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Attorneys general defend Texas
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weird state Utah.
Who are the "good guys" getting a bad name?
Polygamy only has perpetrators and victims.
The children and any women in it because they can't get out are victims.
The men and women who participate willingly are LAW BREAKING PERPETRATORS.
There are no "good names" to besmerch.
Shurtleff doesn't get it yet.
I doubt Texas is foolish enough to throw those innocent victims back into the FLDS lion's den.
WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
Enlighten us, PLEASE.
(ps: if the answer is more of the same save your breath)
boohoo
Criminals leaving in fear of prosecution!
Only in America!
If only they had a reason to fear. Shurtleff will pat their hands and give them a hanky and they will cry on each others' sholders but don't hold your breath waiting for the law to be enforced.
He agrees the Texas action was right and best but vows Utah will take no such action.
He vows he is sworn to uphold the law but says outright he will not prosecute polycamy.
He whines constantly that he doesn't have enough resources yet meets openly with hundreds of avowed polygamist.
Shurtleff is obviously in way over his head.
He is either emotionally unable or intellectually unwilling to do his job.
The next election is way too far off, resign now and let Utah move on to the next page.
I cant believe how these people portray themselves as being lily white..
I live near these people.. They are all about manipulation. Granted, the group in Centennial park is much more normal and accepting of outsiders. They are however a very small group compared to the Colorado City first ward, as they call themselves.
But the bottom line is, they feel that religion warrants breaking any law.. Including all forms of dishonestly. Ive seen it first hand.. Why do you think locals wont take checks from them?
There is nothing fundamental about fundamentalism.
I think this is probably true, and until the
Federal Courts become involved, that attitude will not change.
Thinking one is acting as a well meaning parent does not in and of itself qualify as protecting the interests of children. If a parent allows thier 14 year old daughter to be submitted to statutory rape, because you are well meaning in adhering to the words of church leaders, then things have went wrong.
Doug: You may find states other than Utah also weird then, as most states will not prosecute polygamy between consenting adults. In fact one would be hard pressed to find more than a handfull of polygamy cases tried in a US court in the last 20 or 30 years.
He is a disgrace to the rule of law.
Whether or not one agrees that polygamy ought to be decriminalized, every citizen of Utah who holds dear to the legacy of government of law under the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Utah should be grateful for an Attorney General who deliberates and weighs the necessity for the heavy hand of law enforcement against the rights of due process, access to courts and justice, and other fundamental liberties.
I don't agree with much done by the leaders of Shurtleff's political party, and I despair that Utah is controlled by a small cabal of far right politicians committed to preserve their power base and personal economic security at all costs. However, Shurtleff is a voice of reason and deliberation in a season of disregard for our precious Constitution. He's one Republican (maybe the only one) who will have my vote.
the fundamentalist isolate them selves until it's time to spend their welfare benefits in St. George. If the people of utah would start treating them like the abomination they are, they would go away.
they run around st. George willy nilly, but if you try to drive on the public roads in Colorado city, you get followed by the 'god-squad'
Utah needs a new AG
This is not about Texas, this is about the refusal of U/A to do the right thing. They have ignored this problem for 150 years. Shurtleff is emotionally incapable of doing his job. He seems to be hiding something.
Until and unless it is decriminalized, however, there is no room to struggle with the issue of enforcement of the law.
Shurtleff makes a mockery of the law and his sworn duty to enforce it.
I think you'll find that there were 13 year old girls who would jump at the chance to marry fifty year old singing stars like Fran Sinatra or Elvis Presley and fifty year old movie stars like Errol Flinn or Clark Gable. You tell us what the difference would be between that and the FLDS girls?
This case is a clear and present example of a constitutional seizure on a grand praportion that the state of Texas will use as a precedence in further cases of alleged wrong doings with actions taken before finding and verifying the facts.
Someone, somewhere was suspposed to swear on an affidavite that the facts were true prior to this seizure, which was later found to be false, where is the accountability? and since then they started to acquire evidence after the fact, which does not in a constitutional republic justify the means to the ends.
Let's hope they were given their Miranda Warning* before they were asked questions.
*Miranda warning is a warning given by police to criminal suspects in police custody, or in a custodial situation, before they are asked questions relating to the commission of a crime. A custodial situation is where the suspect's freedom of movement is restrained although he or she is not under arrest.
