alex005's Blog: Families, Abuse, Religion, Polygamy

September 2nd Thursday at 6pm Susanna Barlow will be speaking as well as a book reading and discussion at The Ketchum Community Library in Ketchum Idaho about her Memoir of her life born the middle child 23rd of 46 children into an FLDS Polygmaist sect living in the heart of Salt Lake City.

The Author’s Show interview which will be Skyped on September 7th, TheAuthorsShow.com Susanna Barlow will be on Skype for this interview about her Memoir

Susanna’s book is a finalist in the 2010 National Indie Excellence Awards Memoir Category “What Peace There May Be” as a child born into a polygamist family… the middle child 23rd of 46 children in the heart of Salt Lake City. Interview airs on WebTV.com Sept. 13-19th

Book That Author with Linda Leon on Sept. 9th at 11:30 AM (CST) in Texas… 10:30am Mountain Time podcast - Book That Author on Interview Thurs. 10:30am CST 11:30am MDT
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/book-that-author
via your computer
Author Susanna Barlow will be interviewed by about her truthful and compelling memoir of being born into a Polygamist family.

Host Linda Leon has over 20 years of television broadcast experience. She is the owner of MVP Professional Productions which is a visual production company and media promotions company that supports the development and promotions of independent authors.


STEPHANIE SUELL VIRTUOUS VIBES Interviews Susanna Barlow about her Memoir "WHAT PEACE THERE MAY BE" born the 23rd child of 46 children into a polygamist sect in the downtown Salt Lake City. September 23rd 11:15pm (EST) 9:15pm (MDT) Columbia SC www.blogtalkradio.com/virtuous


Weber State University in Ogden Utah the Standard-Examiner Women’s Fair on September 24, 2010 at Weber State in the Shepherd Union Building in Ballroom B.
Website for schedule www.standard.net/womensfair Susanna Barlow will be speaking about her Memoir “What Peace There May Be” as a the middle child 23rd of 46 children born into an FLDS Polygamist sect in the heart of Salt Lake City.

The triumphant story of one child’s quest to find freedom. Susanna Barlow’s book has been compared by readers “To Kill a Mockingbird” and praised as “Poetic” and “Classic Literature.” www.standard.net/womensfair

Susanna Barlow is on face book as an author and her book site "WHAT PEACE THERE MAY BE", twitter, her website which includes archived interviews, blog, pictures and you may contact her through her website SusannaBarlow.com or check out her You Tube video link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZwu8rIXNPU

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We had such a great time in Ketchum Idaho this Labor Day weekend. Susanna Barlow spoke at the Ketchum Community Library and we had a very nice turnout, her picture on the Hall of Fame wall with many other great authors. Wonderful crowd and response.

Article in the Idaho Mountain Express, Chapter One Bookstore took care of the books and our personal resident hostess, tour guide, Hospitality gal friend Susan who made arrangements for lodging as well. Rode the gondola and chair lift up the mountain had lunch at the top with an amazing 360 degree view of the mountains. We ate at some great restaurants as well as the home cooked meals. Everyone was delightful to work with and made us feel most welcome!

Drove to Hailey, breakfast in Stanley, Red Fish Lake and stopped at the fish hatchery...saw the salmon spawning before they jump the fish ladder. Parade and the gunslinger with saloon gals had a shoot out one evening which we missed as we were eating fabulous food outside on the patio with a fountain lulling us and the cobalt blue bottle filled with water...which is delicious water by the way! Fun! Fun! Fun!

SUSANNA BARLOW'S WebTV interview The Author’s Show airs on September 13th through September 19th on WebTV

http://www.authorswebtv.com/

Susanna Barlow will be on Skype for this interview about her Memoir Susanna’s book is a finalist in the 2010 National Indie Excellence Awards Memoir Category “What Peace There May Be” as a child born into a polygamist family… the middle child 23rd of 46 children in the heart of Salt Lake City. Visit:

Tune in via your computer from the comfort of home on Thursday evening September 23rd at 11pm EST, 9pm Mountain Time...www.blogtalkradio.com/virtuous with Host Stephanie Suell Interviews author SUSANNA BARLOW ABOUT HER MEMOIR "WHAT PEACE THERE MAY BE" about a child born in to... Polygamy in America.

