克利昂·史奇森

Willard Cleon Skousen (January 20, 1913 – January 9, 2006) was an American law enforcement officer and conservative and nationalist author associated with the John Birch Society.

In addition to his role as a notable anti-communist and supporter of the John Birch Society, Skousen had a significant influence on Mormonism. He served as a prominent figure within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), contributing to Mormon literature and theology. Skousen's works often reflected his Mormon beliefs and included discussions on Mormon eschatology, which is the study of the end times according to LDS Church teachings.

While his writings covered a wide range of subjects including the Six-Day War, New World Order conspiracies, and parenting, his influence within Mormonism stemmed from his interpretations of LDS doctrine and his efforts to promote conservative values within the faith community. Skousen's impact on Mormonism is a significant aspect of his legacy within both religious and political spheres. Two of his most popular works, The Five Thousand Year Leap and The Naked Communist, also resonated with audiences within the LDS community, further solidifying his influence in both realms.

Early life and education

Skousen was born on a dryland farm in Raymond, Alberta, Canada, the second of nine children of Royal Pratt Skousen and Margarita Bentley Skousen, who were U.S. citizens. He lived in Canada until he was ten years old, then moved with his family to California where his father supervised the paving of some of the original Route 66. In 1926, Skousen went to the Mormon colony, Colonia Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, for two years to help his seriously ill grandmother. While there, he attended the Juarez Academy and was employed for a time as a race horse jockey. Skousen then returned to California, graduating from high school in 1930. At the age of 17 he traveled to Great Britain as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

After completing his missionary service, Skousen attended San Bernardino Valley Jr. College, graduating in 1935. He married Jewel Pitcher in August 1936, and they raised eight children together. He graduated with an LL.B. from George Washington University Law School in June 1940 (the school updated his degree as Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 1972 with its degree nomenclature).

Professional life

In June 1935, Skousen went to work for the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, a New Deal program to subsidize farmers. Soon thereafter, he found employment with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), working as a messenger while attending law school at night. In 1940, after passing the Washington, D.C., bar exam, he became an FBI Special Agent. FBI memos have described his work at the Bureau as mainly clerical and administrative. Skousen left the FBI in 1951. The FBI would maintain a file on Skousen that would come to number more than 2,000 pages.

From 1951 to 1955, he taught at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. In 1956, Salt Lake City mayor Adiel F. Stewart hired Skousen to serve as police chief in the wake of a police department scandal. Skousen was a well-respected police chief for nearly four years.

In 1960, newly elected mayor J. Bracken Lee dismissed Skousen shortly after Skousen raided an illegal poker club where Lee was in attendance. National Review commentator Mark Hemingway characterized the gathering as "a friendly card game." Skousen supporters protested the abrupt firing by disrupting a city council meeting and planting burning crosses on Lee's lawn. Lee characterized Skousen's strict enforcement of anti-gambling laws as Gestapo-like. Lee said that although Skousen was an anti-communist, he "ran the police department in exactly the same manner as the Communists in Russia operate their government." Time magazine reported in 1960 that Skousen's "real offense seemed to be that he had failed to show enough enthusiasm for Lee's determination to slash the police-department budget." Lee told a friend that Skousen was "one of the greatest spenders of public funds of anyone who ever served in any capacity in Salt Lake City government", and a "master of half truths".

The National Center for Constitutional Studies (NCCS), an organization founded by Skousen, claimed that Skousen had eliminated the sources of illegal activity in the city by 1959. The group asserts that after Skousen's firing, his model police programs were dismantled, and crime increased, on the average, by 22%.