My feelings aside about the whole polygamous issue...
Category Everything Else
(for those of you not in the US, here's but one of many links to the story...)
The officials are claiming they got a call from a 16 year old girl who was forced into an arranged marriage in the sect, and was subsequently abused. Now that they've removed over 400 children from the ranch, they still can't figure out if they have the girl who originally placed the call.
I can't get rid of this nagging feeling that perhaps the whole call was a ruse or set-up, designed to give officials the reason they needed to raid the ranch. It is a tricky situation, pitting religious freedoms against federal law and potential child abuse issues. If indeed there were cases of child abuse (and 13 or 14 year olds being put into arranged marriages might well qualify), then someone does need to step in. But if this was a case of manufacturing "evidence" in order to "legally" act, then everyone loses.
And it's for sure that we've seen enough manufactured evidence over the last seven years...
(for those of you not in the US, here's but one of many links to the story...)
The officials are claiming they got a call from a 16 year old girl who was forced into an arranged marriage in the sect, and was subsequently abused. Now that they've removed over 400 children from the ranch, they still can't figure out if they have the girl who originally placed the call.
I can't get rid of this nagging feeling that perhaps the whole call was a ruse or set-up, designed to give officials the reason they needed to raid the ranch. It is a tricky situation, pitting religious freedoms against federal law and potential child abuse issues. If indeed there were cases of child abuse (and 13 or 14 year olds being put into arranged marriages might well qualify), then someone does need to step in. But if this was a case of manufacturing "evidence" in order to "legally" act, then everyone loses.
And it's for sure that we've seen enough manufactured evidence over the last seven years...
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Comments
Posted by Chris Whisonant At 13:28:40 On 16/04/2008 | - Website - |
Posted by Duffbert At 18:02:22 On 16/04/2008 | - Website - |
But I still think it's a HUGE stretch to blame THIS administration for made-up facts about Iraq. Please note the dates on the quotes below...
"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program."
President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998
"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983."
Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998
"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998
"Hussein has .. chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies."
Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999
Posted by Chris Whisonant At 08:23:39 On 17/04/2008 | - Website - |
Do what you like in your religion, but don't harm the helpless in the process. Their rights to behave as dictated by their faith end just before they coerce one underage girl into so-called "spiritual marriage" and pregnancy. More than half of the 14-17 year old girls have been pregnant? Nice. Very nice.
Speaking as the father of a 6 year old girl, I hope those !@#$^ get EXACTLY what they deserve. If there's any justice, they'll be experiencing "marriages" of an entirely different sort with 300 pound "roommates"
Posted by Rob McDonagh At 16:50:16 On 28/04/2008 | - Website - |