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Utah seeks facts about Texas raid

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russ | 7:01 a.m. May 9, 2008
Good pr for the local authorities, but they have no power in the case. What grandstanding!!!

The case is in Texas, ya-all.
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me without a hanky | 7:25 a.m. May 9, 2008
Such a sad tragic tale.

The gall and hypocracy are overwhelming.

But it is worth a shot, Utah won't prosecute it's own polygamists; maybe it will try to snatch a few rescued children from saftey in Texas and turn them back over to the cult.
Underage escapees in southern Utah have faced the same fate for years.
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grandma in Illinois | 7:40 a.m. May 9, 2008
Prove that the children were not 'moved' down there. I don't immediately believe the 'visiting' grandparents story - it was also used by some Canadian family. And better check to see if the 'visiting' girls are pregnant first or on the marriage roles from the Bishop records.
There were reports that wives and children had been reassigned to other husbands from Utah by Warren Jeffs.
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Lionheart | 8:06 a.m. May 9, 2008
I will vote against the AG next election. If there was any doubt that Utah was supportive to plygs, there is none now. Utah is footing the bll for this lifestyle. I read that Hilldale has more foodstamps that anywhere in the country. We know how the Kingstons live and yet we want to help return these child victims to that filthy lifestyle?
Amazin. Utah's slimy underbelly is showing. The Coast of Oregon, my birthplace and home of my ancestors is looking better all the time.
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Is Justice Blind | 8:29 a.m. May 9, 2008
Thank God the Texans have taken control of this
problem with the FLDS. It is unthinkable that people
feel it is there right to molest children in the name
of God. Let�s not lose site of the fact that:
A. molesting children is against the law.
B. Raping a child is against the law.
C. Polygamy is against the law.

Where is the Utah Attorney General in all of this?
He feels polygamy is not serious enough to prosecute?
That the state of Utah has no resources to go after
these kind of people? My word. This man needs to be
replaced with someone with some moral fiber and
values.

We prosecute victim less crimes like drug abuse, but when
Children are hurt or older people have a total disrespect
for the laws of the land, they turn there heads?

Shame on you.

This behavior has been going on for long enough in
this state, and for The Attorney General to perpetuate
this kind of behavior is shameful.

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Chemist | 8:52 a.m. May 9, 2008
Really glad that I have been in the midwest long enough (40+ years) to call it home. What a cop out by the Utah authorities. Hope the federal task force can take care of these polygymous groups. GO TEXAS.
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George | 9:18 a.m. May 9, 2008
THIS is history, Religious Persecution, live in America, the land of the "free"
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dlr | 9:38 a.m. May 9, 2008
So what is Texas going to do with these children, force them to denounce their parents and upbringing. Will they instruct the children, "Forget your past. You are now free to conform to your foster parents. You live in free America, and you need to value your freedom that we bestow unto you. In the years to come, you will thank us for taking your past from you..."

Forget it. Are the Texans gods to rule over the future of these children.

This is a mess, and should have been handled different from the start. Utah has struggled through this before. You can't change people by hitting them over the head with a club. You can't take children out of their home and force an alien culture on them.

A middle ground will have to be reached. The FLDS group will have to give up something, but in return, Texas will have to give up something in return.
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Utahn from Texas | 10:26 a.m. May 9, 2008
I grew up in Utah and now live in Texas. Texas may be a bit heavy handed, but Utah has been extremely lax with polygamists. Why? Probably because they didn't want to have to fund the families after they broke them apart. Nevertheless, it makes Utah look supportive of them and this article is very annoying. I am very dissapointed in Utah for having no backbone and for not being clear about what Utahns stand for. Utah is disgracing itself. Please Utah, stop the bleeding heart stuff and stand up for what is right!!
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Lawrence | 10:34 a.m. May 9, 2008
Odd that the TX, (Lawrence v Texas) began with a bogus phone call as well...how coincidental. Wikipedia and scroll down to Arrest of Lawrence and Garner
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Bot | 10:37 a.m. May 9, 2008
I haven't met anyone in favor of 14-year-olds being impregnated by older men. But when are the Texas Rangers going to raid the Dallas inner-city homes of pregnant 14-year-olds and cart off the other children, who might be subject to similar abuse? And when will they shutter the Planned Parenthood locations which refuse to report statutory rape of 14-year-olds by men in their twenties? Why isn't there equal treatment under Texas' law?



The locals in Eldorado were worried about the FLDS taking over the county, so State Rep. Harvey Hilderbran sponsored a bill in 2005 that raised the legal age of consent to marry in Texas from 14 to 16. This was specifically targeted against the FLDS. When the FLDS moved to Texas the legal age was 14.