Susanna was the middle child 23rd of 46 children who lived in the heart of Salt Lake City.
"You can't escape who you are...where you have come from...Or what you have suffered...The triumphant story of one child's quest to find freedom. Check out her website for upcoming interviews and speaking or her book trailer video.

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SUSANNA BARLOW will be speaking at Weber State University in the Shepherd Building BALLROOM B from NOON to 12:45pm today Friday September 24th. Book Signing after her speaking. Susanna, Lisa and I will be headed to Ogden this morning. If you have never heard Susanna speak... your in for a treat! Sponsored by The Standard-Examiner Just for Women's Fair.

Her website has blog, pictures, upcoming events for October will be added soon, archived radio interviews, pictures, Book Trailer video, author site and book site...you can join as her face book, she is on Twitter. Susanna will be answering questions that hosts often ask and will be blogging about her new Memoir that she is currently writing. SusannaBarlow.com or just do a search on her.

Susanna was born the middle child 23rd of 46 children into an FLDS Polygamist sect living in the heart of Salt Lake City. Her book trailer video shows the actual house that this Memoir takes place.

Susanna is available for Interviews and Speaking. Weber State University, 3848 Harrison Boulevard,Ogden, UT 84408. Website for map and parking.

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Edited by alex005 at Sep 24, 2010 7:28 PM EDT

Susan Garren Sep 27 2010 | Books
Polygamy illegal in America
Polygamy is illegal in America and Canada.
According to information there are approximately 40,000 polygamist living just in the State of Utah alone. Sister Wives is a new reality show of a 7 part series that aired last night... in Utah. According to the local news last night an attorney was interviewed and is looking at prosecution of this family due to the show airing announcing their lifestyle.

I am a publicist for Author Susanna Barlow who was born into a FLDS Polygamist sect living in the heart of Salt Lake City. Susanna has left the lifestyle but has family members and friends who are still practicing the plural marriage.

Utah had to denounce polygamy to be admitted as a State. So basically they looked the other way as what are you going to do with all those wives and children. One divorce is bad enough...imagine divorcing multiple wives and what happens to the children. Living in secrecy and fearing that they may be jailed for practicing their belief.

How are you going to imprison those numbers? I don't condone abuse in any form, nor would I chose to live the polygamy life. Often they are born into the lifestyle and don't know anything different. They are taught to fear the outside world...which means you and I.

Abuse happens not only in a polygamy family but the secrecy makes it easier for it to go on as there are no checks or balances. The children may or may not have a birth certificate, often born at home, don't like going to doctors or are home schooled and fear law enforcement as they might be jailed.

Susanna Barlow has been interviewed across the nation and in Canada about her Memoir "WHAT PEACE THERE MAY BE" Susanna is also a speaker and was the keynote speaker for an abuse recovery group in Porland Oregon as well as other venues. Susanna was born the middle child 23rd of 46 children into an FLDS Polygamist sect right in the heart of Salt Lake City. 'You can't escape who you are...where you have come from...Or what you have suffered...The triumphant story of on child's quest to find freedom."


I have not yet seen the Sister Wives reality show where this man has 4 wives nor the number of how many children from these wives. Susanna Barlow's Memoir is a coming of age story about her struggles of living in a polygamist family which is the backdrop to the abuse that happens in her family.

Check out her website for articles, archived radio interviews, pictures, blog, events calendar, book trailer video, author and book site on face book and be able contact Susanna.

I have been watching the new reality show "Sister Wives" which airs on Sunday night on TLC. It is week 4 coming up of the 7 episodes of The Brown Family living in Lehi Utah one man with 4 wives. Kody Brown is an advertising salesman the husband with 4 wives are Meri (the first wife), Janelle, Christine and soon to be Robyn the 4th wife. They all live together in one house with combined families of 13 children.

