Brooke Adams, the Salt Lake Tribune’s reporter who blogs on polygamy issues for the Trib, has a good one year later recap article in today’s Tribune on last year’s debacle in West Texas. My posts on that disaster are here. Brooke’s article contains some very good links related to the raid, the FLDS and polygamy in general:
Criminal Indictments of 12 FLDS Men
Salt Lake Tribune Comprehensive Polygamy Articles
Tribune Multi-Media Collection of the Raid
Life is starting to return to some semblance of normal after one year–with some exceptions:
At the Yearning For Zion Ranch, life has regained a familiar rhythm. Families awake at 5 a.m., gather for prayers, breakfast and chores before the children head to the sect’s private school. Days end much the same way: chores, a meal, prayer.
There is just one sign of the disruption that unfolded here last April: The gleaming limestone temple, once illuminated and visible for miles against the night sky, is shuttered and dark.
A year ago today, a local women’s shelter received calls for help — – now believed a hoax — that drew law enforcement to the polygamous sect’s ranch in the remote Texas town of Eldorado and triggered the largest abuse investigation in U.S. history.
Regardless of one’s personal beliefs of the FLDS religion and lifestyle, it is shameful that their temple is now dark and shuttered as a result of the unconscionable para military raid by Texas CPS and law enforcement. Nothing has emerged implicating their temple worship with any illegal activites.
Within days, 439 children had been taken from their parents; a diaspora of FLDS families was under way. Some of them have yet to recover. The fallout is still being calculated financially, legally and psychologically, but the results are these:
Just one child remains in state custody. Twelve men face criminal charges related to underage marriages; the first trial is set for October. A new legislative committee is set to explore “lessons learned” from the raid, which has cost upward of $15 million.
Texas authorities resolutely defend their actions as necessary for the children’s safety. And members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints remain as firmly committed to their faith as ever.
Over time one would have assumed or at least hoped for some reasonable, rational justification for the military style tactics Texas employed; but, after taking virtually every woman and child from the ranch–and separating the mothers from the children, now one year later, only one child remains in state custody. After having expended more than $15 million the fruits of the raid have borne 12 criminal indictments. Of course, if there is evidence to convict on even one indictment, there should be an appropriate punishment for any criminal activity–still I see little justification, one year after the fact for what went on during the course of the state’s raid on this unpopular religous group.
Ironically it was the state’s over the top approach to this raid that eventually turned public opinion against the state, and for Constitutional rights and liberty– even if not completely in support of the FLDS religion:
“When the decision was made to let the news media come out on the ranch and start interacting with people, all of a sudden there was a voice on the other side; there were human faces, and it was not just about what the state was doing,” said Salt Lake City attorney Rod Parker, who helped the sect deal with media in Texas.
“It changed the face of it and, ultimately, that made it politically easier for the result that occurred in court,” Parker said, referring to the Texas Supreme Court ruling last May that returned the children to their families.
Public opinion was critical of the state’s action, but it was not an endorsement of the religion, he acknowledged. “The public felt that what the state had done was wrong. And it became a question of individual rights and family rights and religious freedom — the sort of things that America stands for,” Parker said.
One family, ironically mongamous, continues to suffer from the legally questionable raid:
“That is the scene of a lot of emotional difficulties for them, and they are trying to pick up the pieces and go on,” said Rene Haas, a Corpus Christi attorney who represents Joseph and Lori Jessop.
The monogamous couple, parents to three young children, have emotional and physical problems that Haas said resulted from the raid. Joseph, a framer, “works when work is available and when he is physically able,” Haas said.
The children “all still have problems of worrying about strange men coming around — are the police coming? — that sort of thing,” she added.
“What happened to these families, and specifically the children, because the state of Texas did not follow their own laws, our own laws, was devastating — to not only the families, but I believe to our system of family protection,” Haas said.
I certainly agree. But, what is most disturbing is that Texas’ officials don’t seem to have learned much from their mistakes:
But Patrick Crimmins, spokesman for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, said given the same circumstances today, his department would respond exactly the same way.
“We were required by Texas law to investigate the report,” he said. “Once the investigators got to the ranch, the investigation proceeded, not because of the initial report, but because of what they found: an obvious pattern of underage marriages and births, deception and misinformation [and] girls who told our workers that no age was too young to marry.”
Almost reminds me of George Bush, Dick Cheney and others vowing to invade Iraq anyway, knowing what we all know now. Mind numbing–actually.
March 27, 2009 at 4:13 am
“The children ‘all still have problems of worrying about strange men coming around’ …”
No doubt.
But it’s hard to get too worked up about such a concern when we’ve already all seen photos of a very strange man indeed:
If the Trib recap is right – that “letting news media in gave polygamous community a human face” – which human face do you think most Americans saw as a result?
That of Warren Jeffs.
Ick.
August 13, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Warren Jeffs is sick [and] should be locked up for life. I agree that these children should have never been returned [edited]. How are they to know any better if they are never exposed to how decent Americans raise their children?
