The Lone Star FLDS roundup
Unless I see something more compelling after today….it seems like Texas may have made a fool of itself. I was watching CNN the other day and they were talking about how they now think that the phone call(s) weren’t even made from the state of Texas, or something about authorities being unable to confirm that they were. The girl that made them still hasn’t come forward and the man she accused hasn’t been arrested or charged.
Texas Rangers have questioned Dale Evans Barlow, 50, the man who was accused by the teen of abusing her, but he was released Saturday. His attorney, Bruce Griffen, said the meeting was voluntary
Meanwhile over 400 children are in state custody. While I don’t doubt this church is as backwards as anything, I would be really disappointed if a state in this nation took children into custody, over 400 children, only based on phone calls alleging abuse. It’ll be interesting if new information comes to light later today.
Rod Parker, an attorney acting as a spokesman for FDLS families, said authorities acted on information not supported by evidence.
“They have an unsubstantiated allegation of abuse,” Parker said in an interview on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 Wednesday night. “And, in response to this unsubstantiated, uncorroborated allegation, they removed not just the children from one home, but every child in the community …”
This religion is truly…bizarre. I simply hope they are able to prove unlawfulness with more than a few mystery 911 calls. Perhaps at the hearing today the state will reveal testimony from dozens of children that have opened up and told enough to justify the raid…who knows?
Why are there so many little girls and so few little boys. What happens to baby boy?
I just don’t understand how a large sect like this would go unnoticed in TX, people are too curious not to wonder ‘whats going on over there?’ They own a huge amount of land and have been building many buildings. They seem pretty self sufficient, but I think the state needs to find the fathers of these children, where are they? They need to take DNA samples and find the mothers and fathers, they may be suprised at what they find. These women who were on Larry King were obviously submissive, mindwashed, they seemed to be like they were also being abused, they kept their heads down, no doubt they really want their children; normal mothers would. But just what is going on in this compound? What are the ages of the teenage girls who are pregnant? Children can be so innocent and if everyone that seems to be their family condones marriage after puberty then this would seem normal for them. This case is so sad…If the law in Texas states that you have to be a certain age to marry then maybe they should pursue this avenue. These people need to be charged in some way and they need to find the men of this sect, they haven’t even said anything about them. I think for the mothers of the children this should be a wake up call, they need to abandon this wretched cult and search for the real truth about God Almighty, who has a name and it is Jehovah.
I was watching the video of these women on CNN video. I am at a loss!!! How can they take these children from thier home? Just because the parents are mentally challenged. I know the state of Texas is probably concerned with the safty of these children, but I know many mentally challenged individuals can lead a health and productive lives.
Nothing unlawful? Polygamy is against the law in the United States. When the hippies tried communal living, they were jeered and called immoral (although most of them partnered with only one person). This is different because the women dressed like something from Little House on the Prairie? Goddamed hypocrites. And, yes, something unlawful did happen there - it’s called statutory rape. Several of the teenaged girls who were removed are pregnant. Here is what this cult’s leader has been convicted of (from CNN): FDLS leader Warren Jeffs is serving time in Utah after his 2007 conviction for being an accomplice to rape — charges related to a marriage he performed in 2001. Jeffs also faces trial in Arizona on eight charges of sexual conduct with a minor, incest and conspiracy.
I believe the state of Texas DID ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT THING.
A Texas Sized INJUSTICE… I wonder how long it will take for TX to produce evidence of child abuse. No girl by that name, no perpetrator by that name in Tx for years…
Turn the table around and it sounds like the 50 year old male doctors have forced the children into physical exams and the state is tromping all over the civil rights of a strange religious community… nice job TX. At least they didn’t burn the place down like Waco and kill everyone.
Why would the state take everyone into custody and force them into foster care even if a few of the children were abused? What about the rights of the innocent families? What ever happened to religious toleration? THis is another Alamo for Texas, but the state has become the bandito.
What a farce…
Texas is a weird state full of weird people. Cults, women who kill their children, and rednecks! Why is everyone from there so proud of that God forsaken place?
So you think it’s OK then that girls as young as 13 were married off to men in their 40s and 50s and raped?
There were several pregnant minors, that is a very real sign of abuse.
Why is this religion considered “bizarre”? Men of every religion who cheat on their spouses or girlfriends are promoting behavior no different than a polygamist man. I’m not of this religion, and do not hold the same belief systems, but these are a quiet people who unite in a single belief as we all do, even if it’s different from theirs.
I have said all along given the lifestyle of the women and children within the compound, it was highly unlikely if such a girl even existed, that she would be allowed to use, or borrow a cell phone, know how to operate it, and even if she did, whom was she going to call? Authorities would have us believe that someone let her borrow a cellphone and she simply said, “I need to speak to CPS!”
CPS in Texas has taken huge hits in the last few years, and was supposedly going to be completely overhauled, and has no choice but to respond to an outcry to investigate, given their history, but this smacks of Waco and the Branch Davidians, which turned out to be an argument of which of the sect’s leaders actually owned the land, and when the disgruntled party didn’t get their way, allegations of abuse and building an arsenal came to the attention of authorities… both religions or sects are whack in my opinion, don’t misunderstand me, but some people will do extreme things when cornered! Authorities started building their case as soon as they entered the compound, and information about suicide plans within the polygamists, etc, are no different than hearing about the hell-fire switches and automatic weapons in Waco.
People are no longer innocent until proven guilty, guilt is presumed and authorities build their case once a search warrant is issued… Texas is in trouble, much the same way inmates are being freed after 20 years in prison because DNA evidence proves their innocence, if it actually comes out that the outcry phone call originated from somewhere other than the compound. Tsk-tsk… the end never justifies the means in these cases.