I live near these people.. They are all about manipulation.<<
Manipulation? Which is their right, BTW. Show us the law that prohibits manipulation... especially religious manipulation. I dare say that every human being who has ever lived on this earth has been "manipulated" I.e., taught what some adult would have them believe.
The claim of abuse is the religious teachings of polygamy and the marrying of girls who are under the age of 16 to older men. Ironically, Texas allowed girls as young as 14 to marry before 2005. And to older men. They changed the law so they could prosecute FLDS when they set foot in Texas. Go figure.
It's a good thing that there are those who can see through all the manipulations of the FLDS. Dressing modest... what a farce! Isn't that like pulling the wool over someone's eyes? And a pretty good try at that, even though it looks terribly weird. All I know, Is that there are too many LIARS in the FLDS religion. A religion based on TOTAL LIES!
sex, i would get arrested and rightly so.
yet all these FLDS deffenders try to justify the actual deed.
unbeilable. nuff said
No. It's like pulling a dress over someone's body.
"As for boys, the danger to them is a "belief system that requires them to follow the prophet," the filing states."
As an LDS member, I find this a bit chilling. What if Texas concludes that something we teach is "child abuse"? I don't expect this to happen tomorrow, of course. But what about 20 years from now? Will teaching our socially-conservative beliefs eventually be considered tantamount to abuse in a society moving increasingly away from traditional values?
Did anybody know the mothers whose lives have been damaged by this incursion? Could a less severe means have been employed to satisfy governmental interests?
Terry Secrest, a seasoned social worker in Austin has been working with several FLDS mothers and their children. She is quoted in an article in the Austin American Statesman by Andrea Ball (5-8-08) Here are a few relevant quotes:
"There are so many unknowns right now," Secrest said. "Usually you know what to expect, but in this case it's so different."
Secrest says she is troubled by what she sees as misconceptions about the FLDS mothers.
They're not brainwashed, she says. They're not zombies. Each woman has her own personality. Some are funny. Some are quiet. All seem strong and independent.
"This is the most delightful group of women . . ."
It seems to me, a far less costly and traumatic approach could have been taken with supervised management and counseling of the women and children in their own home environment.
Far fewer CPS social workers and resources would have been required with an onsite approach pending their investigation of abuse--while the question of Constitutional rights is resolved in the courts.
Exhibit "A" in a case against Texas for violation of First Amendment rights.
There isn't really polygamy is there. The United States and it's states recognize one man and one woman as being lawfully married. Any extras are not legally married, they are people living together.
The attorney general should have had their eggs in the right basket instead of taking a flock shot at these people. The infants and small children should be left with their mothers.
The atorney general is trying to make a name for herself.
Fundamentalist does not equal child abuser. As a community of fundamentalists, we are speaking out against such behavior and taking action as well. I applaud the state in helping us to root this evil out from among us, & yet 'allowing' us to practice what we believe is God-ordained among consenting adults without having to fear about being put in jail, and thus being unable to then protect my children from the perpetrators, both in and out of fundamentalism.
a accusation better have fact from the get go,,and it did not..
I remind you all, these people,CPS attorney generals office are employees, all information given to them is purely voluntary, and cannot be mandated untill adjucated by a Court of Law "Article III Court" you can dislike poligamy and whatever else, but that is youre opinion, and for the record marriage of more than one wife is only illegal under state law, under state license, but not under the church,,I am not for or against multiple marriages, I am however against employees of an administrative agency operating without authority and aiding and abbetting in constitutional seizures for profit.
in Utah? AH-HA HA HAAAAAAAAA
thats funny!
Polygamy illegal in Texas, and elsewhere? No it isn't if you understand. Linear polygamy is legal and not really that different. Just get a wife or husband one at a time. Same thing.
No body asks how many of those in Texas involved with this do not have a family, but love running them, i.e. the families of others. And destroying them.
The "goddess" religion takes down the weak and easy targets first. Separation of church and state in Texas or anywhere? Ha. Look at the goddess over the statehouse of Texas. She is everywhere, and her teaching is to destroy the family, all families.
Would have been easier for the tanks to roll in and burn it down, then there are very few left willing to testify. The state of texas Attorney General must be related to the Duke university A.G. Nifong, just arrest them and we will make the case later.
Seems to be the nature of all our government agencies, we will do what we want when we want, nobody will be held responsible.
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