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Texas fires back with photos in FLDS case
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Time to restructure the religious views.
The fact is, the FLDS declare that a convicted child molester is the prophet of their religion. That in itself is enough to question whether these parents can prevent further child abuse.
The picture and other evidence of child abuse - done in the name of a religion - makes all followers of that religion suspect as parents.
(And don't say "what about priests". They do it for their own sick benefit. They've never said they did it in the name of their religion.)
Supreme court will reverse the appellate ruling but the mothers will be allowed to stay with the children while it is all sorted out. CPS will make a concerted effort to regroup the children back into their sibling units.
You did really think you are smarter than Texas, FLDS? They knew what the appellate court was going to do and they knew they would have to go to the Supreme court. They knew this a month ago.
You should cut your losses, throw some men to the wolves and regroup somewhere else in 20 years. You won't win a legal war, nor a media war, with Texas.
Yeah, sure. People who can't remember or don't know vital facts about their household are obviously withholding information that they consider to be potentially damaging. If they don't want to answer the question, they should take the Fifth Amendment.
SUPREME COURT JUDGES
PLEASE FIND A WAY TO REVERSE BACK TO LOWER COURT...
the children are in immediate harm
This is a vile cult. It is built on an illegal act (polygamy). It marries child brides (a form of rape). Education is denied broadly. Teenage signs are driven out. The current members support their pedophile prophet.
It is time for this evil group to be eliminated. One can believe anything one wants. But, their is no right to do whatever one choices.
Each state should arrest any participant. Given the mothers the option to have their children if they leave --- permanently. Imprison the men, especially the leadership.
They deserve no support. They deserve no sympathy.
To support the FLDS today is to support oppression and abuse. This is not just a group of quirky individuals. It is a group that practices forbidden activities. Shut them down. Now. Forever.
they continue all they do because it is their core belief that they serve God alone via their "prophet's" edicts and that often includes ignoring local, state, and federal law. It is their entire lifestyle to have multiple wives and dozens of kids, and to do ALL their leader says. I have researched them for over 3 years almost daily. I believe they are without hope, unless Warren in person tells them they must become born again Christians and stop worshipping anyone and everything except Christ. However, Warren has claimed to be Christ! If they hear that Christ is all they need, and see, a few may turn even yet, but those who have gotten out that have found the Lord will tell you it's looked down on to embrace full trust in Christ as Saviour.They worship multiple marriage, childbirth, and most of all their "prophet." So there will always be a lot of them-
until
Warren tells them to commit suicide. I believe that could still happen-- especially if they all continue their compund lifestyles.
Most of us, I assume, believe that there needs to be more supervision in the FLDS, even outside supervision, but taking the children without any evidence, search warrant for every household, any proof, etc. is against the basic rights of every American.
Being for the constitution does not mean we are for the FLDS!
However, our constitutional rights are important--too important to lose, even in a just cause. In fact, it will be in a just cause that they will be most at risk, because people will allow many things if they think the cause is just.
And we still don't really know about this picture--but it has certainly been effective in influencing public opinion.
They did find that CPS had shown an imminent threat to post-puberty girls.
Where they differed from the district court judge was on whether boys and non-pubescent girls were in immediate threat.
That means that the court agreed that the lifestyle was threatening. There was sufficient proof of potential harm. Where they differed was on the remedy, namely how many children should be removed.
Beyond this, people seem to have totaly ignored the fact that groups that have adopted fugitive status where their leaders have gone on the underground function differently than people who do not fear being arrested.
Demand a fair warrant for all, so that you may receive a fair warrant. Demand evidence, so that when they come for you, a lack of evidence allows you your freedom. Don't believe the gossips and remember that if they talk about others, they will talk about you...and it isn't always true. But remember most, that you are guilty by association even if you have done no wrong nor would ever commit wrong.
Actually I think there are many Muslims in America who would defend every item you delineate.
Just because there are few Muslims where you live and the ones there are not in Sufi order or other closely controlled groups does not mean they do not exist.
In New York there are many Muslim men who take teenage brides when they are over age. Where is the state intervening?
