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Thursday, August 11, 2011

Who is Winston Blackmore and how is he involved with Warren Jeffs and the FLDS?

A couple of days ago, someone was asking about a Genealogy of Warren Jeffs. Now, I didn't find a great one, but the video I put up yesterday, The Wives of Warren & Rulon Jeffs Polygamy PROPHETS, did have lists of the wives of Rulon and Warren Jeffs, and a Winston Blackmore. So I asked "Who is Winston Blackmore." I am brand new at all these Mormon sects, I am practically learning as I type them out. Without the help of Pretty in Pink (my mentor) and now Terrasola on the subject of polygamy sects, there would not be such interesting information on this site.
So, Terrasola had to fill me in:


Who is Winston Blackmore and how is he involved with Warren Jeffs and the FLDS?
 
Winston Blackmore is the leader of Canada’s largest polygamist group, located in the community of Bountiful, British Columbia (BC). For over 20 years, Blackmore was the Bishop of the Bountiful branch of the FLDS.  There are claims that he has 25+ wives and 120+ children, but no one outside Bountiful knows for sure.  Blackmore has accumulated considerable personal wealth to support his large family. He has business interests in British Columbia, Alberta and Idaho which include grain, cattle farming, forestry and transportation. His estimated worth exceeds $15 million.
Winston believed that Warren Jeffs illegally/immorally became Prophet and FLDS Church president after Rulon Jeffs, had a stroke in 1998.  Winston began to express his opinion on this subject and was excommunicated by Warren Jeffs in September 2002.  The community of Bountiful was split nearly in half; about 700 people continued to follow Blackmore, while about 500 followed the new Bishop appointed by Warren Jeffs (Winston’s brother-in-law). Winston is very well-spoken and has agreed to TV and print interviews, so he is well-known in Canada as the Canadian face of polygamy.
Section 293 of Canada’s Criminal Code makes polygamy illegal.  However, Canada enacted a Charter of Rights and Freedoms in the 1980s, which guarantees Canadians the rights to: “freedom of conscience and religion; freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication; freedom of peaceful assembly; and freedom of association.”  In addition, “every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.” 
Many legal experts, and Mr. Blackmore, believe that this section of the Criminal Code could not withstand a “Charter Challenge.”  So in BC and Canada there was little/no prosecution of polygamy-related offences in the last 25 years.   However, finally a BC Attorney General asked the BC Court of Appeal for a definitive ruling on whether this section of the Criminal Code is enforceable.  Canadians wait for the outcome.
It may interest you to know that the 12 year old girl that Warren Jeffs was convicted of assaulting came from Bountiful and is related to Winston Blackmore.  
WRITTEN BY TERRASOLA

 Sources: Wikipedia
http://www.childbrides.org/Canada_CBS_interview_of_winston_blackmore.html
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36 comments:

  1. Isn't there much more to him, like underage brides, incest?

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  2. Oh man, I could kick myself right now. I had a documentary on Blackmore saved on my DVR but deleted it about a month ago...anyway, what I remember is that one of his sons was getting married and Blackmore's wives were excited because their little daughters were the flower girls. If I remember correctly, because of Blackmore's legal problems he couldn't attend the wedding. Also he talked about the underage wife - he said she misled him to believe she was legal age because women always lie about their age and she wanted to get married. The look on his face (half sneering half smiling) was so sinister, total yuck factor. He is just another Wacky Warren, Canadian style.

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  3. Hey Cynical,
    If you look at the CBC and Child Brides links, you will see interviews with Winston Blackmore. The CBC interview is a video and you will see the slickness and smarminess that people think Winston projects (me included). He certainly is "self-assured"; you half expect to find your wallet/watch missing and that you've purchased a used car after you see an interview with him.

    I think one of those interviews also addresses the underge bride issue where Winston spouts the "all women lie about their age" line.

    What makes him so relatable to Canadians is that he does not come across as super religious, just a guy who works hard and loves his family.

    Canadians are known for their tolerant "live and let live" attitude so we have let this enclave, which pumps BIG money into the surrounding communities, continue unchallenged until recently.

    We'll see what happens in court.