Be careful…your prejudice is showing! Why do you hope they can prove unlawfulness? I would think it would be better to hope that this was all a terrible mistake, and that these kids, who most likely have never been abused in anyway, can get past the trauma of being ripped from their families and get on with their lives, no matter how “bizarre” you happen to think that may be. Frankly, I think this whole thing was A) fabricated and B) mishandled, and I for one hope that the state ends up with egg on its face for botching the job. It won’t be the first time this has happened…
Honestly, I think this is a lose-lose situation for the folks of the FLDS church, even if nothing is found to be illegal, the kids will already be damaged from what has happened, nothing will end up changing regarding this sects activities and these folks will just become even more secretive about what they are practicing and ultimately, I would not put it past the authorities to fabricate evidence to keep from being ridiculed for bungling this whole thing.
I’m sure if the correct ’suggestive’ interrogation techniques are used they may even get admissions of heretofore unknown sex abuse rings and Satanic sacrifices like were found in Bakersfield, CA back in 1984. Of course they will then need to hide the kids before they recant their testimony.
I have been following this case, and even if the phone call proves to be bogus, there is much evidence to suggest that there is abuse going on in the compound. Many people have escaped, and come forth to tell their stories. they have told stories of young teenagers being forced to marry 50-year old men. If they resist or if their mothers resiist, they are beaten into submission. Since the husbane is already married, it is not a legal marriage—that is statutory rape no matter how you look at it. In other words the call might be bogus, but illegal activity abounds in the compound, and it should be investigated.
The COHABS should have no rights!!!!! Even if the phone call was a fake, it brought attention to this terrible community and all the dirty laundry will come out and shed light on what really goes on within the wall of the compound. Warren Jeffs and his followers are the sewage of society and anyone who thinks that this is a quiet, crime free compound then think again. It is my belief that at some point in these children’s lives, they will be subjected to abuse, rape, forced plural marriage, forced to feed off the system to support their prophets other interests, make a mockery of the government, and end up being a empty shell of a human being under the watchful eye of perverted, evil, old man! They do not have a choice if they are born into this sick religion and they have mothers who are brainwashed. These mothers are being forced to say that the children need them, but when it comes down to the truth the sects only interest in getting the Virgins back for the old perverts! These woman are trying to say the government came in and took their children wrongfully, however, the fact still remains that plural marriage is illegal, forcing a minor to marry and have children is illegal, so who cares about how they feel. Listen up AMERICA, they are sick people who don’t care about all the other “Evil” people out there, and they don’t abide by any laws and they take millions of government money (even know their religion is against the government).
Despite the call possibly being false, there could be new evidence from women and children who are telling of the atrocities happening in this compound.
There is obviously evidence that young girls are in fact sexually active at very young ages. The sect is saying it is not rape, but I cannot believe that wrong girls even some of the younger women cannot recall the fear and trepidation of having to consummate their so called marriages. I could never believe that a girl accepts moving from the playground with her friends to moving into a bed with an adult man. They are just kids.
I don’t understand how it is so hard to prove child abuse. From what I have heard there are many teenage girls walking around pregnant. Isn’t that proof enough? There should be massive wide DNA tests done to find out the father of these unborn babies and when it is proven, which I know it will be, that the fathers are these 60 year old men who are raping these children they all should go to jail including the mothers who are giving their children to these men. Even the woman with children under 5 should have their children taken away because what do you think is going to happen when the girls turn 13? The mother’s are going to find a old man to take their children, with their blessing. That is the basis for polygamy, the get them young, the younger the better. So even if the younger kids 5 and under are not abused yet, it is inevitable. That is the intentions of the mother’s. It is their duty as mothers in order to go to heaven, they have to give their girl to these men. It’s disgusting. I have seen several interviews with these women and they are clearly lying. They have to look at each other when answering a question, clearly so they all have the same answer. One woman was asked how many wives her husband had and she said she didn’t know. How do you not know how many wives your husband has? Then they were asked if they knew any underage girls getting pregnant with older men and they all said they didn’t know anything about that. Then how is it that half the underage girls are walking around pregnant. They are clearly lying. They were raised to think of all of us as evil do you really think they are going to tell us the truth? Polygamy was banned over 100 years ago. We should not allow this to happen. Those kids deserve to be raised in a healthy household and allowed to be kids and not underage baby makers!!
This is a tough issue. The abuse has been ongoing for generations. I wish they could remove the men rather than separating children from their mothers. Since we’ve raided this child-abusive community. Why has no one tried to rescue the children from the Irish Traveller communities in the Carolinas? The children are shown in pageants when they’re like three and four years old — parents auction their kids off for arranged marriages with kids from other members. The kids usually marry around 14. So… what gives? I suppose the FLDS folks scare the government less.
I usually don’t get so many comments and with my hit and miss blogging I had no idea these comments had been posted…
To clarify my post, I simply am interested in the State of Texas presenting more evidence than a phone call as their justification for the raid. Like Wayne said, “the end never justifies the means in these cases.”
I find it a dangerous slippery slope when law enforcement decides to find things to charge people with after raiding their homes.
Sunny mentioned Warren Jeffs I think to suggest how backwards this religion is. However, while that is true, it is an example of how to pursue a legal solution to any problems. You actually make specific charges and prosecute on those charges. They put Warren Jeffs in prison because they proved that he was an accomplice to rape. They knew what they were going to charge him with before they arrested him.
In this case in Texas, they’ve rounded up 400+ children without knowing or saying specifically what wrongdoing there was in the case of each family or child.
The ends don’t justify the means. The FLDS are probably breaking the law, but you have to prove it with the law, not your emotions. Thats the way we do things in America and for once I agree with the ACLU who have sided with the FLDS.