Some of you shoul look into what has occured with the FLDS. The state of Utah has put their UEP into a court apointed trust. Multiple leaders have been sent to prison. However you will also see that on multiple occasions both Utah and Arizona have had to drop cases because girls refuse to testify they were raped. Statutory rape is a very hard crime to prosecute, becuase in most cases the victims do not believe they are such.
If you think the state Supreme Court is going to rule for the FLDS, you are seriously mistaken. The state WANTED the appellate court to strike down the lower court's judgement so the state could be the ones petioning the Supreme Court, instead of the other way around.
This has already been played out behind closed doors in the state capital. The lower court judge knows she is being used as a semi-scapegoat so the state would be the ones bringing it to the higher court. A LOT more evidence will be shown the Supreme Court than was shown to either lower level
FLDS is in way over their heads. They cannot withstand continued prosecutorial investigation because they have too many secrets.
If I was one of those mothers, and I REALLY cared about my children, I would cut a deal with the state and get my children out of that religion while I can. Those that continue to pledge their alligence to a convicted sex offender will have a real hard time retaining custody of their children.
FLDS will lose in court of law, and they will lose in the court of public opinion.
Unless there is an IMMEDIATE DANGER - the CPS had no right to take the children, also CPS violated contitutional protections in kidnapping the entire child population of the ranch - many couples lived in individual housing.
CPS is an agency run amok, without regard for our constitutional protections. CPS regularly assumes guilt rather than innocence. CPS is indoctrinated with an anti-father and antifamily mindset. They must be reigned in nation-wide - Texas will serve as the case which brings this dangerous agency to national attention.
Allowing girls to have babies is harmful to them physically, emotionally, and ultimately spiritually.
To those women who responded that they didn't know the answers to the court's questions; are you too dumb to ask the court to make a statement? You can tell the court if you are afraid for yourself and your children's welfare! Stop the madness and start telling the whole truth about living conditions at the FYZ Ranch. Your silence places you among those who have possibly abused your children.
If the Catholic Church can recover from it's problems with child abuse, so can your church.
The first step is taking responsibility, not hiding.
This has nothing to do with "their" case period.
Stupid, ignorant people. Grasping at straws because they messed up big time. CPS and that crazy judge need to seek professional help and get another job. They are horrible in what they do and who they represent.
I pray for those children to be reunited with their mothers.
The leaders and government workers in the state of Texas continue to show their true side of disgust. They make me sick. Talk about unlawful people!!!
Some people seem to fail to grasp the significance of this. Dan Jessop clearly didn't feel the photo was computer generated etc he recognised and identified both people.
Lets not speculate but rely on the evidence given in the hearing. Jessop was not able to offer an answer to the question of marriage between the two but positively identified who was in the photograph which was dated.
He wasn't objecting to being shown the photograph either. This didn't come as a shock to him.
I suggest this is evidence that he knew and condoned Jeffs behaviour to his sister.
If this doesn't alarm you you are probably FLDS!
The pictures are disgusting and revolting to me.
2. Did the FLDS men and women lie to Texas/CPS about mulitple things..ages, names, who is who's Mother-Father-Sibling... ect?
3. Did the FLDS move the children around the compound trying to "hide" them from officials?
4. Did the FLDS women lie to CPS (when it suited their needs) about their ages in order to stay with their children?
5. Have the FLDS cooperated with the athorities ever?
Given their(FLDS) history of lying, being evasive or all around difficult to deal with, why should Texas have handled things differently?
The FLDS are one group, all members think alike(Warren "sicko" Jeffs is the ONE), talk alike(Warren "sicko" Jeffs is the ONE), act alike(Warren "sicko" Jeffs is the ONE). Why then, should we treat the group as individuals?
The difference between inner city pregnant teens and FLDS pregnants teens is a little word called CHOICE.
GIVE me a break.....your trying to say...a brother does not know his own sisters age??? A brother does not know if his little sister is married, but yet he knew it was his baby sister in the sick photo w/ Jeffs..geesh..he lives right there in the same compound...It is just one big fat lie after another with these people. I guess lying is not a sin..in their religion.
You also know, perhaps not, that the wedding (if such even took place) might have taken place somewhere other than TX where say perhaps 10000 people live.
So far the only lies have been out of CPS. Why do you insist on ignoring birth certificates and drivers licenses.