In Utah a bigamy investigation has been started due to the publicity of the reality show. Bigamy is a third-degree felony in Utah and they could be charged for bigamy through cohabitation even though there aren't legal marriage contracts. In Utah alone there are over 40,000 polygamists. As a condition of becoming part of statehood for Utah it was abolished in 1890 by Church of The Latter Day Saints.

This is a more modern family as one of the Mother's works outside the home and wear more traditional clothing. It has been interesting to watch the wives deal with the jealousy of adding another wife. Kody admitting that he would not be able to handle the thought of his wives with anyone else. The double standard that applies. I did like the fact that he acknowledge it...yet had problems understanding along with being patient with the wives jealousy.

So for 7 episodes they will be following this family around with each of the wives, the children and adding a new wife to the mix. Showing their perspective on what it may be like to live the plural lifestyle.

As the Publicist... for Author Susanna Barlow who was born into an FLDS Polygamist sect here in Utah... I have listen to Susanna's radio interviews, speaking, spent time with her immediate family, meet about 13 of her sisters, some of the wives, her father, nieces, nephews, daughters and sons. I have had dinner with them, made valentines which may have been the first time ever for experiences that I grew up and took for granted.

They were taught to fear the outside world and what seems second nature to me in the simple things I grew up doing are not for them. Often the children were born at home and still are in some cases. Each family is different from the clothing, to standards, potential for abuse, marriage, how progressive, how isolated, or more in "world" they are.

The fact that Susanna and I are friends is that we have bridged that gap of fear they were taught. Not to judge but embrace each other as human beings. I am glad that I was not born into a polygamist family nor do I wish to embrace the lifestyle for myself. I don't condone under age marriages, abuse of any kind, whether polygamist or not, nor the extremes any religion or misuse of power along with the secrecy.

I have spent many hours with Susanna Barlow been to her home, traveled with her, spent time with her sisters, husband and children...doing ordinary things and having fun together. I first met Susanna while producing for a radio talk show.

I was blown away by this young woman...Susanna. We became friends first. I have the up most respect for the journey that she has undertaken along with the understanding of our differences and loving her as a fellow "Earthling"...who we all belong to the human race.

Update The Brown Family from Sister Wives reading in The Salt Lake Tribune...Meri Brown Wife #1 has been fired from her job after appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Edited by alex005 at Oct 15, 2010 11:34 AM EDT

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Let us help stop Domestic Violence and Sexual Assaults. In Utah the stats for Sexual Assaults are 10% higher than any other state in the nation. One of the reasons is that the population of Utah consists mainly of children.

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_types_signs_causes_effects.htm

I normally don't watch reality shows... Sister Wives is about a polygamist family in Utah, one man with 4 wives living the plural lifestyle.

As the publicist for Susanna Barlow who's memoir is about her coming of age story as a child born into a FLDS Polygamist family the 23rd child of 46 children. I have learned so much from Susanna.

I listen to her radio interviews, speaking and travel with her. We have many hours together. What I have learned is that we are all of the same human race.

I am grateful that I was not born into the lifestyle as I don't know how Susanna survived at times. I have come to know and love Susanna... this beautiful human being that shows compassion, dignity, grace and forgiveness.

When Kody Brown the husband from Sister Wives is asked by his wife #1 Meri about her struggles with jealousy and wanting him to be patient. Meri his 1st wife poses the question as to what he would feel if she were to have multiple husbands. Kody struggled with the answer and the thought to him...was vulgar, made him sick to his stomach.

Three of the wives came from polygamy families and Wife #2 Janelle married into the lifestyle. It is generational for most.

Originally I read that there were to be 7 episodes and the 4th final episode aired last night.. It was the 4th wife Robyn and her 3 children moving to be near the other wives of Kody Brown.

