Comments about ‘Polygamists will learn to lobby the Legislature’

"Fundamentalist Mormons" is a misnomer. They should just call themselves polygamists.

There is nothing wrong with "Plural Marriage",but as in all things, there must be proper guidelines.
A small suggestion, would be to have a minimum age of 25years old to enter into one.

IT IS AGAINST THE LAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Polygamy is against the law. Period. If you are a polygamist, you are breaking the law. If that is a felony, then congratulations, you have won the prize and you will soon be a felon.

sheeessss louise........

Is it just me or are polygamists not breaking the law by the act of polygamy alone? It doesn't matter if they are law-abiding citizens in every other respect, the law is still broken and unless the legislature makes polygamy legal, the law should be enforced.

They are families AND felons. At least if they engage in the more despicable of FLDS practices, including child marriages and the abandonment of teenage boys when they begin to compete with the geezers for girls.

The two are not mutually exclusive.

Agreed - simply enforce the law and stop the spread of this to Texas, Canada, etc. who are now mired in millions to enforce it when Utah refused to. They like to hide behind children, pretending intolerance from outside, but it is exactly those children that they train to accept an illegal act, which is abuse. Write to state officials to stop abuse that has taken place for decades behind closed doors without any intervention against a bottom-line illegal acts. Without the training of children to accept inequality and this illegal act this community would fall apart. It rarely if ever an act taken up later by grown adults, but trained and dependent upon tax payers (despite their claims otherwise). Reports have detailed the millions that yearly go to these illegal groups. Enforcement not talk needs to happen now.

First let me state that I do not agree with polygamy. But in light of all this prop 8 stuff that has been going on, I can't help but ask myself what people should and should not be allowed to do when it comes to marriage. One man having two or more wives seems a lot closer to being 'natural' than a man having a husband. Granted there are a lot of other problems that some of these polygamists have (underage marriage, abuse, etc.) but putting that aside why does polygamy have so much worse of an image than gay marriage? Gay right activists say that it is "their right" to be able to marry each other, well what stops the polygamists from saying they have a "right" to marry? Why aren't they having protests and such? Again, I do not believe in either practice but it seems to me that if you're going to allow gay marriage then you should do the same for polygamy. What's the difference?

Gays, Fundamentalist, whats the difference. Soon enough scientist will come out and say Polygamist, Bigamist, are born that way, so they should have right too.

In either case if we get to treat one sexual orientation special, then we get to treat them all special.

Pretend they are just committing adultery and everyone will be happy.

They are breaking "cohabitation" laws, which means that they live with someone they aren't married to.

Since there is no legal marraige, they aren't legally breaking the law.

So basically, if we prosecute them, we'd have to prosecute everyone who lived with their significant other without being married.

Like was mentioned before, I don't think there's anything wrong as long as they are consenting adults. But we do need to keep underage girls from doing it. That IS against the law.

I'm not defending polygamy, but they are not entering into a legal marriage recognized by the state of Utah (or whatever state.) They marry the first wife, and then they enter into "spiritual" marriages with the others. Most of the time they don't claim them on insurance or taxes. It is no different than a guy cheating on his wife with other women in the eyes of the law, therefore it is not a felony and cannot be prosecuted.

"It doesn't matter if they are law-abiding citizens in every other respect, the law is still broken and unless the legislature makes polygamy legal, the law should be enforced."

The legislature cannot make polygamy legal. As a condition for statehood, Utah's Constitution was amended to prohibit polygamy. Only federal action can strike that provision from the Utah State Constitution. The Legislature's hands are tied.

Polygamy is a felony and it needs to remain so...and they should ALL be prosecuted. I have no sympathy with these people or their agenda...and don't think they all do this of their own free will. I know that most are not as abusive or coersive as the FLDS, but they nevertheless place women in a position that they don't really have much choice.

Do you see where this gay-marriage thing has lead? Now, the flood gates are opening. If same sex get to marry, then why not polygamists. If that, then why not brothers and sisters. People and animals. Grownups and children. Oh wait, the FLDS are already doing that. How about group marriages where bisexuals all get married in a group so that everyone can get everything from everyone else? Do you see where this thing is leading?

NEXT STOP--Sodom and Gomorah

I'm sorry but they may be polyamist, but they are also people, who have homes and families and a heart. Yes they are breaking the law, but everyone is also at blame for breaking the law. You still are breaking the law if you run a red light! Are you not. So who are we to judge.

Members of the Islamic faith who immigrate here are allowed to bring their wives with them and are not prosecuted.

The anti polygamy laws were established and directed towards Mormon polygamists only. Which is a violation of the part of our Constitution that states Congress shall make no law regarding the establishment of religion nor prohibit the free excercize thereof".

Exactly what defines "marriage"?

A legal contract?

If that's it, what law are they breaking?

If it's underage sex, that's a different thing.

Really, what do polygamists "do" that's having multiple wives?

An additional thought. I am not a polygamist because the Prophet has not told me it's ok today.
However, there are those whose "denomination" of Mormonism DOES ok it. How is it that a man can live with 25 women if he wants to and can father children with all 25 and it is not against the law but if a religious ceremony is performed,,,,he goes to jail? Our national Constitution forbids that.

You said it, What's the Difference. If the court overturns Prop. 8 here in CA, then they should no longer be allowed to classify as illegal any sort of partnership, whether it's plural marriage, father-daughter, first-cousins, etc. For the record, I'm against classifying as "marriage" anything that is not one man and one woman. Domestic partnership rights, fine. Marriage, no. But if you're going to allow same-sex marriage, then the polygamist families have every "right" (anyone else tired of that word?) to sue for discrimination. Where will it end?

O.k., I'm willing to hear you polygamists out. For years we have heard that you think we are all evil in the outside world ( outside your enclaves). I've tried to say hello to you folks at the grocery store without much success. We're not all evil. I'd welcome some open-ness in your dealings with the community. Last year was such a mess for polygamists.