and immoral. Do the right thing, let the FLDS have their say, and quit persecuting them.

Tom Barlow   Jul 25, 2008 11:56 pm
Hurricane Utah
Veronica Barlow   Jul 25, 2008 11:35 pm
UT
Ina Thomson   Jul 25, 2008 11:26 pm
Canada
Edna McKinlay   Jul 25, 2008 11:22 pm
Canada

What is Truth is not always Populer,
What is Populer is rearly True.

Gerald Barlow   Jul 25, 2008 11:13 pm
ut
Ben Jessop   Jul 25, 2008 11:02 pm
Short Creek, AZ

I may be young but I have my rights too.

Kendra Jessop   Jul 25, 2008 11:01 pm
Short Creek, AZ
V J   Jul 25, 2008 11:00 pm
Northwest US

We've heard the lies from Dan Fischer before. Let an honest, intelligent person speak now, someone who knows and lives the truth!

Leanne Jessop   Jul 25, 2008 11:00 pm
Short Creek, AZ
Boaz Larado Holm   Jul 25, 2008 8:33 pm
fathers house

I love Uncle Warren, And i hope he gets out of prison soon. Leave us children alone! I love mother and father. I am 4. Thank you.

Joe L. Jessop   Jul 25, 2008 7:02 pm
Hildale Utah

Dear Senator Harry Reid,

I look in retrospect, and ask you to join me on a walk down "Memory Lane"....... 1987. Standing before the Chair, you raised your right hand;
"Do you solemnly swear that you will support and defend the Constitution of the United States; against all enemies foreign or domestic; that you will bare true faith and allegiance to the same; that you will take this obligation freely without mental reservation, or purpose of evasion, and that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office you are about to enter, so help you God?
Without hesitation you answered, "I Do".
Is it safe then to assume that you are well versed in the Articles of the Constitution and the Amendments found there in? If so, Mr. Reid, would you deem it an act of treason if any of your fellow congressmen, having taken the above oath, attacked this Constitution (the very basis of the United States) that you have sworn to defend? The first Amendment, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances". To go directly and ask congress to legislate laws against the Constitution, is it not an act of war?
I have yearned all my life to be able to enjoy my rights of religious freedom, to be able to freely implement the principles of the FLDS faith revealed through our founding Father Joseph Smith Jr. and modern day Prophets, not only for me, but for every man, woman and child who yearns to enjoy the same.
To label our way of life, "organized crime" and convince congress to pass laws to make us criminals, and continue to employ the lies and misinformation given you by a few dissenters of our faith, is to tell me you already consider the Constitution dead, and that your name will wallow in the sty of the demagogue.
Brigham Young said, July 4th 1854, "Will the Constitution be destroyed? No: it will be held inviolate by this people; and, as Joseph Smith said, "The time will come when the destiny of the nation will hang upon a single thread. At that critical juncture, this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction." It will be so."
Should you step forth to help save this Constitution from the current looming down fall, your name would be held as one of the great true Patriots of this Nation. Mr. Reid, I ask you to reenlist the principles of our founding Fathers and defend mine and your rights, that we may be able to retain our freedoms.

Sincerely,
Joe L. Jessop

VH   Jul 25, 2008 5:32 pm
Las Vegas, Nevada

These people don't look or act anything like criminals. Please give them a voice.

Wesley Darger   Jul 25, 2008 1:11 pm
Arizona
Nathan Darger   Jul 25, 2008 1:10 pm
AZ
Dennis L Darger   Jul 25, 2008 1:09 pm
UT
Aurora de Jong   Jul 25, 2008 1:00 pm
Rensselaer, IN
Hannah Pledger   Jul 25, 2008 12:58 pm
Hildale Ut
Carl Lynn Bateman   Jul 25, 2008 12:35 pm
Hildale Ut
Ken Dell Bateman   Jul 25, 2008 12:34 pm
Hildale Ut
Greg Ray Bateman   Jul 25, 2008 12:34 pm
Hildale Ut
Fredrick   Jul 25, 2008 12:33 pm
Hildale Ut
Willace   Jul 25, 2008 12:33 pm
Hildale Ut
Amy Dunn   Jul 25, 2008 12:09 pm
Utah
Colette Swanson   Jul 25, 2008 12:08 pm
Utah
Jinger Avery   Jul 25, 2008 12:07 pm
Utah
Shannon M Jessop   Jul 25, 2008 11:36 am
Short Creek Az
Esther V Jessop   Jul 25, 2008 11:35 am
Short Creek Az
Kayleen S Jessop   Jul 25, 2008 11:34 am
Short Creek Az
P. Barlow   Jul 25, 2008 11:28 am
Las Vegas, Nevada

Dear Sir,
Know that the best education about a religion should come from within that religion instead of from those who have become disaffected from that religion. Is it justice if you are only one sided?

Kathryn F Jessop   Jul 25, 2008 11:28 am
Colo City, AZ

A Strong Man is a Man who Stands for Right, Even if He Must Stand Alone!

Jerraine Jessop   Jul 25, 2008 11:18 am
Arizona

The USA Flag still waves all over the states. Does it still stand for freedom? What happened to the integrity of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin etc.? I am just one voice but I pray that we as Americans will start looking into the backgrounds of ALL those who are to be voted into government offices and vote for those who will acknowledge the will of the people and STAND UP for what is right. Let the people who will not take into consideration the Constitution go and do some hard physical work on a construction site somewhere for a couple of years and learn how to build something up instead of always tearing down. Do those who hold government offices know that God is watching them? They will be held accountable for their actions.

John vandenBerg   Jul 25, 2008 10:58 am
Temecula, CA
Lorette Jessop   Jul 25, 2008 9:18 am
Utah

When a people feel that another people need "rescued" they really sould ask the ones who are to be "rescued" if it is nessesary. Maybe ask the children if they would like to go or stay. They should also have a freedom to choose. Happy, thankful, Mother, of happy, sweet FLDS children.

Richard Curtis Jessop   Jul 25, 2008 9:14 am
Utah

Christ said, "O will there be any faith left when I come?" There are people today working with all their strength to make sure there is some. Be one of them. Love the truth.

Ray Jessop jr   Jul 25, 2008 9:11 am
Utah

Lies have started this war, but truth will prevail. Let each one of us look inward and make sure that we are on the side of truth.
Do right because you love right, truth, and freedom.

Val Jessop   Jul 25, 2008 7:24 am
Idaho

Harry Reid's membership in the LDS Church should be called into question by the General Authorities for being such a RABBLE-ROUSER and trouble maker! Can't they see this will be another Black Eye for them after the dust settles? Harry! PUT DOWN YOUR GUNS AND COME TO THE TABLE!

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Government official’s contact info

http://www.emailyourgovernor.com/

Media Contact Info
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/press-corps.html
 
Freedom and Liberty Defenders Society
aka Free the FLDS Children
http://www.flds.ws/
 
Truth Will Prevail
http://www.truthwillprevail.org/
 
Fight CPS
http://www.fightcps.com/
 
Kidjacked
http://kidjacked.com/
 
Family Rights
http://familyrights.us/
 
Texas Center for Family Rights
http://www.txcfr.org/
 
Defense Against CPS Bookstore
http://astore.amazon.com/fightcps-20
 
Parents Rights Blog
http://parent-rights.blogspot.com/
 
Abolish Texas CPS petition
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/voices/index.html
 
Impeach Texas Governor Perry Petition
http://impeachperry.indytexans.org/
 
Impeach Judge Barbra Walther
http://www.gopetition.com/online/19682/sign.html