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Attorneys general defend Texas

Good! However I do not see why they had to be defended in the first place. Of course they where right, what are you going to do ignore the issue, send them back because you went about it the wrong way. It is like an abused child that recants in order to keep the Abuser in the Home and mostly paying the bills. Does the incident wake up and scare the abuser. No! The Abuser has control and they say that no one will believe the accuser the next time. The abuse continues. This is why the State once in the situation has to continue regardless of what the abused person says. The victims say that, No Abuse takes place and everyone has free choice. However when have you known a 13 year old girl wanting to Merry a 50 year old man. The Girls are not going to feed into or want to do that even if conditioned to do so, they would not, because it goes against the very core of human nature. There has got to be force, either real force, perceived force, or the pressure of peer pressure, as in what happens if I don't.

"There was one person with control over the whole structure and kids were getting hurt" then arrest that men or men and leave the women and children alone. I watched "Fiddler on the Roof" yesterday. One line that hit me very hard was "it�s not about me I am following orders" both sides of this story are following orders without thinking for themselves. if someone is using unrighteous dominon then amen to the priesthood of that man. On the government side it was the Nazi�s who used the I was only following orders. It takes courage to say no to leaders. You may lose your life for doing it, but how many other lives may be saved by you taking a stand. FLDS read it in the D&C sec 121 it is there.

It is shocking that that the attorney generals of Utah and Arizona would support would the disruption of so many families. The fact is that there is no evidence of systamatic abuse. Both the parents and the chidren have their legal right to individual hearings. And the attorney generals see nothing wrong with this.

When the parents and these children refused to give their names, ages, etc to the people trying to investigate this mess, I think that is how it all started to go downhill. It seemed to snowball from there. If these parents wanted to do the right thing, they wouldn't have scratched out the names on the ID bracelets and would have tried to work with CPS. All they did was cast more suspicion on what they were trying to cover up. I am not sympathetic to them at all. I do feel very concerned for the kids in this mess that their parents contributed to. As far as I'm concerned about the families that were visiting from Utah, they should have spoken up from the start. Who knows, maybe they did. But starting off the way it did, I'm not surprised at how it is playing out.

There's no obligation to "communicate" in advance with criminals, just read them their rights on the way to jail.

It is important to protect children, BUT how is ripping children from their mothers arms by the 100's not abuse; and placing them in the homes of strangers not abuse. There was no due process of the law in each case. NONE! Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferso, both said, and I paraphrase, if one gives up freedom for security, then they do not deserve liberty. We have given up that liberty many times over in the past decades. Tyranny is tyranny, and the government doesn't always know best, look at our schools.

"We are rapidly coming to the conclusion". Unless Texas has something they have not provided the tax payers paying for this this is a serious travisty. CPS has not provided publically any abuse to ALL these families. Sure, there are a few that might need to be investigated according to Bishop's Records) but it seems Texas wants these children for only God knows what. I have read fightcps online and it really scares me now. I know CPS saves children but there is a huge dark side that is tearing up families needlessly. No wonder they are on drugs in foster care--it is to help them cope from separation from their loved ones! Something is very fishy that Texas does not follow their own witness's advice and does not follow their law to do all they can to reunite the family. The children are starting to have bonds disenigrate (2 weeks for toddlers) and that is abuse if they are not in "iminent danger". Most of these children's lives were not in danger and safety plans and monitoring would have sufficed as the investigation insued.

The URL in the story is wrong. It's captivefldschildren dot org. (not captured)

Did I hear right on radio? Utah will not prosecute being polygamists for being polygamists? Even though it is against the law?

weird state Utah.

>>"It's unfortunate so few are giving a bad name to so many."

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.

Shurtleff is wasting time finding out how many polygamous relatives in Utah/Arizona would take in Texas FLDS children.
I doubt Texas is foolish enough to throw those innocent victims back into the FLDS lion's den.

"We assure you we do not plan a raid (here) to end polygamy. We are not going to do that... we don't believe that's the answer."

WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

Enlighten us, PLEASE.

(ps: if the answer is more of the same save your breath)

"And yet, many members in the audience, which included hundreds of people from various polygamous groups, said they were not convinced their lifestyle is safe from prosecution."

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.

Hey, if the attorneys general of Utah and Arizona support the closure of this prison camp in texas...does this mean they would support similar action here along their shared border? I'd like to see it.

Shurtleff seems way too conflicted to be able to serve as Attorney General:

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.

Wow,
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.

"We stand ready to help, and there are a number of ways we can do that," said Goddard. "Right now, Texas is claiming they're an independent republic and we need to establish diplomatic relations with them."

I think this is probably true, and until the
Federal Courts become involved, that attitude will not change.

It's a sad day when there are illegally imprisoned adults that CPS claims are minors. One, 24, is going to be giving birth soon, and has a birth certificate and driver's license. Her husband, with their lawyer, is trying to get her freed, but has been unable. Since when does CHILD Protective Services have the authority to hold ADULTS against their will? Texas CPS is also illegally imprisoning Canadian citizens, but you're not going to hear that from the AP, either.

The article quotes a Mr. Timpson suggesting that law enforcement agencies are out of line when acting against "well meaning parents." We need to keep in mind that the SLC mother, who killed her young adopted child by forcing her to drink an extremely excessive amount of water, thought she was a well meaning parent. The mother in South Carolina who drowned all her children by driving the family car into a lake thought she was well meaining.

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.

Shurtleff swaging finger again assuring people that he will not uphold the law.

He is a disgrace to the rule of law.