Note how the Texas Child Protective Service implies that 18 is the legal age. The CPS can�t be trusted and can�t be trusted with foster children. Two-thirds of their foster children are on mind-altering drugs. Wouldn�t the FLDS children be better off if they were returned to their mothers. Prosecute the men who fathered children with �wives� 15 or less and let the others alone.
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Jon W | 10:49 a.m. May 9, 2008
Yes, laws are laws and the FLDS should have been obeying them. They probably justified their disobedience by the crazy idea that they should obey God more than man (see Acts 4:19, D&C 3:7). I don't believe God commanded them to take more than one wife, or that girls should marry at an early age, but obviously. that is what they believe. Utah and Arizona didn't like it, but they knew by experience it was useless to try and prosecute the men when they wouldn't get cooperation from the victims (the women). Texas didn't like it when the sect moved there, so they responded the same way Assyria and Babylon responded to the ancient Israelites - by taking the children captive and removing them from their homes. Very effective. But is it constitutional? Is it right? Should it be happening in the United States of America in the 21st century? Does anyone believe that the state will ever allow these children to be raised in the religion of their fathers again? If this isn't a case of ethnic cleansing on religious lines by a government entity, someone please tell me what would be.
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TheMadNuker | 11:39 a.m. May 9, 2008
That rotten state of Utah, can't they do anything right? It's all their fault! I heard from a friend,
that heard from a friend, that read a story that Utah, has the most polluted sunshine coming from the sun, do to the excessive number of church buildings in the state. Better call Al Gore, he can
prove it. Maybe Texas, which is pure can swoop into Utah, and arrest all the naughty people and all those evil church buildings. You and I know, that Utah must be responsible for all the naughtiness, and naughty people everywhere. If you don't believe
me, just read all the inane post submitted,based not
on logic or facts, but upon hate, bigotry, and stupidity.
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Anonymous | 11:43 a.m. May 9, 2008
How embarrassing that Utah is jumping into this mess. Everyone knows that the AG in Utah and the Mormons support pedophilia, polygamy, and all the other nasties that go with it. If Utah thinks that Texas is going to hand over these kids to families that are FLDS they are dreaming. Huntsman, are you insane?
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illegal means illegal | 11:42 a.m. May 9, 2008
Right?

Oh wait. Compassion. Supposed to show that.

Or was that only for immigrants?
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LIV | 11:46 a.m. May 9, 2008
WHAT BOTHERS ME MOST ABOUT THIS WHOLE DEBACLE IS THAT NO EVIDENCE HAS BEEN MADE PUBLIC ABOUT THE AGES OF THE GIRLS THAT ARE SUPPOSEDLY UNDERAGE. WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT "TEENAGE" GIRLS BEING PREGNANT OR HAVING CHILDREN BUT SOMEONE THAT IS 18 IS ALSO A TEENAGER AND CAN LEGALLY HAVE CHILDREN AND A HUSBAND. THE FACTS HAVE BEEN SO DISTORTED BY THE CPS THAT IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THEIR CASE IS ABOUT CHILD ABUSE AND NOT ABOUT ERADICATING A RELIGION. I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEE THE EVIDENCE BEFORE MAKING RASH JUDGMENTS AGAINST THESE PEOPLE. I DON'T BELIEVE THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT THE MEDIA IS SHOVING DOWN OUR THROATS, AND I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE CPS THAT RAIDED THESE PEOPLE WITH BUSES IN TOW ON THE PRETEXT OF A RUMOR AND TOOK AWAY CHILDREN WITHOUT ANY SOLID EVIDENCE. THIS IS A MATTER OF RELIGION AND NOT ABUSE. IF THEIR WERE CRIMES COMMITTED PROSECUTE THE GUILTY INSTEAD OF SEPERATING INFANTS FROM THEIR MOTHERS. THIS IS AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY AND IF THIS STANDS NO PERSON OR THEIR FAMILY WILL BE SAFE FROM GOVERNMENT MANDATED ASSIMILATION INTO WHAT IS DEEMED PROPER MAINSTREAM SOCIETY BY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
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Price of Freedom | 11:49 a.m. May 9, 2008
Given that no Abuse has happened --Fact(based on current evidence) I think FLDS are right on track, and every person with a spine should rise to the call. I'm shocked that so many Americans consider a accusation as Evidence. Common People Whose America is this, I demand that Due Process be followed and accusations be investigated, how hard is that to understand, the End will never Justify the Means, as the Means is the END.
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LU | 11:57 a.m. May 9, 2008
OK, I'm sticking up for shurtliff. This was a horrible way to do it (Texas). YOu don't change people as dlr stated by hitting them and tearing children from parents.
I say let's go after every man who has an affair and produces children out of wedlock. Let's cut off all welfare for single mothers and lock up the fathers.
FLDS can live the way they want, but they have to renounce child brides. Old jeffs has done more harm to that community and brought more condemnation on them than anyone else in their history.
And you smarmy Andi Em and your snide comments just go to show what a bigot you are against a religion that has renounced, and excommunicated any one who practices it.
Shurtliff is trying to bring them along without destroying their families.
Texas doesn't give a darn about children ie: branch dividians (look how many they saved there) and these children are being horrible damaged by what the authorities have done.
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PrayforTexasCPS | 11:58 a.m. May 9, 2008
This is no longer about polygamy. If it were, then the polygamists would be in jail. If this were about the suspected rape of underage teenage girls, then the men would be in jail.It is the children who are in jail like facilities. I believe totalitarians in my state have stolen the children for nefarious purposes. The totalitarians are the ones messing with Texas.

People outside of Texas who have relatives who have made the mistake falling in with what might be a bad group must not let the Texas CPS workers get a free pass on stealing their young relatives.
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goose | 12:08 p.m. May 9, 2008
"this isn't a case of ethnic cleansing on religious lines by a government entity, someone please tell me what would be. "

Child protection.
Law enforcement.
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No. Utah sees a major earthquake every 350 years. Last one? 350 years ago.