Elizabeth Smart Reuninted with Her Mother**picture***

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE ^ | March 13, 2003 | Elizabeth Neff

[Kentucky]

Police found Elizabeth Smart alive and in the company of a transient panhandler Wednesday, some nine months after she disappeared from her Salt Lake City home. Sandy police located Elizabeth in the suburb with Brian David Mitchell, who had worked odd jobs for the Smarts for five hours in November 2001 and was wanted for questioning. Salt Lake City Police Chief Rick Dinse said investigators are convinced Elizabeth was kidnapped, and released the name of Wanda Eileen Barzee as a second suspect in the crime.

[twigs]

I agree she looks genuinely happy, but I don't think that doesn't mean she's been through hell. Some people just have an innate capacity for joy, regardless of their outside circumstances. I think that's the case with Elizabeth. All the pictures we saw of her last summer seems to indicate that.

[twigs]

Actually, I'm glad they have that level of protection. I've read in the past that when a family goes through this type of public trauma, it makes them ripe for repeat events. Some families have had to go into hiding for protection.

[Clovis_Skeptic]

this creep held her in some kind of polygamous arrangement. I hope that's not true. If true, her life will never be the same and I wish the man could hang for it. Is that still available in UT...or firing squad?

I thought polygamous relationships were encouraged there, not a hangable offense. lol.

I agree the guy should be hung or worse!

Thank God she was found alive, my family and I could not believe it, the best news in a long time.

[wndycndy]

Want to hear my whacky theory on men and sex? My opinion of why men are so easily attracted to almost anything that MOVES, LOL, is that to perpetuate our specie's God/nature had to hardwire mens sex drive back when we all lived in caves and women did not have access to all the wonderful grooming tools and beauty treatments of today. Now any nice clean female that smells good is just icing on the cake ;)

"They like them young because their faces are round, and their bodies are developing, but not fully adult. I think our culture is long overdue for a frank examination of the "wiring" in a man's (usually a man's) sexual response that brings this about, the pursuit of the pubescent youth. Hetero or homo, this is far, far out of control. Our society gives permission to indulge so many impulses that this last taboo is being abandoned."

[twigs]

I don't think this man owes anyone an apology!! He has been through hell for nine months and finally only got his daughter back because he took a sketch to the press when the police hemmed and hawed about it. I may not agree with his remarks, but I certainly understand. I doubt that Mr. Smart was listening to anything this morning but his lovely daughter returned home.

[isthisnickcool]

While I'm thankful that your daughter Elizabeth has been found alive I am more than a little perturbed at your subsequent attack on Representative Sensenbrenner regarding what you claim to be his obstruction to passage of a national Amber Alert bill. How dare you? It is your family's penchant for bringing into your home homeless derelicts and ex-cons to do cheap labor that is directly responsible for your daughter's abduction. You, Sir, need to consider apologizing for your unfortunate outburst by reimbursing the taxpayers for the cost of the investigation to find your daughter. A verbal apology to the nation in general for the effect on the national psyche is also needed. Do not try to pass the buck. Take responsibility for your own actions.

I watched Ed Smart this A.M. He gives off some strange vibes. Let's watch and see how things unfold.

[UnsinkableMollyBrown]

This morning on Fox, an expert said it wasn't unusual. He spoke about a women that was held captive for seven years in California. She even went to visit with her family, and never told them that she was being held as a sex slave.

[Lib Buster]

I think Ed Smart deserves a lot of slack considering the incredible stress he and his family have endured.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Yes, indeed; it's like her being born a second time.....

This concept occurred to me last night, when I kept hearing the words "nine months" over and over again on the news. And sure enough, she was delivered to her parents precisely 40 weeks after her abd uction.

June 5, 2002 + 280 days = March 12, 2003

[Xenalyte]

Furthermore, I don't want to hear a single lib/dem condemn this guy. After all, they embrace bizarre arrangements under the guise of "lifestyle."

A sample of unedited DU responses:

Wonder if we'll get to hear about the fact that Dickless Cheney is still paid by Halliburton while the "news" networks celebrate this good news with still more nonstop coverage?

