The expression on her face reminds me of the 10 year old boy that was filmed in the documentary while playing with a RATTLESNAKE at a Fundamentalist Pentecostal meeting. Why the hell don't we see child endangerment charges brought against the adults of this certified whacked out “religion”?
How come their leader/preacher isn't on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List like Jeffs was? AGAIN, I'M NOT DEFENDING WARREN JEFFS AND HIS ACTIONS. It's not really that hard to understand, is it?
Right now, all I know is what I see and hear through the MSM. An anonymous call comes in that a 16 year old girl is being abused, the local Police and State Troopers freak out and call for Ambulances and backup SWAT-type teams armed with a warrant to search for an alleged 16 year old girl. The next thing is that children and adults are forced to leave their families and homes under the auspices and orders from state WELFARE WORKERS!
Don't you think this is a little on the side of overkill?
If it were the first time anyone heard of something like this about this group, then yes, I would certainly say it was overkill. I’m not big into federal knee-jerk reactions, like Waco.
As far as I know, the leader is already in custody over similar charges. They’re looking for others on similar charges. The activities of this group have been well know for some time. This phone call may have been just what they were waiting for to act, something more solid than anything else they’ve had to date.
I’m under the impression that they’re not breaking up families, except to take the women and children from the husbands. I can’t imagine the mothers being willing to leave if they were having to leave some of their children behind. Again, it’s not something I would do.
Besides, the girl looking happy is perfectly credible to me. I’ve seen pictures of the compound, heard about the life they have to endure. What person in their right mind would NOT want to leave? I sure would jump at the chance.
I also wonder what the authorities would do if someone really refused to leave. I don’t know if they would forcibly pick someone up and put them on the bus or just let it go. I imagine they’d be in a world of hurt if it were found out that they were physically forcing them or issuing ultimatums.
I guess the reason I’m not condemning the government too much in this case is for the above reasons. They’ve been watching this group and trying to do something about them for some time. A call for help was made, finally giving them something to act on. As yet, I have not heard that the women and children who are leaving have not been given any choice.
I’m sorry if my lack of defense of this group and lack of condemnation of the government’s actions have not sat well with you, but I’m having a hard time finding something about this group to defend and still have not sorted out in my mind the free exercise clause and its applicability to situations like this. I still can’t see that it’s right for it to be misused to tie the hands of the government in dealing with illegal activity.
“Don’t you think this is a little on the side of overkill?”
Not only no, but heck no, as we say in Texas.
But, as I’ve said before, Warren Jeffs is the RIGHTFUL and TRUE heir to the Prophethood of the Great Prophets Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. Hear ye, O Israel, the Prophet Jeffs is HERE to RESTORE the True Church of True Polygamy. All hail Warren Jeffs!!!
<\dripping sarcasm>