Many in the bloggernacle and beyond have sounded off on their opinions of the Texas raids on the FLDS community. I've held off for a bit but I think it's time to put my two cents in.
I have a more intimate view point of these people than the average American. My partner grew up 10 miles from their compond in Utah (before they moved to Texas) and he went to school with the "Paligs" as they are called for 5 years. I've been to Hilldale, I've walked down the streets, I've talked to the people, look into their eyes, eaten their food.
First off, it's not poligamy if their is no civil contract. Second of all I do not think the state or federal government has the right to round up women and children, in mass, and wharehouse them in a stadium against their will. Children are being taken from mothers and the custody hearings, due to of the number of children, are nothing more than a circus rushed through the courts at what will certainly be a pace not conducive to the rights and needs of individual families.
That having been said I feel that real abuse is going on in this community but their are many ways to go about handling abusive situations.
First, the FLDS community is not simply a bunch of rag tag desert living rabbits. They are huge participants in state welfare programs (they reffer to it as "Bleeding the Beast") and as such every man, woman and child is accounted for and trackable through social services. They all have birth certificates as well as other forms of ID. Yes, it would be a big job but to simply take it slow, on a family by family bases would have weilded far better results for everyone involoved.
Are the FLDS girls brainwashed? Probably, to an extent but we are all brainwashed by our dominate culture especially when we are young. For those outside of the FLDS community to hold judgment on these people is not only wrong its immoral and whats more, to go in their homes with tanks, guns and snipers and fource them out is illegal!
I cannot imagin the grief of these women in holding tanks and stadiums right now. Seperated from their children, their husbands (whom many of them love dearly despite your view point) and their sister wives who are their best friends or if they are lucky enough to all still be together they have been uprooted out of their homes, which in their tradition is a sacred place/space.
End of rant, thanks for listening.
