Blackmore and Oler found guilty of polygamy

Dear Editor,

In case you haven’t heard, Winston Blackmore and James Oler of Bountiful, BC have been found guilty of polygamy (multiple wives) in a court in BC. Blackmore and Oler are appealing, not the verdict, they admit to having multiple wives but whether it is illegal or not. Blackmore and Oler are taking the decision to the Supreme Court under two challenges: 1. Living common law (adultery) and gay marriage were once illegal but are now both legal. As such, the law against polygamy is also outdated and needs to be changed in accordance with individual freedoms. 2. The second challenge is based on religious freedom.

Blackmore and Oler are fundamentalist Mormons (or as the Mormons are also known, the Church of Latter Day Saints). Joseph Smith, the founder of the church, claims he was told by God that his followers should take multiple wives. Smith and his followers had been ostracized and many of the men had been killed. The alleged purpose was to give the widows a provider as well as status in their society. (A non-believer’s version is that Smith’s wife caught him in bed with another woman and he made up the story to cover his butt). In any event, well over 100 years ago, the Mormon Church officially banned polygamy although some members broke away from the main church and formed their own sects and continued the practice.

• While some may consider the law to be outdated, it is still the current law and as such, the decision should be upheld.

As a side note, I remember when common law marriages were made legal.  Opponents claimed that same sex marriages, incest, polygamy, and bestiality (yeah, I thought it was “beastiality,” too) would be next. Supporters poo poo’d the idea and, as we know, same sex marriage is now legal. Opponents to gay marriage also claimed incest, polygamy, and bestiality would be next to be legalized. Hmmmmm.

• If Blackmore and Oler win based on religious freedom, then any challenge that Sharia law must be legal, will be a slam dunk. I wonder what other weird and wonderful “religious” beliefs will also make challenges. I wonder what it takes to start a new religion.

It is my belief that the decision should be upheld and the judge, when making sentencing, should punish these men to the full extent of the law.  Not because I am against polygamy, (I don’t understand why any man would want more than one wife, but I can see why a woman might want more than one husband) but because it is well known, although apparently difficult to prove, that some of these “wives” were underage and there is definitely a law against that!

Eugene Eklund

Whitecourt, AB