But you know the cable nets will go apesh*t over this for the next few days while * merrily leads us off to war. Meanwhile the Repugs down in DC, while we're all distracted by this and the war, will be raping and pillaging us domestically.

NOW can we stop this mad plan to invade Iraq?
Amazing how lucky Dubya gets - all these events happen just at the right time... Say, by the way, what ever happened to the sniper (who claimed he was Special Forces)?

Faux spends ten seconds on this amazing news.... ....and it's back to BOMB BAGDAD!!!

See, I told you, a white christian male. Religion of peace my ass! Time to start rounding ALL these potential kidnappers up and deporting them.
Wonder if this story was planned by the BFEE to hide current events?

Anybody heard from the Anthrax Killer lately? How 'bout Osama? I'm as glad as anyone that she's safe. But give me a break - there's NOTHING ELSE on the news right now. WHAT invasion of Iraq? WHAT UN Security Counsil?
listening to these officials congratulating themselves and downplaying the role of those persons who spotted Mitchell. Am disgusted, giving me more reasons to distrust cops!

If Eliz and other woman hadn't been wearing veils, they would not have been noticed. It's a happy time that she was found alive. But you know that anyone wearing a veil these days will be noticed and most likely reported for any reason.

If nothing else It was nice to see Smart slam the Repoublicans for sitting on legislation.

[isthisnickcool]

I think Ed Smart deserves a lot of slack considering the incredible stress he and his family have endured.

I agree.

[M_TEN_FORTYFIVE]

The OFFICIAL Website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is

http://lds.org/

The one you link to is an UNofficial website put up by others, not the LDS Church itself.

That said the term "Morman" is generally recognized as a label for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

[Catspaw]

All you're doing is spouting rank speculation. If you have any facts, let me know.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I wonder if the Elizabeth Smart sighting back in July at a Nebraska gas station was her. Archive thread below;

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/716840/posts

[Tennessee_Bob]

Something seems fishy here....

Try this on...

Run away, and I'll kill your sister.

[Goodman26]

This whole story is anything but cut and dry (i.e. creep kidnaps girl.)
For one, she is 15, which is a young adult. For some reason I had thought she was more like 10 or 11, based on the early pictures.
Second, she still had her wits about her, as she immediately asked details about her siblings and relevant questions about their performance in school.
So I can't understand why she couldn't have lunged at the nearest authority, or really any stout male, on the street and screamed "I'm Elizabeth Smart." Granted the creep probably carried a gun and said he'd shoot her and anyone with her. But they were out in public, and we are talking about a 15 year old, so I would think she could've devised a way.
Of course it is wonderful she is back home, but let's put aside the politically correct attitudes for a second and look at this situation...

[Cosmo]

Ed Smart does not appear to be a stable man, generally speaking, and as you've pointed out, his family seems to have done alot to contribute to their child's "abduction." I think something VERY fishy is going on here.

[Humbug]

She could have but he may have threatened her siblings. You don't know what happened so wait and see.

That's very true, especially if she was kidnapped by someone other than the man she eventually ended up with (i.e., knowing that some horrible man was still somewhere out there, a guy who had previously entered her home with a gun and could presumably do so again if provoked, would i think be a powerful deterrent toward attempting an escape).

[webstersII]

"Gary Gilmore? He made the state's case more difficult by refusing to appeal his death sentence. He WANTED to die. He
chose firing squad...and the state eventually fulfilled his wish."

Gilmore was Mormon. One of the Mormon doctrines is in blood atonement. He didn't protest his execution because he believed his execution would be atonement for his sins.

[newgeezer]

I've seen a LOT of flames over this, I never participated.

If you're referring to the thread I started yesterday at 4:43 PM CST, it reached 876 replies before Admin Moderator pulled it:

This thread has been pulled.

Pulled on 03/12/2003 11:08 PM CST by Admin Moderator, reason:

Knock off the religion bashing, or find yourselves with a suspension.

Unfortunately, I was gone by 5:10 PM so, I've no idea what transpired.