March 29, 2010 at 11:11 am
you have no idea.. all you know is what the media tells you. how often is that true?? honestly! and what do they want you to think.. that texas raided a comunity and placed all the children in places that could not support their needs.. some of the children were placed in where houses with no heat and one toilet with no privacy.. but of course the media didnt show ya that.. they never showed that the parents of these children would give their own hearts for their children. you have no idea what you are talking asout and it pisses me off when i hear peop-le like you give an uneducated guess of what “should” be done.
March 27, 2009 at 5:11 am
Given how it all played out, only a fool would say he wouldn’t do a thing differently — any rational person, even one convinced of the rightness of this civil rights nightmare, would say something like “we would have made the same investigation, but we would probably have done x, y and z differently to ensure that our bases were covered.” I can’t pin the right word — frightening? disgusting? appalling? — to know that one’s state officials don’t learn a thing from their past mistakes!
You did a marvelous job last year, Guy, of collecting and summarizing and analyzing the events as they played out. M&A was the place to come for news and analysis (if not for comments — you attracted some of the looniest commenters ever to appear in the Bloggernacle!)
March 27, 2009 at 7:49 am
It’s disturbing that leaders of these civil rights violations (Waco, Short Creek, Ruby Ridge, etc) don’t get reprimanded for the destruction that they do.
There are better ways to bring 12 adults to justice than traumatizing 400 chilren.
While I don’t agree with FLDS doctrine and many practices they are still Americans.
If someone had produced a weapon during the initial raid, this could have been another bloodbath.
March 27, 2009 at 7:49 am
Just yesterday in one of my graduate classes here in Texas, I overhead another student talking about a skit she’s involved with convering some of the past years events. I listened a little more intently when she mentioned “Mormons”. Come to find out, she still thought that the raid on the FLDS was the same thing as “Mormons”.
I made a little clarification, but it left me wondering if the FLDS classify themselves as “Mormons”.
March 27, 2009 at 7:55 am
Clean Cut,
They do. Although they are the largest fundamentalist Mormon group..barely..most fundamentalist Mormons are not FLDS.
An explanatory article here:
http://mormonfundamentalism.org/news/fundamentalist-mormon-is-the-correct-term/
March 27, 2009 at 8:21 am
Well then, I suppose I need to qualify my statement to my fellow grad student. This could get pretty messy.
Bruce, perhaps you can sum up for me what other fundamentalist groups exist and how it is that you came to “convert” to one of them. I thought that all “fundamentalists” were polygamists.
March 27, 2009 at 8:26 am
And if all fundamentalists are polygamists, but not all polygamists are FLDS, then what are the main differences between you and them?
March 27, 2009 at 8:44 am
Well, just because a person might believe in the doctrine of plural celestial marriage does not make him/her a polygamist.
I believe, from the definition, that you would actually have to be practicing that doctrine.
How did I convert? Sincere study, prayer, and fasting.
If you really want to learn:
mormonfundamentalism.org
is a good spot to start.
I get bashed pretty good for my views, but if it helps one person understand, it’s ok.
March 27, 2009 at 8:47 am
And how do you view the FLDS? How do you view the mainstream LDS Church? (I think I’m in for an education today). 🙂
March 27, 2009 at 9:57 am
Well, since you asked..
I view the FLDS as many good sincere folks who have been betrayed by their leadership.
That betrayal started when the two groups, FLDS and AUB split back in the 50’s. Lots of info out there. Study at will.
I view the mainsteam LDS church as a legitimate, if wayward and somewhat diminished, devine institution. We look forward to the day when things are set in order and the temple doors are opened to all rightous saints.
I have mainstream family members and friends who I love and respect and they reciprocate. Ok… most of them.
It’s my objective to help bridge the gap and seek common ground as the Church purports to do with other religious institutions. If we focus on differences, that’s all we’ll see although that is an ugly habit that is easy to fall into.
March 27, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Ardis,
Thanks. I have to agree that only a fool would do it all over again the same way. But, like they say–Texas is a whole other country. There were some interesting comments last year–not only here, but other sites around that were following the story.
The other thing that puzzled me–still does–is just how slowly the “main stream media” ran with the story. Other than the Tribune–which ran with it early, often and to the very end, there wasn’t much early coverage of this.
March 27, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Bruce in Montana, and Clean Cut:
I’ve read that not all FLDS or other polygamists consider themselves or would identify themselves as Mormon. Some might, as you links suggest–but I think there is probably a split of opinion on that in the community.
March 28, 2009 at 6:34 pm
So, what exactly SHOULD they have done differently, in your opinion?
The only thing I can think of is – they shouldn’t have sent those poor kids back.
April 2, 2009 at 6:48 am
Guy,
I echo what Ardis wrote earlier and want to thank you for your excellent, ongoing coverage and analysis of the FLDS raids and the aftermath.
Ardis,
Does this count as a looney comment? 😉
April 10, 2009 at 11:01 pm
One year later and a dozen homeboys going to prison.
Texas aint all Warren thought it would be eh?
July 22, 2009 at 7:44 pm
I applaud the CPS for raiding the compound. Children were being raped and abused. How can you imply that they shouldn’t have gotten those children out of that situation?
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