The Mormon Gulag

[_GoodK]

If you are doing something like this, which it seems, then no matter how sincere the testimonials of those who've had positive experiences are, abuse like this needs to be exposed. From what I've read so far, I support what you're doing.

Thanks. I don't want people to think this is a crusade against the Mormon church. I am convinced that Mormons are generally genuine, good people, despite many of my experiences. I don't think they really want their church to be associated with such a vile place.

[_Jersey Girl]

No. You misunderstood what I was asking.

I didn't read EVERY PART of your website or the one I linked to in my post. I wanted to know if the Utah Boys Ranch the same as the Westridge (whatever) Ranch that I linked to.

After a bit more poking around, I see that it is.

I'm working on some research right now, but I want to get back to this.

[_EAllusion]

Chris Buttars is one of the worst politicians in the nation. I'm not being hyperbolic. I know a journalist who has a serious problem with him. If you'd like, I could set up contact and you can probably have a story published on the Ranch via the Buttars connection.

Here's my favorite example of Buttars being evil:

http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2008 ... s_wins.php

[_Ray A]

I don't think they really want their church to be associated with such a vile place.

I would certainly hope not. From a link I gave earlier, however, this was one response to claims of abuse:

I love how this anonymous person created such a great story... And a story is all it is. It sounds,not like a first counselor in an LDS ward, but a young child who can't even put a sentence together properly. A few lessons in grammar and punctuation could help him cut down on the run-on sentences and sound more like the person he/she was trying to portray. I like to guess, so I will make the guess that that comment was a boy who attended the boys ranch and didn't quite like it. Let me know if I'm right!

The Utah Boys Ranch

Even one claim of abuse would lead me to further investigation.

[_Ray A]

The link to the talk where President Hinckley mentions the bulletins he receives from the Utah Boys Ranch is on my website.

Which is Here

There came to my desk recently a bulletin issued by the Utah Boys Ranch. It included the story of a boy named Mike. A judge of the juvenile court wrote concerning him:

“Mike, at the age of 9 years, was sleeping in cars, associating with gangs and involving himself with dangerous weapons. No state agency could help this young boy turn his life around. The Utah Boys Ranch stepped forward and offered their help. The Boys Ranch saved his life. They gave him a place to live and taught him values and standards. His environment and world changed and now he is out of the Juvenile Justice system.”

Included also was a letter from Mike himself which reads:

“Hi. This is Mike. I had a bad childhood where I grew up. I was in a gang that was bad. I came to this place. I’m glad that I came to this place ‘cause if I didn’t come here I would still be in gangs and getting in trouble. I was so glad that I came here ‘cause I met some good people like Chris and Delpha. But now I have a family and I am doing good” (Utah Boys Ranch, New Beginnings Round-up, fall 1996, 1).

There are so many who have been injured and who need a good Samaritan to bind up their wounds and help them on their way. A small kindness can bring a great blessing to someone in distress and a sweet feeling to the one who befriends him.

In case I missed it on your site, was Pres. Hinckley at all aware of any abuses taking place? Or even any reports of any abuses?

Edit: It seems to me that GBH may have taken these reports at face value, and perhaps didn't have all the relevant information.

[_Daniel Peterson]

Hey, Papa Doc Peterson, thanks for being so concerned with my life and intellect, very thoughtful of you. Maybe now you should be thoughtful of GoodK. You seem to stalk him, his life and his threads and posts in the same manner that you accuse Scratch of stalking you. Kettle/Black.

Hardly.

Nice try, though.

[_Gadianton]

TD,

I agree that the list you provided is pretty horrifying. I had no idea that there were real organizations out there that used manipulation techniques similar to Wade's phony websites. While some of those items listed are things that a bad kid might pull to "split parents", they are also the same things a good kid would do if his parents sold him into slavery. Imagine, a good kid held prisoner and abused and beaten would have no voice according to this "philosopy" of hick, backwoods Mormon militia men. The fact that a man who teaches philosophy on a college level could read that page and still take the place seriously is fascinating.

The thing is, most of these kids aren't going to be able to tell convincing lies. If these guys punch the kid in the face, and are subjected to some of the things I read, and the child reports this to the parent, then in many cases it would be a matter of taking the child to a doctor independent of the institution. There is absolutely nothing in place here to assure the parent that the child is being treated properly. They just have to assume the institution is perfect on their word.

Another problem here, what is the criteria for sending a child here? Can anyone with money just ship their kid off for trivial things?

[_Yoda]

I just read your mission statement:

Our mission is simple. We want the Mormon Gulag, otherwise known as the Utah Boys Ranch (or West Ridge Academy), to be shut down. We seek to end all forms of abuse perpetrated by the Gulag; physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, abuse of freedom of religion and speech, and the abuse of public trust - specifically parents of boys sent to the ranch - as soon as possible. Notifying the public is the most important thing we can do to accomplish our mission. Mormon and non-Mormon alike can and should be outraged that this place exists in America.

So...this awful place is still OPEN????

I thought it had been shut down.

As I told you privately, Eric, you have my full support in this project.

After reading the first of the Horror Stories, I couldn't read anymore. I was utterly sick.

To imagine you, or anyone, in a place like that, makes my heart want to completely crumble. I am a parent..and every day I look into my 4 year old son's eyes, I can't imagine what I would do if anyone EVER did anything like that to him. God help me, none of them would live for very long.

[_GoodK]

So...this awful place is still OPEN????

I thought it had been shut down.

Oh yes. It is most definitely open. People will be able to see boys working first hand at the Scarecrow Festival on the 18th. And thanks, again, for your support.

Another problem here, what is the criteria for sending a child here?

As long as their issues aren't too serious, or they don't have pending legal issues, they will take them. Ages 6 to 18. Yes, 6 years old. Without going into too much detail, there was an LDS family that adopted three brothers from Bulgaria. I knew this because their son Josh, who was a good kid burdened with insane parents, was there with me. He was 12 years old and had no business being there. Soon enough, all three Bulgarian brothers (equipped with Hepatitis C) arrived at the Gulag. These children - 10 to 12 - knew nothing about America, had no parents, and were picked up and dumped at the ranch to be raised and brainwashed. It makes me sad thinking about it. I wonder what ever happened to them.

Can anyone with money just ship their kid off for trivial things?

Oh, you don't need money. Local wards pay the cost for in-state boys whose parents can't afford it. The four brothers I just mentioned were an example of this. So, if you pay tithing and fast offerings in an LDS ward, I would ask you to ask your bishop not to recommend and certainly not fund this evil place.

It seems to me that GBH may have taken these reports at face value, and perhaps didn't have all the relevant information.

I don't think he knew about anything that happened there, other than what he was told.

I know a journalist who has a serious problem with him. If you'd like, I could set up contact and you can probably have a story published on the Ranch via the Buttars connection.

Definitely. Email or PM me or something.

Here's my favorite example of Buttars being evil:

http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2008 ... s_wins.php

He is pure evil. I have looked into his eyes and seen it for myself. I hope you read my account of my first meeting with him sometime.

Edited to add:

I don't know if anyone noticed this link on my website - www.teenliberty.org - but it's also worth checking out.

[_Jason Bourne]

Goodk

I do not have time to look at this in detail right now but i did look briefly. I say Lowell Bennion's name connected with this. Is it really the same Boys Ranch that he started in the 60s? If yes this looks nothing like what I thought he started nor would it be in the spirit of what he put together. Plus his Boys Ranch was not in Utah but somewhere in Wyoming near the Tetons.