We saw the birth of Christine and Kody's child who had her child in the hospital due to being high risk. It is quite common for home births. Sometimes the children did not have birth certificates or if they did they were given false names to avoid prosecution. This kept them off the radar of the officials and another reason why they are home schooled.

What is normal? That is all they may have know for generations. They might think it is weird that we don't have 20, 40 or more in their family. It would be lonely to have only 3 people...a mother, a father and a child was a comment made by the 1st wife Meri.

I watch the episodes to be informed and try to understand what is completely foreign as a lifestyle from how I grew up. I know these questions will come up in Susanna Barlow's speaking events and interviews.

Most are wanting to understand how this lifestyle came about and have a natural curiosity. What is portrayed on the media and surprises those often is that Susanna did not grow up in a compound but in the heart of Salt Lake City.

I had heard stories about polygamy, the secret lives from others that went to college in Utah over the years. My experience since moving to Utah is some current residents don't seem to know that polygamists live all over in Utah...even in the cities in normal neighborhoods. I talk to those who live here and was surprised that some still do not know today that is happening right under their noses.

4th Episode...Robyn wife #4 to be... gets engaged, the moving to be near the other wives and Kody, Birth of Truely from wife #3 Christine, wedding festivities buying flowers, the wedding dress, reception, the coming together of the other wives, Kody and Meri celebrating their 20th anniversary in Mexico, the family pictures, each wife recalling their own wedding and the finale the wedding reception with the other previous three wives leaving.

Repercussions so far that I am aware of from the Sister Wives reality show...Investigation into bigamy charges which is a Class 3 felony charge as polygamy is illegal in the United States and Canada. Meri #1 wife fired from her job. News coverage nationally. Education.

THANKSGIVING POINT
3 Vehicles full of children with 4 adults went down to Thanksgiving Point last night.

Lots of fun things to do: Bull riding (I watched but declined), cow milking contest, calf roping, haunted house, slides, hay rides, pumpkins being blown out of a huge propane tank with a long barreled tube, make it through the corn bellies (maze of corn field) riding bikes, pig race, chicken house (fake chickens telling stories), face painting, camp fire circles, duck races with rubber ducks and pumping the water to make them flow down a open tube, riding low bikes around a bumpy dirt track...I had trouble getting it started as my knees were nearly to my ears. etc.

It was windy and a little cool with nearly a full moon. The children which included some of us adults acting like children (not mentioning who)...had a great time last night! Possible snow this weekend on the bench...not sure if we will get it on the valley floor which is the elevation of over 5,000.

[b]Monday October 25th, 2010
Reverend Al Sharpton interviews Author Susanna Barlow on his show “ KEEPING IT REAL”

about her Memoir “What Peace There May Be” born the middle child 23rd of 46 children into an FLDS Polygamist sect living in the heart of Salt Lake City.
2:15pm ET g 12:15 pm MT Listen: via your computer…
Listen to interview via computer


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Trial was halted...ruling that trial to resume on Monday November 8th, 2010...I will never forget the day they found Elizabeth Smart alive. I was on the phone with my sister-in-law who lived in Utah. The news came on that they found her 9 months after her abduction. Elizabeth was kidnapped from her gated community home out of her bed...

I was amazed that she was alive. They found her nearby in Sandy Utah from what I have been told. I moved to Utah 2 years ago as a radio talk show producer. Since moving to Utah I have learned so much about polygamy and the extremes that can happen because of the secrecy.

I am now the publicist for Author Susanna Barlow who has written her Memoir "WHAT PEACE THERE MAY BE" about being born the middle child 23rd of 46 children into a polygamist sect...not living on a compound but in the heart of Salt Lake City. In a regular neighborhood. In Utah sexual abuse assaults are 10% percent higher than any where else in the nation...due to the fact that the population of Utah consists mainly of children.

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Elizabeth Smart Trial continues...
Final day of testimony from Elizabeth Smart...3 days on the stand. Statements made by Elizabeth... silenced the court room. It is very difficult to read about her ordeal. The courage that this young girl had and that she survived is truly amazing.

The transcripts are available of testimony but I have decided not to read. Just reading the Salt Lake Tribune story yesterday was difficult enough. After 3 days on the stand...only 15 minutes by the other side asking questions about Brian Mitchell.

Well... reading the Salt Lake Tribune this morning about Elizabeth Smart testimony...they had an actual picture of Ms. Smart, other wife Wanda Barzee and Brian Mitchell at a rave party...the two wives were in robes, head coverings and veils. Also another time at a library a police officer asked Elizabeth to remove her veil. Not allowed as only the husband could see her. Elizabeth did not speak up and was disappointed that she didn't say anything...missed her chance according to the newspaper. They are going to have testimony available.

Quite interesting from my perspective to watch the news cast seems to be shame about the whole event.. Missed opportunities. Maybe this will be the catalyst to change the mindset and take action on what are disturbing numbers to assaults of that nature. It is on the news daily...multiple cases of abuse by coaches, teachers, family members etc. Those are the numbers reported. The only way abuse stops is by having the courage to speak out.

Elizabeth Smart was allegedly kidnapped from her gated home in Salt Lake City 8 years ago in June at the age of 14 years old. Mitchell held a knife on her and threatened to kill her family if she didn't go with him. On the stand yesterday was Elizabeth recalling her ordeal. Her mother and her sister testified as well. Elizabeth is now 21 years old and according to the news last night...hard to listen to what happened according to her testimony. The male news commentator was having difficulty talking about it.

This summer I went to a potluck and sat across the table from a woman who does the drawings at the trial. She had been the artist who drew the competency hearing for the alleged kidnapper Mitchell. I have heard information that does not make the news media.

Elizabeth was gone for 9 months when they saw her walking with Mitchell on State Street in Sandy...by the police. Elizabeth was wearing robes and head covering. Wanda Barzee the wife of Mitchell has confessed and currently serving 15 years for her involvement. Mitchell wanted Elizabeth to be his plural wife and performed a ceremony...shackled her and threatened to keep her from attempting to escape.

Sexual Assaults are 10% higher in Utah than anywhere else in the nation...one of the reasons is that the population consists mostly of children in Utah.

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Only in Utah...Salt Lake Tribune

Reading the Salt Lake Tribune and the cartoon this morning shows a reporter with a mike and CBS News camera filming...reporter is standing in front of the District court of Utah...holding a piece of paper with Smart / Jeff's name...police officers escorting Warren Jeff's and Brian Mitchell from the steps of the court house...
Caption..."coming to you live from what can only be Utah...

Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping Trial...The Salt Lake Tribune trial online live at sltrib and past stories as well. Hearing the trial will continue till Thanksgiving.

Also Susanna is on You Tube her book trailer video...which I am in for a few seconds. She is working on more videos that will be on the site. The house in the video is the actual house that the memoir takes place in.

Susanna has an interview this evening and you can find that information on her website...just do a search on Susanna Barlow.

Warren Jeff's was captured and on the FBI Most Wanted List...Polygamist who is fighting extradition to Texas has stalled again. Texas is waiting for Warren Jeffs to face charges there. Utah Supreme Court overturned his 2007 conviction on 2 counts of "rape as an accomplice".Warren Jeffs is accused of sexual abuse, aggravated sexual abuse and bigamy for allegedly marrying an underage bride.

Sister Wives about a Polygamist Family in Utah reality show that recently aired on TLC. 4 wives with one husband and combined families of 16 children.

Polygamy is illegal in the United States and Canada. Approximately 40,000 polygamist live in Utah alone.

Plenty of information on You Tube.

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Edited by alex005 at Nov 17, 2010 2:57 PM EST

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Change your facebook profile picture to your favorite cartoon from your childhood & invite your friends to do the same. Until monday there should be no human faces on facebook, but an invasion of memories from childhood. This is in support for the elimination of violence against...children. Pass it on.

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Edited by alex005 at Dec 5, 2010 9:39 AM EST