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  4. I know you two are the experts on the religion aspects, I can tell. One going to rite a post about wHY he is in jail? We don't know him!

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  5. Very ineresting. I'd like to see his house!
    I bet they live in groups. What do you get to sleep with hubs, like 2 times a year?
    CRAZY

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  6. If 500 stayed with him, wouldn't that be most of his family? hahahahah
    Now, is this part of the FLDS in the US?

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  7. I've seen him on tv several times...the misled to child bride guy. I think he was a ruse. I think Jeff's wanted people and selected people to "break away" and "denounce" so they could continue on their ways with delay and deflections. I wonder if he had other under age brides that Warren moved to himself or other men so that Blackmore and Bountiful could get a somewhat clean break and start. Also, I wonder what more we will hear of these child brides coming from Canada and if indeed they will lead back to the Bounty clan. Like I said about the Brown's it really is odd that the more they do to protest and remove themselves from one another, the more things prove just the opposite. I don't see Bountiful Blackmore any different at this point.

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  8. I still don't know what this guy has to do with the US - is his group in the Alliance? Someone mentioned he was "away' - I think we need more on him. Does he connect to the Browns? How?

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  9. I wonder if it was him or his father that refused to send a girl back to the FLDS group in Colorado City for blood atonement. I can't remember if I read that or saw it on a documentary on the Bountiful group. I believe it was that and the fact that Winston didn't recognize Jeffs as the new prophet for there to be a big split in the Bountiful group. One group broke away with Winston and the other stayed with the Jeffs as the prophet. There were alot of changes that Jeffs did that Winston didn't agree with.

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  10. Here's a link to one woman's story who was from Bountiful.

    http://youtu.be/EDtmFBrh6ls

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  11. Well during the Jeff's trial some people said there were reports of many child brides being brought in from Canada and Bountiful is the most known sect in Canada so many now wonder if Blackmore's group might be the culprit. If proved true then it might just indicate Blackmore really did not turn on or away from FLDS/Warren as stated.

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  12. When the Bountiful members split, the Jeffs members still stayed there in Canada. The documentary I saw had some members mentioning that they had family members in the other group (Jeffs) and that they didn't communicate. I looked on Youtube to see if it was on there, but I didn't find it. It was really interesting, especially how the wives were split up in groups in different homes to take care of the children. The documentary that I watched was from several years ago and it had an interview with Winston on it.

    I think it may have been Elissa's book that mentioned more about Bountiful and what was going on up in Canada. Members that were "troublesome" were sent up to Bountiful to get sweet again.

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  13. Terrasola sent this to me just to give me, personally a summary, I posted it since we had a glimpse of him in one of our videos, I'm sure she'll teach us more! Thank you T!

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  14. He looks innocent enough. Looks can be deceiving.... like Kody's

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  15. How many of these creeps are there?

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  16. I get it now- they had to make up the horrible lie that Jesus was a polygamist and married, so they could do it, and pretend they were the only ones from him. Old Joe, he did some mighty quick thinking on his feet. By WHY did people listen?

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  17. Hi,
    Some answers that I know. Lots of stuff I don't know since I probably wouldn't know Mr. Blackmore if I met him on the street.

    First, Mr. Blackmore is NOT in jail. He is, as far as I know, living his life free as a bird in Bountiful. His supporters like to portray him as the beneficient leader who didn't agree with all the weird changes that Warren Jeffs instituted, which I think is true from what I have read and seen. However, he still hides stuff and I believe that people don't hide things if they have nothing to hide.

    Second, on the ties to FLDS after the "break". The new Bishop of Bountiful, Jimmy Oler, is the brother of one of Winston Blackmore's wives. There are so many family ties back and forth that even when there was a legitimate break from the Blackmore side of Bountiful, Mr. Blackmore still had relatives on the Oler side of Bountiful. Plus, the community is only about 1500 people, and is closed, so most people would be related. So through blood and marriage he would still be related to the girls going down to FLDS communities.

    Third, in answer to what is wrong with Winston -- there are lots of rumours of what goes on in Bountiful. Pretty much the same stuff that goes on in other closed FLDS communities.

