D. Michael Bingham

Steward, White Stone Foundation

Member, Mormons Against Murder

c/o P.O. Box 93, Centerville, UT 84014

November 26, 2003

Attorney General Mark Shurtleff

236 State Capitol

Salt Lake City, Utah 84114

Mr. Shurtleff,

I read with some interest that you are threatening to de-certify any Hildale (Washington County) police who are also ‘polygamists’. Does this mean that you will also move to de-certify all state certified law enforcement officers who are fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals and lesbians? Let’s say that a third of Utah’s female cops are lesbians, this would make quite a dent in past affirmative action efforts (to say nothing of international media furor as well as annihilation of your political career). Your threats follow on the heels of your promise not to prosecute ‘polygamists’, but only to prosecute the actual crimes like child abuse, like you would against any lesbian, pedophile or monogamist committing the same crime. Active L.D.S. “monogamists” have long been a source of incest, homosexuality, pedophilia and generational Satanism, yet Utah media quickly sweeps these L.D.S. crimes under the carpet and makes no effort to connect them to the church as a pattern of behavior. Why don’t you redouble your efforts there? Perhaps you could concentrate on the crimes of Tapestry Against Polygamy members: fornication, adultery, child abuse, filing false reports of crimes, perjury and custodial interference. You have a lot on your hands.

The most troubling thing about Hildale police isn’t ‘polygamy’. It is the fact that they are agents of the FLDS Church who treat the town of Hildale as though it were private property and they were private security guards. It could also be argued that you, Mr. Shurtleff, are an agent of the L.D.S. Church just as the Leavitt boys were (Mike and Dave). I didn’t write to scold you for being a duplicitous hypocrite and lackey for Gordy Hinckley’s Church or for violating your oath of office or for violating your word or for being a predictable pandering politician, I wrote to ask a favor of your office.

I am of the opinion that I am free to go to Hildale, Utah and “tract” from door to door, handing out religious material without police interference (being followed or ‘run out of Dodge’). As usual, I have no intention of breaking the law, I will offer written material to those who wish to accept it, and talk to those who wish to talk, otherwise I will be on my way. I believe that Hildale’s streets are a public easement and that each individual dwelling is accessible even though the FLDS Church may own the land. The individual occupants of any dwelling have the same rights a renter or leasee would have, it is up to them if they want to take my literature, converse or ask me to leave and this decision is not up to Hildale police (FLDS agents or not).

Were Hildale a “gated community” with private roads, I could expect no access, yet I believe I am within my rights to proselyte in Hildale. If I am correct in my assumptions, please notify me in writing as soon as possible, stating specifically what the federal and state Constitutions allow me to do. I will use your letter as a ‘get out of jail’ card should Hildale's finest attempt to violate my Article One rights. Please do not inform Hildale police or the FLDS Church of my intentions because I would lose the element of surprise and would, no doubt, find no one home, so to speak.

Also, please contact me and give me the names, addresses and phone numbers of the following: Arizona Attorney General’s Office; Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mohave County, Arizona Sheriff’s Office. I intend to get a written statement regarding my rights to proselyte in Colorado City from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

Thank you in advance for your kindness in regards to my request for a letter explaining my rights (specifically in Hildale) and for providing me with the information regarding how to contact the two county Sheriffs in question and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. I have no desire to have my “civil” (actually “unalienable” and God-given) rights violated by Hildale and Colorado City police, because when my rights have been violated by police upon several occasions in the past, I have been unable to persuade the ACLU or the Rutherford Institute or Amnesty International to sue the offending parties on my behalf, yet who knows, tomorrow is another day. Also feel free to contact me by phone.

Sincerely,

D.Michael Bingham