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Raid aftermath: Cell phones are confiscated

The best thing that can come out of this is the Texas CPS being sued for all they are worth!!! What next, a concentration camp to keep these American citizens safe? We have unlawful search and seizure, illegal imprisonment, and I'll bet real money that we find out the 'judge' who has been issuing these warrants is some Baptist zealot who just cannot stand to see people who have beliefs different from his. Where is the ACLU? Why has the press not investigated the 'judge'? It doesn't matter if you agree with poligamy or not, the government has clearly overstepped its bounds.

Are you kidding me? First, take away 4th amendment rights, then take away first amendment free speech rights. The Amish are next, followed by the Jews. Watch your backs folks. We're all in for a long ride.

America ! what has happened to religious freedom? Who's next? why only mainstream religion has freedom to worship as they see fit??? Shame on Texas

I can only hope Texas is sued to the very max for this fiasco.....

What's next? It only gets worse from here...but look at the bright side...at least they did not have tanks driven into their homes nor were they burned to death.

Before this article even starts getting all the posts about the LDS Church being responsible for the polygamy thing, the real issue you here is a lot of innocent women and children being held against their will and deprived of some very basic Constitutional rights. The judge acts as though the women and children holed up in Ft. Concho are sequestered like a jury. It's almost as though these women and children are in Guantanomo Bay. I Sure hope they don't have hoods on their heads.

If anything it's the men that should have been halled off and the women and children should have been left to live in their homes. Prosecute the men who have married any underage girls.

brent: What would your opinion be if someone wanted to follow the Aztec religious practice of human sacrifice? Child abuse is just as despiciable so Texas has an obligation to investigate any complaints it receives. Now Texas may indeed get sued, but I doubt that a Texas jury would award anything more than a dollar in damages. A rural Texas sheriff who comes across a body filled with bullet holes is likely to first ask "Did he need killing?" and that is largely the mentality of the folks there. No, the FLDS were living on borrowed time the minute they acquired the YFZ Ranch. With their prophet now serving a couple of consecutive 5 to life terms in Utah and is about to be tried by Arizona for more alleged criminal activity they became too well known to hope to survive...

"...The Amish are next..."


Hardly; the Amish obey the laws of the land, and don't hide in compounds. It's telling how an organization that prides itself on 'being apart' or 'right', in opposition to everyone else suddenly wants to throw itself in amongst other groups when it feels the harsh glare of the spotlight that it has brought upon itself.

Oh come on and get real, this has NOTHING to do with religious freedom. This cult has had its own little "sex farm" for way too long. Its time that these pedophiles stop being able to hide behind the "religious freedom" banner and be brought to account for their heinous acts. Those that defend these animals (worse than animals) are as guilty as they are. Someone needs to step up to the plate for all the women and girls who are unable to do it for themselves. These types of closed communities most often do lead toward sexual abuses. There should be NO tolerance for this behavior. The children should be taken from BOTH parents, the women AND men should be sterilized so they cannot breed more "sex toys" for horrible old men.

Since the LDS Church has taken repeated pains to point out that it has NOTHING whatsoever to do with this group in Texas, why does the Desert News (owned by the Church)seem to be spending an inordinate amount of time, effort (phone interviews, sending reporters to Texas)and space reporting on this? They don't go to this trouble for other U.S. regional stories.

These people had all they needed in that compound to take care of these kids comfortably. Why doesn't Texas look more closely to the slums and the homeless where there is obvious signs of abuse and child prostitution. Go help the people who need it.
This FLDS situation obviously the men need to be questioned to see who is an actual perpetrator. Don't allow these social workers to abuse these kids by prodding around on their bodies. This is discusting.
God bless Texas they need it.
God bless the kids and grant them freedom.

It probably never occurred to the Judge that the adult women would have the 'freedom' to call anyone they want with a cell phone. After all these women are just 'objects' in this society.

This is a concentration camp, just like Utah's Topaz. Hopefully things won't get any uglier, but I won't hold my breath.

We can't have people seeing these people live like Cattle can we now? Nor can we have anyone speaking out against the raid. It's best we shut them up, otherwise the people in favor of this raid might see the error of their ways. Good job judge. Don't mess with Texas!

Blah, blah, blah!

We have NO rights living in the Socialist States of America.

I can't believe this is happening in America! I hope those FLDS attorneys are ready to sue for each violation of the constitution.

Multiply that by 416 + 137, you've got yourself a rather large bill, Texas.

I don't think the 4th amendment covers child rape.

As Long as Other Religions don't break the law they'll be fine.. Abusing any wife is against the law....If you Don't break the laws then you are free to practice any religion! Marrying off minors is against the law folks especially. 13,14,15,16,17, year old girls and when you abuse them it's double against the law!!!
Do these young Girls have any freedom to choose a different life style?

Who's next? All of us. The government is testing their wings then they will be after anyone for any reason. Remember what happened to the Jensens here in Utah? I wrote a letter to the governor of Texas and have emailed everyone I know and asked them to do the same. People this is why we need Ron Paul for president. Our constitution means nothing anymore and we are slowly being led down to the depths of communisim, we are half way there already. Think I'm a kook? Open your eyes.

Guys, I have one suggestion for you.

Do not rely on the Des. News article for "news".

You know how the media can twist a story.

Snickerdoodle suggests "Escape" by Carolyn Jessop. It's really a terrible story. Girls cannot choose who they are married to, and many are stuck marrying old men. That's what happened to Carolyn. It really makes me angry when I see people like Brent.

Please read up on FLDS doctrines -- I'm sure that will sway you slightly.

*did you know*

Warren Jeffs declared that laughter drives the spirit from your body.