Strength of Smart family is the real story

Wilson: You can bet the soon-to-be-released movies and books on the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case will focus on the horrific crime and the tragedy of a child being held captive. That is what sells. But the Elizabeth Smart case is also about an amazing, vital, courageous and faithful family that must inspire all of us for the dreadful day if our families are called upon to deal with a major crisis.

Last summer I wrote a column about how well the Smarts were dealing with the kidnapping. I have been a friend of theirs for many years, and they asked me to help with the search. As I sat with the family in many meetings as they prayed and deliberated over their daughter's fate, I was amazed. In spite of the agony of the time, the Smarts remained focused, divided the labor of the search to family members, kept the media interested and prepared themselves for the countless media encounters.

When that astounding day in March came along and the press reported "Elizabeth is Alive!" the Smarts got the just reward of their prayers, their faith and their effort. To me, here are the elements of the real story about the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping:

The Smarts engaged the sentiment and help of thousands of volunteers who searched almost everywhere for Elizabeth. This effort continued at a high level for almost six months and didn't end completely until Elizabeth came home. Ed and Lois began every press statement with, "We want to thank . . ."

The family developed a sophisticated strategy for dealing with the press. Their theory was that if Elizabeth was to be found, it would be because people remained conscious of her and would see her. Instead of retreating into a shell, the Smart family was continually available to the press and found many ways to engage the press' attention. It was this strategy that finally led to the recovery of Elizabeth.

The family respected law enforcement efforts and worked closely with law enforcement. There were frustrations and differences, but both the family and law enforcement stimulated each other to do a better job.

The Smarts refused to be trashed. Instead of just accepting the inevitable junk press that disparaged them over false leads and leaks, the Smarts hired a lawyer, forced a tabloid to recant its scum and exposed local reporters for their complicity. Their action is also causing law enforcement to investigate loose talk.

While the family was in deep suffering, they still found the resources and the energy to become the principal stimulus for congressional action on AMBER Alert. Ed, Lois and Elizabeth were invited to the Rose Garden as a proud president signed the bill into law. Children all over our nation are now safer.

The Smarts wisely protected Elizabeth from the press and the public after her return to their home. They also worked hard to remind both the press and the justice system that they expect the highest standards when the criminal case goes to trial. Reports from the family and close friends indicate that Elizabeth is doing very well.

The concept of family and its importance is a deeply held value in Utah. We often see the results of dysfunctional families. Crime, abandoned children, poor school performance, drugs and the like are far too prevalent and dominate our news.

It is time to pay attention to functional families. The example of the Smarts, even if it is uncomfortable to their modesty, can and should be held up as an example of the amazing ability of a family to respond to the direst of circumstances.

The final test is this. Even if Elizabeth had not been found, the Smarts knew they had done everything possible. And doing that is all any of us can do.

Webb: It has been an absolutely amazing ride for the Smart family. Truth really is stranger than fiction. The abduction of an innocent young girl from her own home by an unknown kidnapper was plenty sensational enough. The fact that she defied long odds and survived an ordeal of many months in the clutches of an evil and deranged man, and was then found walking down a major street and was reunited with her family, was almost beyond belief.

But the ripples just continue to expand. Who could have imagined that a by-product of this affair would be a money-for-rumors scandal at Utah's biggest newspaper, the firing of two reporters and the resignation of the paper's editor, investigations into Utah's law enforcement agencies that could spill into the upcoming mayoral race, and the passage of major national legislation? That's far beyond anything plausible.

I don't know what to make of it, except to say that life is crazy; life goes in unexpected directions. And it is just that unpredictability that should motivate us to focus on the things of real importance, real substance and enduring value: the basic ideals of family, faith and friendships. That's where real strength and peace come from. In those havens are found the only real refuge from life's capriciousness. Those are the things that the Smarts focused on, and those are the things that held them together, kept them going, and continues to keep them going, through all the craziness.

Democrat Ted Wilson, former Salt Lake mayor, directs the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah. E-mail: tednews@hotmail.com. Republican LaVarr Webb was policy deputy to Gov. Mike Leavitt and Deseret News managing editor. He now is a political consultant and lobbyist. E-mail: lavarrwebb@msn.com.

Copyright C 2003 Deseret News Publishing Co.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.