    I have to think that this travelling back and forth of girls is just like animal husbandry. You have to inject new DNA or there will be problems with genetic defects. I believe that this is the same reason the high-level FLDS authorities take so many wives - to maximize breeding chances. Such a sad thought that human beings (young women) are reduced to breeding stock.

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  18. The maximize the kids to make sure they get some that aren't deficient in some way?
    This has gone on for far too long, it's interbred in these men from their fathers, for so many generations it really would take de programming to fix things. Hey, like a cult!!!

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  19. And creepier, he doesn't look like a creep like Warren did.

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  20. Bet the one on onet time with his kids are great! Does he know their names?

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  21. http://www.rickross.com/reference/polygamy/polygamy135.html

    A who is primer from rick ross for bountiful. If you have heard of activists like Flora, then you might be familiar with Debbie Palmer.

    News is coming in saying Canada is sending the mounties to US after hearing that 12 or more underage brides were trafficked from their country.

    Something tells me Blackmore never changed his stripes.

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  22. Bust up in Bountiful video

    http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/bustupinbountiful/video.html

    BUST-UP IN BOUNTIFUL
    During the last decade, the fifth estate's Hana Gartner has followed the fascinating story of the notorious polygamous community of Bountiful, British Columbia and the bitter, potentially dangerous, power struggle that developed between Winston Blackmore and the sect's self-proclaimed prophet, Warren Jeffs. Earlier this year, Warren Jeffs was arrested, tried and is now serving out a life sentence.

    This week, this break-away sect of Mormons was back in the news when a ranch in Texas was raided and hundreds of children removed following accusations of abuse. Watch an update of Bust-up in Bountiful for more this ongoing, dramatic story.

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  23. http://www.apologeticsindex.org/684-bountiful-canada-polygamy

    The video for documentary on Bountiful.

    BTW National Geographic is airing Inside Polygamy Life in Bountiful again this Sunday afternoon. I found out from a tv show forum. Set the DVR!

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  24. Thank you for the heads up Anony...got my DVR set!

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  25. The 12 year old Warren. Jeffs was convicted of sexually assaulting was not from Canada, she was born in Short Creek, one of Carolyn Jessop's step children.
    She may well be related to Winston Blackmore in some way, but she is American, daughter of Merrill and Barbara Jessop

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  26. I thought there were 2 he was convicted of.

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  27. He was convicted of raping the 12 year old and raping and impregnating a 15 year old. He has other wives who he married underage, but those are the two that he was charged in relation to.

    BTW, I am the anon above

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  28. Melissa,
    thank you for the info. I guess I am so sick of Jeffs at this point, I see the two as the same. SEX.
    How awful.
    Any other info you have for us?
    thank you!

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  29. There is a LOT of info to take in and a lot of names to keep track of.

    I'm just an interested observer, but I've been interested in and reading about Mormon polygamy for years now, since before the YFZ raid, so I do know a bit. Just ask, there are many more like me, many of whom know a LOT more than me, esp about genealogies. It's almost certain that some of the Brown family would be related to FLDS members though, the AUB and FLDS share common roots and intermarried until at least the 80s.

    I know a lot of people paint all Mormon polygamists with the same brush, but in my opinion Winston Blackmore is at least sincere in his convictions and trying to live by his faith, whereas Warren Jeffs perverted and altered his religions beliefs and practices for his own gain and to accommodate his desire for teenage girls.

    Winston Blackmore used to blog regularly and openly about his beliefs, but his blog and website were taken down after his arrest. It's a pity, cause they gave good insight into the beliefs these sects are founded on and the thought processes of a man who followed those beliefs.

    It disappoints me that SisterWives doesn't go into more details about the spiritual beliefs and practices of the Brown family.

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  30. Thank you for your insight, we always love to hear it!
    I am a newbie, that didn't know a thing until I started this blog! Anytime you'd like to write a little post, just holla!

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  31. Thank you, I'll seriously consider it.

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  32. So... what has happened to Winston?

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  33. Yes Winston does know his own childrens names... everyone of them.. and not one of you people know him so not one of you can judge... any one of the wives could leave if they wanted to but they CHOOSE to stay so if you dont know what it is like then back off...

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