http://www.fundamentalforums.com/showthread.php?t=48360
The state not only ignored the crimes for decades, it helped facilitate them by allowing the FLDS polygamists to set up a town government, a public school district and a police department that have received tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds despite the fact that polygamy violates Arizona's Constitution. The FLDS has had an iron grip on the local governments, because it has been impossible to get elected or hired to a taxpayer-funded post without the church's blessing.
The fundamentalist community has also benefited immensely from state health-care services for the poor and indigent by receiving more than $12 million a year in state assistance in Arizona to pay for health-insurance premiums.
Warren Jeffs and his flunkies are running around from compound to compound with literally MILLIONS of dollars - BAGS FULL OF CASH and yet the FLDS members are recieving MILLIONS of dollars in state and federal aid - for housing, healthcare, food etc - all because the MOTHERS say they are the single unwed mother of MULTIPLE children.
The FLDS (by way of the UEP) brings in MILLIONS a year in money from federal and state contracts, owns hundreds of successful labor intensive businesses, owns thousands of acres in valuable property and every business, home and twig is in the name of some shadow company - never an individual. So on paper they are all below the poverty line. We KNOW most of the men have at least 3 "celestial wives" and each of those "in the eyes of God, not the state" wives can take in as much as $50-60K a year in aid and subsidies on their LARGE families. These women even receive HOUSING assistance - they take money from the state and pay it to the UEP in "rent" each month. They get support for children who are not living in their homes and almost ALL of the children over age 8 WORK daily at one of the FLDS companies - construction, farming, assembly, factory - the list goes on and on. The men (and the UEP) get the MONEY while WE (the taxpayer) support their 20-30-40+ offspring and their 3-5-9 wives. It's a GREAT system if you're a MAN and on Warren Jeff's good side.
As a SOLUTION, I think:
---We, as TAXPAYERS should DEMAND that state and federal contracts are only awarded to thoroughly vetted, legitimate companies with legitimate owners and NO CHILD LABOR.---
---We, as TAXPAYERS, should DEMAND that state and federal assistance - from WIC to food stamps to section 8 to health-care to welfare GO ONLY to people who have NO MEANS OF SUPPORT - including "celestial" spouses and "sister wives". EVERY CHILD must be accounted for, PHYSICALLY at least once a month and in random visits. The children MUST attend an accredited PUBLIC school until they turn 18 or graduate from high school, They MUST have health check-ups every year. Housing MUST be inspected every 6 months - in a random visit.---
---We, as TAXPAYERS, should DEMAND that CPS be informed of EVERY pregnant girl under age 17. This is a MINOR and since the minor child is pregnant (possibly implying parental neglect or statutory RAPE), CPS would have the right to at least QUESTION the circumstances and make an un-announced visit and INTERVIEW the girl ALONE. These girls should be required to be IN SCHOOL, be required to receive approved pre-natal care, be required to attend birthing and if they are keeping the baby, attend parenting classes held at a place chosen by CPS. After the child is born, again CPS should be monitoring. If the mother is keeping the child then CPS should be involved for AT LEAST 18 months - to support the mother and to PROTECT her baby and give a GOOD START in life. A pregnant 12-13-14 or 15 year old SHOULD GET OUR ATTENTION! We should be doing MORE to support these young mothers BEFORE they have the baby - and AFTER. WE (the TAXPAYER) can and should try to STOP the cycle of teenage pregnancy for ALL GIRLS, regardless of their lifestyle, religion or background.---
If the FLDS had experienced ANY SMALL restrictions - even been asked just a question or two, or have been required to follow LAWS already on the books MOST of the YFZ Ranch situation could have been averted years ago. Everyone has been so focused on "not persecuting" the FLDS that they have failed to see clearly that the REAL issues with the FLDS that make us all sick are NOT RELIGIOUS AT ALL, but instead AGAINST THE LAW. The FLDS tries to hide CRIMINAL ACTS behind religion (which has worked for 100 years) but FINALLY they are being FORCED to justify ABUSE and FRAUD and CRIMINAL ACTS as having even the slightest connection to "acts of FAITH".
We don't need to create new legislation, attack plural marriage or do anything radical or different. NO-ONE cares about the sex lives or religion of CONSENTING ADULTS! NO-ONE cares if the kids watch TV are dressed in conservative clothes or pray to Warren Jeffs. THE FLDS can CONTINUE to do every single ritual and act of faith they have done for 100 years - every one which is not CHILD ABUSE, FRAUDULENT or CRIMINAL. This is about LIES AND ABUSE, ABUSE of the SYSTEM, ABUSE of WOMAN, ABUSE of CHILDREN....and the LIES that come from those ILLEGAL acts. ALL the WE have to do is put some teeth into the laws we have and INSIST that our Atty's General, LE, CPS and judges UPHOLD THOSE LAWS!
Take away the forced isolation,money and the lies and the control - add a little attention, oversight and public/LE scrutiny and the FLDS may continue to exist, but only as a polygamous fringe church full of aging members talking about the "good ol' days". Like black mold, (and most ugly, nasty things that will make you sick), the FLDS only survives hidden away in the dark spreading its sickness with unseen spores that infect and slowly kill anyone who keeps breathing the poisoned air. Just like mold, if you deal with the FLDS by ripping out the walls that hide and shelter it, expose it to air and light, treat the poison air, and bleach everything it has touched clean, the blackness can no longer grow and be spread. You don't have to destroy the whole house (FLDS) to solve the problem...just really clean house, open it up to the bright sun, rip out the infected/ruined parts and replace them and continue to control and monitor the environment and you haven't over-reacted, focused on the STYLE of the house or made the house different - but the thing that was making everyone sick - even killing them slowly - is gone.
My Opinion
