| Show Hopeful Peacemaker Jerrolyn Pratt Ki Kimball m ball By Eric Carlson If there be peace let it begin with me says Jerrolyn Pratt Kimball Kimball Kimball Kim- Kim ball student at former member of a polygamous community and friend to Vicki Singer Peace was one thing the Singer farm stand-off stand lacked and Jerrolyn believes if the issues arent aren't dealt with now there will be other confrontations In her efforts to promote peace and understanding Jerrolyn has written a letter to Governor Norman Norman Norman Nor Nor- man Bangerter In her letter she explains some of the things behind the Singers' Singers isolated lives And Jerrolyn Jerrolyn Jer- Jer rolyn knows because she has been there Told to marry her stepfather at 18 Jerrolyn cried but obeyed She went to live in Short Creek reek now Colorado City but after 33 of her nine years she left with four children When the Sing Singers rs first became news Jerrolyn started writing letters letters letters let let- to Vicki and Vicki wrote back She first met Vicki when Tim Singer was in the hospital and that was after John was shot That meeting led to a friendship between between between bet bet- these two women who had many things in common Although they had many things in common they also had some differences Jerrolyn had spent some of her childhood and all of her married life in a polygamous polygamous' community Vicki had grown up ina ina in in- a community and wasn't involved with polygamy until until until un un- til she married the self-converted self John Singer There were also differences differences differences dif dif- dif dif- between their husbands Jerrolyn's stepfather husband was schizophrenic while John was a caring loving yet also ov overpowering overpower overpower- ing man according to Jerrolyn But whatever differences they had they all believed in polygamy Most of those who do believe in it feel betrayed by the churchs church's failure to uphold original scripture Jerrolyn said That feeling of betrayal and the necessity of isola isola- tion can lead to a withdrawal into dogma and scripture she added This is one of the points Jerrolyn makes in her letter to the Gover Gover- nor She also said that she thinks the ending of the stand-off stand was not handled well She had no idea tho though gh that there would be a con con- The last time Jerrolyn saw Vicki this past summer nothing was said about John Singers Singer's resurrection or any of the theother theother other events that led to conflict Now Jerrol Jerrolyn n Pratt Kimball is trying to help in any way she can After divorcing her husband she became supporting self-supporting and she started school Concentrating on the mental health and social work fields Jerrolyn hope hopes that given her own experiences with polygamy she can help other women who are in otherwise 7 powerless positions She also wants to help people realize that everyone should be treated with kindness and respect J I- I g |
