Ok this one I can't keep quiet on.... I am curious maybe someone can figure out the play of words for me on this article from the NPR. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...40&ft=1&f=1001 I looked up his name that reporter it seems he did do a report on polygamist called the forbidden fruit for Utah and Arizona boarder but it was in 2005 and he has been retired for some time now http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2005-12-29/news/forbidden-fruit&page=1 It wasnt for this particular group in Texas. I guess what I am saying is that they havent proved that these kids have acute retardation and physical deformation. This reporter dosent say where he got this information from, No doctor has said this, only a reporter who said another reporter said it from another article that wasnt even about this group. Not saying they dont have acute redtardation , I am no doctor but I am leery about reporters that can't give me no real facts. Heck he dosent even give his name for the report. Does he I dont see it? You may think I am rooting for these people I am not ,I just believe in the first amendment and I despise yellow Journalism. I just want the truth not speculation and I believe in a fair trial. Innocent until proven guilty. Sam
I think these people deserved a normal investigation. If it were any other family in Texas someone would just come to the door, knock, ask some questions, and leave. I do believe these people are being discriminated against because of the extent of the raid. It would be like raiding all the families in a neighborhood, just because they all go to the same church and one family had sexual assault allegations. This whole thing just doesn't make sense, especially when you take in account what 'evidence' the authorities acted on in the first place.
Ranchermon, I heard about the fumarase deficiency (or Polygamist's Down's), too. I did some poking around about it. From what I can tell, it is believed that either Joseph Smith Jessop (one of the community founders) or his wife carried the gene, and one of their children, who married a first cousin, had a child with the disorder. Because many of the families in Eldorado are descendants of these two families, it is believed that they are at higher risk for the disorder. As far as I could find the only documented cases are from sects in Arizona and Utah.
I agree..that was the point I tried to make earlier. Not to defend that situation as much as it makes me wonder what we all could be in for at some point. But don't listen to me..I am very distrustful of the government to begin with. LOL.
I think part of the problem here is that those that live at the ranch are SO intermingled and in so close proximity that it operates more as one complete family. I mean, do any of us live that close with other members of our church, or even with your family?
If anyone is interested - the man from our church who went to help counsel these children gave a short testimony(about 10 min) yesterday at church. It is not gossipy, but gave his account of his week there(2 weeks ago). What he saw and how he went into it - feeling wise and spiritually. The sermon is not listed yet - I just checked. He did say that the children were being treated with the upmost respect to there religion, beliefs, etc. The state is totally respecting that - I was glad to hear that. He said that the children had begun to relax and play and such after about 3 days. One point he really wanted to make - the Media was wrong. He said he watched the news in his room after a day and everything the media said about what was going on that day was totally wrong. He said the young girls that he saw that were pregnant were very young and also had another child besides. When I notice this is listed I will see if it is attached to the regular sermon and let ya'll know if anyone wants to listen. These counselors that are going are not allowed to talk about their religion either - that is good and respectful.
Point taken...that does make sense. I really hope this mess gets taken care of for those kids' sakes.
Breaking News on MSNBC: Officials now reporting that there were 53 teen-aged girls removed from the ranch. Out of those 53, 31 of them have been pregnant or are pregnant at this time.
VERY true Jackie, but just as I posted earlier, the judge has already made orders about the "Minor" teenaged mothers.... So, in Texas that would make them at least under 17. Court-ordered guidelines Ruling from 51st District Judge Barbara Walther: # Minor mothers will be placed with their babies. # Pregnant minors will be placed in the same placement with minor mothers (and their babies). Another quoting.... State District Judge Barbara Walther's placement order requires minor mothers to be placed with their babies and pregnant minors to be placed with the minor mothers. And one last one... An appendix to the order, which appears to be a CPS placement plan, notes that juvenile mothers will be placed with their children The actual links are linked through the original post earlier in this thread.
Yes, this IS true, but if the sexual relationship was forced does age make any difference? I have mixed feelings about the whole thing and how it was handled, but the thought of young girls being forced to marry (legal or otherwise) older men sickens me. An adult having sex with a minor is sexual abuse in the USA, no matter what your religion or lifestyle.
I wasn't going to respond... but I just have to add my 2 cents. I don't really know what I think about the whole situation. If what they are saying is true - well then this is a terrible situation for the children and they need to be put somewhere safe. However, the media likes to overhype things and I never hear the same facts twice. Therefore, I am just going to pray for the situation and hope that the truth is revealed and any injustices are dealt with accordingly.
My opinion is probably totally not what others are thinking and that is okay with me. I'm gonna say it anyway. I think the whole thing is disgusting. I think it is a good thing that the governement went in and basically rescued these girls (and I am so anti government). It is disgusting that a young girl of say 15 can be pregnant with her second child by her 50 year old husband that has 8 other wives. There is something completely wrong with this!! I do not care what your religion is or if they had the evidence going in or if the evidence going in came from some chick in Colorado. All I care about is that these little girls are no longer abused. Their own mothers put them into this situation so yeah the kids should be taken away. If I gave my 11 year old child to be "spiritually married" to a much older man of 50 years and by the time she was 16 she had 3 kids that would be child abuse. This is child abuse!
I believe authorities had no choice. The huge number of kids involved, as well as all these teenage mothers prove they had to move like they did. I personally don't think this is discrimmination, it's just moving quickly before anyone is hidden from view. I truly believe, had authorities asked questions and left, that kids and some mothers would have been taken elsewhere just to protect the guilty. Personally, I hope none of the kids are returned to the moms, unless the moms can be proven fit- that means being able to prove they are mentally stable enough to break away from that cult. Terminate all the parental rights, I say.
I agree. It makes me think of a crack mother here some years ago who gave her 6 yr old to a dealer in exchange for her next fix. I find this mess comparable, except that it's girls being used.
