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B.C. Polygamist Comunity Praying for Children
THE CANADIAN PRESS ^ | 20/04/2008 6:13:00 PM | Dirk Meissner

Posted on 04/20/2008 5:32:24 PM PDT by Chief Engineer

BOUNTIFUL, B.C. - B.C. Morman polygamist leader Winston Blackmore says the people of Bountiful are praying for the children in Texas being held in custody by U.S. authorities.

The spiritual leader of Bountiful called the Texas children family, but says he doesn't know if any are from his commune, located near Creston in B.C.'s Kootenay region.

"It's been six years since I have had any contact those people," Blackmore told The Canadian Press on Sunday.

More than 400 children apprehended April 3 at the Morman sect's Texas enclave may be subject to genetic testing to sort out family relationships that have confounded welfare authorities

"It just doesn't seem right," Blackmore said of the apprehensions.

"I imagine that in Creston there's different cases of abuse, but I don't think they'd go arrest everyone in Creston," he said.

"I don't think it's Canadian. It shouldn't even happen in Texas."

Blackmore said he doesn't believe any of the Texas children are from Bountiful, but he called them family.

B.C. Attorney General Wally Oppal has said federal government officials told him at least 15 Canadian children in Texas are likely linked to Bountiful.

Department of Foreign Affairs officials declined comment on the situation on the weekend.

Oppal said he wants to prosecute members of Blackmore's community on charges of polygamy and sex assault.

Texas district Judge Barbara Walther said the children would be kept in custody while the state investigates allegations of abuse stemming from the teachings of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Individual hearings will be set for the children over the next several weeks, and the judge will determine whether they are moved into permanent foster care or can be returned to their parents.

All hearings must be held by June 5.

Officials said they've had difficulty determining how the children and adults are related because of evasive or changing answers.

A mobile genetic lab was to begin taking samples Monday at the main shelter where children are being kept. Parents will be able to submit samples Tuesday in Eldorado, closer to the ranch.

The custody case is one of the largest and most convoluted in U.S. history.

The ruling capped two days of marathon testimony that sometimes descended into chaos as hundreds of lawyers for the children and parents competed to defend their clients in two large rooms linked by a video feed.

Attorneys popped up with objections in a courtroom and nearby auditorium, then queued up and down the aisle to cross-examine witnesses in a mass hearing that frustrated attorneys and stretched the small-town court system.

The raid on the Yearning For Zion Ranch was prompted by a call made to a family violence shelter, purportedly by a 16-year-old girl who said her 50-year-old husband beat and raped her.

That girl has never been identified.

The state of Texas has argued it should be allowed to keep the children because the sect's teaching encourages girls younger than 18 to enter spiritual marriages with older men and produce as many children as possible.

State attorneys argued the culture put all the girls at risk and potentially turned the boys into future predators.


TOPICS: Canada; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: canada; flds; mormonism; polygamists
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To: ansel12

Sunday’s NY Post had a small story that the caller was a woman who is also a delegate for Barack Obama. She also alledgely made remarks to CPS that if she came in “would the black people hurt her” “The black people dont like her”

When I read that I immed thought “set up” for racial etc.
But she is also supposed to have made other calls to other State CPS’ offices. Just a sicko?
Who Knows?


61 posted on 04/20/2008 10:28:04 PM PDT by MarineMom613 (My Son is My Hero!!!)
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To: JRandomFreeper

Here are someone’s comments on the use of the word compound, to me they made sense.

Movement was very strictly regulated at the compound, outsiders did not enter and the women did not enter the town, instead they were bussed in mass to buy staples 45 minutes away.

“With regard to the first complaint, I’m not sure I see the word compound as a problem. The FLDS sect sets up communities where movement is limited — both in terms of outsiders being permitted in and insiders being permitted out. They guard their cluster of homes with sophisticated defense mechanisms. CNN was one of the media outlets to use the word compound. But, they noted:

CNN’s previous visits to the ranch revealed the compound was guarded by armed men equipped with night-vision gear and other high-tech surveillance tools.

I don’t necessarily see compound as a negative word. And I think that ranch or community might not be the best way to describe the actual situation in which these residents live. What do you think? Is compound the wrong word to use? What would be better?”


62 posted on 04/20/2008 10:32:44 PM PDT by ansel12 (FLDS supporters, at least pretend to be repulsed by the child rape that has been proved.)
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To: JRandomFreeper
"One Ranger per Riot is factual. You don't want to know the story about the Silver Peso Badge. Texans have authorized that bunch of yahoos for almost 200 years." ============================================================

I'm a native born Texan, and I know a lot about the history of one of this continents greatest small fighting units and law enforcement units.

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63 posted on 04/20/2008 10:38:48 PM PDT by ansel12 (FLDS supporters, at least pretend to be repulsed by the child rape that has been proved.)
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To: Chief Engineer

BTTT


64 posted on 04/21/2008 12:35:55 AM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: Chief Engineer; GMMAC; Clive; exg; kanawa; conniew; backhoe; -YYZ-; Former Proud Canadian; ...

65 posted on 04/21/2008 4:54:22 AM PDT by fanfan ("We don't start fights my friends, but we finish them, and never leave until our work is done."PMSH)
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To: JRandomFreeper

What’s wrong about a valid warrant and subsequent search? Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be done? Or do you simply object to the enforcement of ANY law(s)? Tellya what, fella, why don’t you and the rest of your anarchist friends just go buy an island somewhere and have fun with your anarchy.


66 posted on 04/21/2008 6:11:57 AM PDT by MizSterious (The Republican Party is infected with the RINO-virus)
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To: JRandomFreeper

This is fLDS, not the same as LDS.


67 posted on 04/21/2008 6:13:59 AM PDT by MizSterious (The Republican Party is infected with the RINO-virus)
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To: JRandomFreeper

You’ve given me quite a chuckle today, JRF!


68 posted on 04/21/2008 9:57:43 AM PDT by bonfire
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