Associated Press AP Jennifer Dobner interviewed Mark Henkel - May 2006

National Polygamy Advocate ™ Mark Henkel was interviewed by Jennifer Dobner for the Associated Press (the AP newswire), on May 18, 2006.  Two days earlier, on May 16, 2006, the State Supreme Court of Utah had decided the Utah v. Holm case.  Mark Henkel offered the following soundbite, "National Polygamy organization says the decision criminalizes free speech."  On Page 12, Paragraph 28 of the decision, that court declared, "we conclude that the term 'marry' is not confined to legally recognized marriages."   That is, the free speech act of just saying/purporting to be a polygamist was sufficient to prosecute a polygamist, even if there was no more than one marriage license involved.  Mark Henkel pointed out how most of the media acts like a conspiracy to refuse to let polygamists defend themselves in media reports unless polygamists acquiesce to the media "requests" to put polygamous families and faces on display.  Such all-or-nothing "requests" perilously put such families in jailable jeopardy, especially after that which the Utah State Supreme Court had just decided about polygamists even just using such free speech.  Mark Henkel labelled these types of media requests as "Circus Act Requests" because they only seek to put families on display like a "circus act" under the unspoken "blackmail" of otherwise refusing/preventing the polygamists to accurately explain to the world what UCAP, Unrelated Consenting Adult Polygamy, is really about, if the extortionary "request" is declined.  Completely understanding that whole issue, the reporter positively joked, "Are you wearing tights, Mark?" (for the circus); both enjoyed a good chuckle with that humor.  This was one of numerous interviews with the Associated Press. http://www.NationalPolygamyAdvocate.com