2. No. The CPS even allows mothers to visit their children. Odd that if the women were not the mothers that CPS would allow that visitation.
3. No, my children would also be allowed the run of the neighborhood given the same situation. Would you have preferred the children be chained?
4. Yes, I would have done the same especially when CPS told them "if you state you are a minor, you may stay with your child." That does not discount the fact that these same women handed legal documentation showing otherwise.
5. There is no legal requirement that the FLDS cooperate.
6. We should treat them as individuals because our law demands it. Not liking them isn't a reason to disregard the law.
7. Nothing suggests choice is not given. You seem to not understand arranged marriage v. forced marriage. Even in the UT case, there was no gun pointed at anybody's head. Also note there was no conviction of rape, only accomplice. You likely don't find that odd either.
8. Do you actually expect me to believe that CPS couldn't recognize a 27 year old as such?
The FLDS will end up being able to sue the State of Texas. I hate to see my taxes increase some more because of an improperly trained State Agency. Having been a victim of CPS myself, 230 AM raids in the morning. No children in my household. The police refused to do anything about it. 2006
During my Divorce 1999, CPS raided the house and the Babysitter, age 30, called me and quit. I went through three different Babysitters because of CPS harassing them. They told my kids that they didn't have to listen to me. They sicked the AG on me and tried to get me fired from my job.
What, in any rational, legal sense, does it prove? That Warren Jeffs kissed someone who was young and pregnant.
Jeffs himself is in jail. Even if other people in the FLDS group will tend to follow Jeffs' example, you still have to defend the actions of the CPS with evidence that that ALL the children they took were in immediate physical danger. Not that someday they might kiss someone like Uncle Warren. IMMEDIATE danger. That's what the law says.
Weigh the harm of separating children from their parents against the harm that they would or could suffer in their homes. During the few days or weeks it might take to investigate what really happens in various homes, would any of those children under (say) 10 or ll, which is almost all of them, have suffered any physical harm? Any mental or emotional harm worse than staying with their parents?
No. The CPS has almost no evidence, beyond its own belief that the the FLDS have to be guilty of *something.*
The Children are scattered all over the State. One Woman had three children and it is over a 2000 mile trip for her to see them. Under CPS Guidelines, the Siblings are supposed to be kept together and within a reasonable distance for the Parents to visit.
Also 16 year olds are allowed to marry
� 2.102. PARENTAL CONSENT FOR UNDERAGE APPLICANT.
(a) If an applicant is 16 years of age or older but under 18 years
of age, the county clerk shall issue the license if parental consent
is given as provided by this section.
We have to wonder how many underage marriages did Merril sanction while running the FLDS in Texas?????
Quote from Walthers, in late April, in response to birth certificates produced by FLDS girls to prove their ages:
"How do you know, in today's world of identity theft, a birth certificate is proof of who they are?" the judge asked one woman's
attorney.
Indeed, how do you know, in today's world of photoshopping, how a photograph is proof that something happened? I'd say about a month of verification might be needed - that's what it took for the birth certificates after all.
The sad truth is, a lot of you people are falling for it.
Stop defending the Texas CPS. It has already been proven time and time again they are lairs. They claimed a 14 year old was pregnant. Wrong! They claimed a 27 year old woman was a minor, and they had her birth certificate all along. They claimed a girl giving birth was under 18, when she was actually an adult.
The Texas CPS took religious teachings away from the kids. Some attorneys are claiming they took the Book of Mormon from the kids.
Americans cannot let a government agency get away with this type of behavior.
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It will end with prosecutions of the men that come to claim the children whose birth dates coincides with child rape. CPS will be allowed to hold the children until BOTH parents are identified, and either the men will skip like the cowards they are; or they will step up, go to jail, and, as sex offenders, lose the right to be around children.
The women will raise the children in a semi-supervised environment.
So it's a win-win outcome. The mothers get back the children. The young girls don't have to worry about getting "assiged" at a young age to some older man - maybe they'll even be able to grow up to pick their own husband when they fall in love, instead of being told who to marry. And those that took advantage of underage girls will go to prison and be registered as sex offenders.
American justice. Texas-style.