FLDS Texas Raid–One Year Later

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.  

 

Post Polygamous Teen Defends Practice

Is is just possible that there is a different post polygamy point of view, other than that of Carolyn Jessop?   From Canada East:

 

Facts on FLDS Fraud Don’t Add UP

Welfare data from Utah, Arizona, and Texas do not support claims of massive FLDS fraud against the government.

Yet six speakers at a July 24 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing — from Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid to former plural wife Carolyn Jessop — said fraud and misuse of welfare funds is a primary reason the federal government should be more involved in investigating the sect.  Reid said the FLDS have a “sophisticated, wealthy and vast criminal organization” that includes “welfare fraud.”  

 Jessop told the committee the FLDS engage in a “religious doctrine” known as ‘bleeding the beast,’ ” which she explained included applying for “every possible type of government of assistance that is available.” Author Stephen Singular, who has written a book about the FLDS, told the committee that Colorado City residents received “eight times the welfare assistance of comparably sized towns in the area.”

Hey, Harry, the nation is poised on the brink of another Depression, and you’re off investigating the FLDS–at taxpayer expense– when the data doesn’t even support the claims? And, Carolyn Jessop? Does anyone believe she has an ounce of credibility when it comes to FLDS issues?  That’s like asking Fawn Brodie to write an objective biography of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  (Cute the July 24th hearing date).

Face it, the government is still singling out the FLDS because of their peculiar and unpopular religious beliefs and practices.  You don’t hear this in reference to lifestyles in government run ghettos all over the country:

But Paul Murphy, spokesman for Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, said that while there may not be “outright fraud” by the polygamous community, there is “a resentment that taxpayers are being used to support this lifestyle.

 

From The War Room To The Court Room–The Playing Field Leveled

At least that is the theory.  The FLDS community had no chance of withstanding Texas’ military style onslaught of its community almost two weeks ago–and to their credit they cooperated with Texas’ authorities, thereby avoiding bloodshed; however, now the law is supposed to level the playing field and allow the FLDS mothers and fathers the same ability as Texas to make their case in a court of law, rather than at the barrel of an automatic weapon or riding on an armored personnel carrier.  We will see how that plays out today.

 

The Lies Of Texas Are Upon Us

Photo By Trent Nelson

The heartache and atrocities in Texas continue.  From the Deseret News, another heart wrenching account by the abused FLDS mothers.  I am simply dumb founded at what passes for justice, or even compassion in West Texas. 

 

Texas’ Abuse Of The FLDS Children And Mothers

(Update 4/14/08 4:45 p.m.) The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the Texas CPS in its ongoing abuse of the FLDS Mothers and children, has now separated all the mothers from their children! Does anyone involved in this operation have any media savvy, let alone compassion for these poor mothers and children?

If you haven’t seen Brooke Adams’ latest blog entry on the Plural Life about misconceptions of FLDS dress standards, please take a few minutes and read it.  We can learn a few things here folks.

The most recent reports of the ill conceived Texas raid of the FLDS community near Eldorado Texas are more and more disturbing.  The Deseret News has chronicled video interviews of several FLDS parents, whose children were kidnapped under color of law by Texas law enforcement in the recent raid.  If you have not seen these videos, they are just heart wrenching and very powerful.  I don’t know how to embed video, and I’m not sure these can be embedded as they belong to the Deseret News; however, I will provide the links below, and encourage you to view them for yourselves:

 

Texas, The Eyes Of The World Are Upon You

As the Texas raid on the FLDS community in Eldorado moves into its second week, Texas has generated worldwide media attention with its questionable tactics to investigate a child and sexual abuse complaint of one anonymous victim, by forcibly removing over 400 children from their homes, their mothers and their fathers.  Yes, Texas, the eyes of the entire world now are upon you, and what you are doing.

Update 4/12/08 4:14 p.m. Texas Rangers Meet with alleged suspect:  No Arrest.

Barlow May Not Be Our Guy (Salt Lake Tribune)

Deseret News

MSNBC

 

Standing With Our FLDS Sisters and Brothers

As I have read the various comments on this story, I am struck by some who question why I, or others take the FLDS position, or support them, or seem sympathetic toward them.  I have also read comments which I think express extremely well why I, from a Constitutional standpoint stand squarely with my FLDS Sisters and Brothers in Eldorado, Texas.  I reproduce some of them below.  While doing so do I do not mean to imply support by anyone for criminal conduct, but rather the preservation and protection of Constitutional Rights.  Rights that are still afforded even the FLDS community.

 

Anonymous Sources Support Eldorado FLDS Search Warrants

Brooke Adams, of the Salt Lake Tribune reports on still another affidavit, this one based on an anonymous informant, supporting the search warrant of the FLDS Temple near Eldorado, West Texas:

 

Texas Authorities Release FLDS Raid Affidavit

(Photo Trent Nelso, Salt Lake Tribune)

Well, Texas authorities have finally released the “affidavit” that serves as the basis to destroy the families of over four hundred chidren and hundreds of mothers and fathers.  You can read the entire affidavit here:  FLDS Affidavit A few observations and questions follow: