It has taken some time, terribly disrupted many lives, trampled upon the liberties & pursuit of happiness of an entire community. Best of all, it has exposed the incompetence of at least one judge and the entire legal infrastructure of a number of state agencies. We are of course talking about the recent ruling of a three judge at the State Court of Appeals.
The court recognized that while there was some cause for concern in the case of an anonymous caller that registered a complaint with the state Child Protective Services agency, the state had no right to collectively persecute the religious organization, nor were they right to separate 440 children from their families based upon what was wholly agreed upon little to no evidence.
While this entire scenario has yet to be completely played out, it does send a message to the state that they would be wise to pay attention to. The state is not all powerful and cannot interfere with the activities and rights of the family. It also does not have the right to separate family members, against their will, without significant evidence of harm to family members. And lastly, perhaps the most important part of the ruling is the fact that this court apparently recognizes that this entire incident may indeed be more about the religious followings of this group more than anything else.
There are many that disagree with the philosophy of the FLDS, including myself. I find many of their practices to be horrific, but I also recognize that this is my personal opinion and regardless of how strongly I feel, I am compelled to seek protection for this groups rights because those rights are guaranteed under our constitution as the right to practice one’s religious beliefs without fear of prosecution or retribution. I am disgusted at the idea that any 50 year old man would take a bride that may have been forced, against her will, to engage in marriage; but I am reminded that a mere 100 years ago this was still a common practice and 200 years ago it was the standard practice of the day. It was the practice that allowed young people to come together, battle the elements, move westward and settle this mighty country, being key contributors to the success of our grand idea we often call democracy. Our lives are now relaxed and while life itself is no less demanding, the risks we face are more of our own making than those tossed at us by mother nature and the rules of sheer existence. Perhaps this ease of life has taken away from our ability to distinguish what is truly essential and what is the folly of the mind, given too much non-productive time.
Isn’t this just common sense? The foundation of this country is based upon individual rights, freedoms, and guarantee’s, yet we constantly forget that we have these rights and we are seeing an entire generation that believes that the rights of the state are greater than our individual rights. Those that serve as a reminder are frequently given unflattering names and insulted for being capable of thinking.
Once again, I would encourage each and every reader to put on their hat of a Professional Citizen and make it your practice to point out the obligations and restrictions on those of authority. Remind them that theirs is the duty to serve, and their service is to the people; not the other way around. Each of us has an obligation to remember all that came before us, many of whom sacrificed their very lives for the freedom’s we enjoy. From the streets of Bagdad back to the shores by Plymouth Rock we have willingly fought for the very rights our constitution guarantee’s and if we choose to relinquish those rights to a handful of political thugs that would attempt to take them away, then all that has been gained and all that sacrificed, will have done so in vane.
Copy & paste to friend: (Click inside box; Ctrl + C to copy; Ctrl + V to paste)
|
|
read more blogs!
|
DeeLaMarie
|
May 23 @ 12:57PM
|
|
This case has been a point of discussion and debate between myself and others whom their opinions I respect. If all was in black and white there would be little to debate. I realize that 100 years ago older men marrying younger ladies(girls) was not uncommon, neither was hanging a man for stealing another man's horse. It is difficult to visualize a young, innocent girl being forced into marriage, sex at such a young age, no matter prior history of this or not. It is "as" difficult to watch these children and their mother's & fathers weep uncontrollably at being separated.
I am a staunch believer in private & religious freedoms and rights, but having said that, many mainstream religions do council and/or make part of their theology that their believers abide by the laws of the state and nation, pay taxes, etc. "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's" Matthew 22:21 Christ speaking to the Jews regarding whether they should pay taxes.
The children being with their mothers, though, seems to me to be a very compelling part of any debate.
|
|
Wolf36
|
May 23 @ 1:03PM
|
|
I've been following this debocle from the beginning and there's a few things that really grabbed my attention. Did you see the pictures of the initial assualt? They went in there with armed personal carriers (tanks), hell this was a peaceful community and they treated them like they were an enemy needing destroyed. They pulled all these little kids away from their mothers when all the men would have agreed to be locked out of the community, while the investigation took place.
They treated these people like crimminals on the basis of one anomynous call, that now seems to have been a hoax. The truth is, probably some of the children have been abused but if you sampled 400 plus kids from anywhere in the country I guarantee you, there would be some who have been sexually abused. The statistics confirm it.
I just wonder where this stops? if someone makes a call to Illinois Child services and says, "there are children in Olney, Il being sexually abused, would the state come in and remove all the children? Basically, that's what they did, it was simply a community of people who lived a little different than the mainstream so they were treated different.
The whole thing sickens me and I think the state of Texas, Childs Services should be ashamed, if not brought up on charges.
Wolf
|
|
imlost2
|
May 23 @ 8:39PM
|
|
|
I only have one thing to say, if those children were forced into sex at a young age, hurt, or abused, I wish them justice no matter how this started. I am for the kids.
|
|
Redwicket
|
May 23 @ 9:20PM
|
|
Yep, what about the rights of all of those Child brides??? Any religion that takes away
the rights of the children in My book cannot be good...
To me these People are hiding behind a religion while harming young girls. I personally
don't care what anyone wants to believe in As Long As They Don't Harm Others with
their beliefs...children don't have a choice when born into this type of a community.
|
|
SunBabe
|
May 24 @ 5:05AM
|
|
Thank you Injuneer, for pointing out the critical underlying issues of this whole fiasco...rather than parrotting the usual sensationalized media babble that got everyone so frenzied.
I've followed this from day one, not believing my eyes and ears that THAT was happening in THIS country! I shed an awful lot of tears over the horrendous treatment of those agonized mothers and children...and utter disrespect for the tenets and lifestyle THEIR particular religion holds sacred and dear. Nothing was valued as "holy" because theirs isn't a "mainstream" religion. (I wonder how many of the accusatory agencies, judiciary, law enforcement, and media reporters have ever read and absorbed ALL the books of their Bible or ever read the Book of Mormon...for "enlightenment" before opening their mouths)
I also posted a number of links with FACTS about "age of consent"/"minimum marriage age" throughout the rest of this country as well as throughout the world in the politics forum. It's only faily recently that the age has risen in many states and countries. (Right here and now in New Hampshire, under certain conditions/consent, girls of 13 are allowed to LEGALLY marry!) MANY cultures today and throughout history have traditionally considered a girl to be a woman, no longer a "child", as soon as menses begins. And while I'll hold off judgment on what is the "right" age/underage in any situation (heck, I think 18 is much too young to vote, lol), I'm very much against forced marriage or sexual relations -- and even that's not been proven in the FLDS case.
I get called all kinds of names all the time for being an unpatriotic "blood-sucking liberal", etc, etc...but I'm simply an idealist who believes in the freedoms and rights that this country has stood for until recently. I'm seeing those ideals being tarnished and mutilated and dissolved more and more each day ~sigh~ ...and to actually witness a calculated pogrom right here in America, through their pictures and words -- omg, I've wanted to puke time and again. This is no longer my America...something my father felt, too, before he died at 91 years old...after dedicating his entire life to this country through his militarty career and public service. 
Please, people, don't be afraid to share your awareness, don't allow yourselves to be "sheepled". And don't act surprised if the next "group" to be targeted happens to be yours, if you don't stand up for everyones constitutional rights now.
|
|
|