The writings of Clifford Lynn Draper reveal a man disturbed and angry about racial tension and many other social problems.
In letters written some time before he took hostages at the Salt Lake City Library on Saturday, Draper said he is "sick of being forced to live amidst ignorant blacks, Hispanics and especially the mentally ill homosexuals."Draper jumped on a reference desk in the library during a sacred ceremony by Buddhist monks Saturday morning and began selecting hostages at gunpoint. He moved the hostages into a conference room and yelled to those who were not chosen, "Thanks, dudes, have a good life, because mine probably won't last long."
He also told monks to pray for him because he was going to die soon.
Draper then produced a sealed envelope containing letters and gave it to a Buddhist monk. The envelope was addressed to Deseret News Publisher Wm. James Mortimer. Because the monk did not speak English, he handed the letter to library patron Carl Robinson - who later passed it on to police.
The handwritten letters were released Monday and show that Draper had planned the takeover for some time.
One of the letters was addressed to "Senior Police Official" from "Clifford Lynn Draper, hostage taker," Draper ordered police to summon the "senior-most officer of the National Guard," the "supreme commander of the state militia" and the governor and said he would talk with no one else.
The letter ordered police to withdraw from the scene when the "militia" arrived.
"The necessity for sleep may force me to shoot the hostages and detonate the bomb if my demands are not met within about 72 hours." He wrote that any communication other than "situational updates on the arrival of the militia" would result in death of hostages. "I will not tolerate any attempts at psychological manipulations. This is your only warning," he wrote.
Draper's odd demands included drugs - amphetamines to keep hostages awake and sedatives to calm them down. A doctor should deliver them, he said, and the courier should be clad only in underwear.
He asked for cash, gold and platinum totaling 20 years' worth of paid military service and 34 years of retirement. Draper said he would accept $50,000 in cash but the rest should be in precious metals, though he insisted he would not accept Mexican coins.
One of the letters in the envelope contained an instruction that said it "must be printed in its entirety in both local major newspapers." Draper also wrote that it must be printed prominently and verbatim.
"I am fighting for my life, for myself. I am fighting to provide for a family which I do not yet have. I am also fighting for my morality, my beliefs, my race and my heritage. I am an English-speaking white man with English, Scotch, Irish and Native American ancestry," he wrote.
Draper said he is the victim of forced integration and is "sick of living amidst racial tension."
He referred to himself as a victim of the "psychic Rosicrucian fraternity" and also wrote, "I, along with many others, am a victim of the American Capitalist War Machine and its associated fear mongers. I am sick of living in fear of holocaust, and sick of the misuse of taxation used to support the military establishment. I protest the present unfair immigration policies, which favor Catholic Hispanics."
In another letter, Draper said he protests "ultra-liberal feminists and their coalition with the insane homosexuals. These elements are destroying the family unit by infiltrating the educational systems and subverting the youth."
He said homosexuals and the government's "insane immigration policies" have spread AIDS throughout the country and he supports eradication of homosexuals from society.
"They should all be forced to move to an area provided for them and establish their own government and society. I demand the right not to be exposed to these people," he wrote.
"Manipulation by aforementioned elements has resulted in my being denied my rightful place in society and I am being forced to use force to gain that which should rightfully be mine."
Draper also listed other "protests" against society, including:
- "Totalitarian drug laws which oppress the people and enrich a corrupt hierarchy of police and lawyers."
- The lack of nicotine gums and patches on the open market.
- "Religious fanatics and greedy capitalists" who seek to prevent the poor from obtaining abortions.
- "Liberal activists" who take the guns of the citizens so they cannot protect their own interests.
- Drug testing, motorcycle helmet laws, seat-belt laws.
Draper also wrote that he is tired of being denied his share of society's wealth and is tired of being forced to live among ignorance and poverty.
The last line of one of the letters said, "I will not be used and I will live free or die."