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FLDS struggle beyond YFZ Ranch borders
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It is interesting that at age 12, the young Jessop girl was old enough to be married; but two years later, at age 14, she is an innocent child too young to leave her mother! What a contradiction!
Texas has shown itself to be a fool...and fools are still continuing their hatred as shown by these comments.
Someone finally prints a story that gives insight into their lives and the first comment has to be hateful. Sheesh.
Also disturbing is Benjamin saying he wants to work. 11 years old and wanting to work? REALLY! He should be playing, even if it was just with the other kids.
Get a grip folks they are playing the sympathy factor after refusing to cooperate.
Since when are newspaperrs supposed to report only on legal activities?
It is interesting that the young Jessop girl was considered old enough to get married at age 12; but at age 14, she is considered an innocent child too young to leave her mother. What a contradiction!
Papers all over the country report on many people who are in the U.S. illegally, without mentioning that fact.
Right. Precious and innocent enough to hand-over to the grand poobah of child-rapists, Warren Steed Jeffs.
Barbara should be prosecuted as an accessory to rape.
BTW, is there anyone on that ranch with a surname that is not Jeffs, Jessop, or Barlow? Just curious.
I would just like an on-the-record statement from Barbara Jessop on that issue.
Oh, but maybe it was doctored up. Maybe it's a fake. REALLY? What evidence there is will eventually come out. But, is there anyone with half a brain that can't see what's going on? That is, people who are willing to be honest with themselves and others!
These children are raised in a warped environment and they don't know anything different. They aren't old enough to give informed consent or even understand what they are getting into. They know no other way.
Many former FLDS didn't understand how they had been brainwashed and programmed until after they got away. Now they see it all too clearly. Many of them hope this is finally a chance to get help for the numerous victims of Warren Jeffs the other criminal leadership of this pathetic group.
These people need help.
These people. though living an illegal lifestyle, live a higher creed, then some of those that practice a more modern legalized form of polygomy.
The form I'm talking about is the kind of where a single "babies daddy" has several "babies mamma's" and doesn't provide support for ANY of them. This suprisingly isn't illegal, but it should be.
The only difference between a polygomist and the "babies daddy" is that the polygomist provides for his families, and steps up like a man. His only crime is calling his "babies mommas" wives.
They have not prosecuted the crime of polygamy, thus enabling the community to flourish.
Statistics show that there are more baby boys born into this world than girls. Polygamist communities are included in this statistic. Thus making the lifestyle unsustainable... unless they:
1. Remove their excess boys.
2. Marry younger and younger girls.
I hope that the government recognizes their culpability in this situation, and rectifies it immediately. Then we would not have the rape and indoctrination of our young ones.
The crime of polygamny should be upheld and prosecuted...Start with one family, and systematically run the course through the whole community, and every polygamist community. We cannot turn our heads and ignore their crimes.
The law should be upheld for all crimes, not just for some.
It's called news!!
It is very fortunate that the State of Texas has stepped in -- as have the States of Utah and Arizona -- to demonstrate to these poor mopes that the FLDS leadership is not the ultimate earthly authority it has claimed to be. The FLDS are now learning that their leadership will have to be "subject to kings, rulers, presidents, and magistrates" and will have to obey, honor, and sustain the law, just like everyone else.
I'm optimistic that this will be a first step out of darkness for some of these apparently decent, but obviously misguided people.
I have an 11 year old grandson. He plays his X-Box games, goes to school, and is on the Pee Wee Football team, rides his bike, and doesn't know the word "work" except to pick up his toys after he is done playing with them before bed time.
I agree this is all Barb's fault for her daughter not being with her. She thought she would be a smarty and not answer the questions. She would not make herself available for the classes she was supposed to take by hiding.
Hiding and lying will not get her anything positive she wants.
Rita - I think this is exactly what this girl's parents wanted to happen. She is more useful to them as a sobbing victim than behind the scenes. Now, just as when they married her off to their fugitive leader, they are putting their interests before hers.
What to do? The law should go after the perverts in this and other communities and leave the families in piece.
I feel sorry for every young girl who had to become a pawn to satisfy a perversion and told that this would make her closer to God.
I feel sorry for boys who can't fall in love with the girl next door because she is already married to his father.
I don't feel sorry for the parents and leaders who have made wrong right and right wrong. This is why we have foster homes.
If parents would put their children first before whatever addiction they have, be it drugs, pornography, gambling or even their religion (shocking!)Then people wouldn't have to step in as pseudo parents. If you want to be a parent then be one. Other wise expect someone else to do the job for you.
Where are the folks ranting about a lack of education?
The woman helping Barbera is a certified school teacher.
Being raised in the FLDS is a one-way-street ride to dronesville. FLDS children have little or no opportunity to choose their future. They all become mini-me's.
At least in foster care they have a chance to do whatever they want when they grow up. Living a tough life in foster care is difficult, but doable. Living a muted life in FLDS is all you get - nothing else. That's it. You're done. No future.
I'll take foster care any day and all day. Beats a life sentence in dronesville.
It is a lot easier to get over being raped in foster care than it is to get over being FLDS.
As a matter of fact, I would rather be raped in foster care and be able to choose my future than to be an FLDS robot for my whole life.
You may not understand that, but freedom is our most precious right, and there is no such thing in FLDS.
And if you think about it - not every child in foster care is raped. As a matter of fact, not that many are at all as a percent of children in foster care (although you would probably dispute that.) But EVERY CHILD in FLDS is doomed to be a mini-me robot clone that serves but one purpose - protecting and working for a group of old men that say they are in a church. And they'll spend their entire lives that way, and make more mini-me's.
I'll take foster care any day.
Zavenda Young is mentioned as Edsun Jessop's wife in the photos. But isn't she the one who appeared on Larry King that said she is not married to Edsun, but only lives with him? Did she admit to your reporter now that she is actually married to him?
In the Bishop's list seized from the ranch (p42) they mention all other wives of Edsun. Why aren't they also included in the happy family pictures? Doesn't he care for the other wive's kids?
Several years ago there were photos and reports of men getting construction contracts in Cedar City and their sons, some as young as 7, working on construction sites. Totally against the Child Labor law.
The ones who take care of the children they father are few and far between when they have multiple wives. The way many are supported is through welfare. Since they are not 'legally' married, only 'spiritually', they can collect welfare (money and food stamps, medical,etc)for themselves and for their children. It is called Bleeding the Beast (us) by taking monies and services.
A certified teacher to help watch Barbaras kids.........where is the no education lobby?
by the way - this has nothing to do with polygamy. Not clear to me why you even think it does.....
So, if not your theory doesn't work does it?
Those elected are the servants
Problem is they have different ideas as to their roll in telling the people what to do
Plenty single men and women are sleeping around
Even the married ones to.
For those Holyer than Thou, Shut up
Let people live in peace
I could tell you a story about this
The City Council has a need to act as a Home Owners Association
Did we sign any contracts?
No
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Can you in good conscience report on these people ignoring the fact that they are breaking the law?
Is the Deseret news a pro polygamy newspaper?