Utah and marriage

The Beehive State

I note that the flag has two dates -- 1847, when the Latter Day Saints came to the Salt Lake Valley, and 1896, when the territory was admitted to the Union as the 45th state. That had become possible when the leaders of the Church agreed to ban polygamy, a political decision that split the Mormon community to some extent. Small groups of Saints have continued to practice polygamy up to the present day, claiming that they are remaining faithful to the teaching of founder Joseph Smith. There is ambiguity about when the practice actually began, whether under Smith or under Brigham Young. There is no question that it was viewed for many years as an essential part of God's revelation for the Mormons. Mitt Romney, as is well known, was descended from polygamous Mormons who fled to Mexico in order to escape persecution for practicing multiple marriage. His father, George, was born in Mexico, to monogamous parents.

A recent court ruling was widely reported in the press as restoring polygamy by throwing out part of the Utah's ban on the custom. In fact, the ruling only did away with a ban against cohabitation, thus bringing Utah's law into conformity with that of the other 49 states. Multiple marriage is illegal there and in other states, like Texas, where various polygamous Mormon groups exist and occasionally run afoul of local law enforcement.