Salt Lake County family opens up about their polygamous marriage

Updated: 9/14/2011 1:34 am | Published: 9/13/2011 2:09 pm

Salt Lake City (ABC 4 News) They want people to know the positive side of polygamy so a Salt Lake County family wrote a book - "Love Times Three".

When you talk about the Darger family - you are talking about a husband, three wives and 24 children. They live here in Salt Lake County, and while they have kept a low profile, that is no longer the case. They have a new book and they appeared on national television on Tuesday.

The families youtube video - which you can see here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iybmklJFHjE - breaks it down. 5 kids in diapers, 10 loads of laundry each day, 10 family cars, 11 family computers, 2 gallons of milk, etc. They live just outside of Salt Lake City and call themselves a positive polygamous family - and the inspiration for the HBO show Big Love.

They appeared on ABC's Good Morning America program on Tuesday for a live interview about their lives and their book - "Love Times Three". When asked about jealousy, one of the wives, Alina, said, "Jealousies happen, for sure, but we get through by leaning on each other and go back to why we started this family together in the first place."

Joe Darger married Alina and Vicki 20 years ago. Together they have had 15 children. In 2000 they invited Vicki's twin sister Valerie to join their marriage.
Vicki says, "We had created something so beautiful and we had a deep love for her already and we felt like we could share that." Joe married Valerie and they had four children to go with the five she already had. All of them say the marriage is not just about sex - there is nothing kinky going on - its about commitment. Joe says, "It's not about that side of it, its about us creating a family."

They alternate nights together and keep a schedule in their blackberries. But for more details Valerie says - read the book. "We have chapters dedicated to that because its a great story."

During his television appearance Joe was asked about Utah laws on polygamy and if he was concerned about going public? "Absolutely, that is a big concern and Its a reality we are faced with." So, why come forward now? Joe says if they don't speak out their rights and freedoms will continue to be taken away.

The family is currently on a book tour across the country. They will be back home in Utah on September 21st.
As for the claim of inspiring the HBO show Big Love - the show's creators say that is not the case.

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Rachel - 9/14/2011 9:35 AM

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What an awesome family. I know them -- and they are truly a family built on love. Their kids are amazing, well adjusted and SMART! Joe and his wives are contributing members of society and sincere, responsible parents who do an incredible job of meeting their kids needs emotionally, financially -- and with love through it all. The book is an eye opener -- and well written. Great job Dargers!

Dusty1 - 9/14/2011 6:07 AM

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Why does no interviewer ever ask these polygamous groups, comprising one man with one legal wife and the rest living as concubines in his harem, what their financial status is? Only the legal wife and her children can benefit from the man's health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, pensions, tax benefits, etc. The concubines and their children are unprotected and face dire poverty should a serious illness strike any one of them. And is this man going to help with the education of his 24 children or are they on their own there too? This is why Muslim women's groups all over the world are petitioning their governments to end the practise of polygamy, which they say harms them and their children. Moreover, what makes this man believe he has the right to bring 24 children into this already overcrowded world? His conceit is mind-boggling! The children in this American group are also being given a sickening message regarding the status of women. The message is that women are lesser creatures who can be collected together like cattle in a barn, and are basically there for men's use and pleasure. No wonder the UN Tribunal on Human Rights states that polygamy contravenes women's equality rights and that countries should stop the practise. Polygamy comes from the dark ages when women were nothing but chattels and had no rights whatsoever. That any modern group would adopt such a practise says a lot about their lack of intelligence. They should remember that nowadays women are considered men's equals, and that the year is 2011 AD, not 2011 BC. Jancis M. Andrews

tcmama - 9/13/2011 9:12 PM

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Book tour? TV appearances? Seems to me they are making money off the crime they are committing. Willingly sharing your husband with another woman (or women???)is pretty sick, but INVITING your SISTER to join in??? I hope the law and DCFS step in quickly for the sake of these 25 kids.

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