Warren Jeffs FLDS compound in Texas surrounded by police

[Trino]

I think the mothers were allowed to go because once this thing got underway, CPS realized there was no way they were going to be able to place 500 children in foster care in 24 hours or so. Can you imagine? That is probably somewhere near the number of children in the entire state of California that are dealt with on a daily basis. How, in a small, rural area, are you going to handle that all at once? This is major. Someone has to look out for those babies, who better than the mothers, if it does not appear that the mothers are the abusers? Salem

What ARE authorities going to do with all of these children? They can't place them all in foster care now because there aren't enough foster homes, which is why everyone is being housed in one big facility.

 

[ttrachel04]

I'm watching the TODAY show right now, and Matt Lauer just interviewed a woman who ran away from the sect years ago. She said that in her opinion, these men are not practicing any form of religion, but they're pedophiles hiding behind a religion. She said part of the reason she's speaking out is because her daughter will be 14 soon, and is worried for her safety.

 

[Moe]

If all those young children were removed without their mother's, think of the chaos that would ensue. The kids would have been inconsolable, remember they are taught outsiders are Satan. At least they have their mother's right now, the little one's lives are crumbling around them. Imagine 401 screaming, terrified, crying kids? This way there seems to be some order. I'm really scared of what is to come, this whole story gets worse by the minute.

 

[Pepper]

But everybody please remember this is all just being handled on a local level. There is NO federal involvement at all.

And also please remember that there could have been NO more efficient way to accomplish the same thing while at the same time not trampling on peoples civil rights.

For example, cordoning off the compound and removing the adult males while leaving the women and children in their enviroment and then interviewing them would have been ...well stupid actually...then you would only have less then 100 adult males in custody. You know, the "perps"?

Much better to have upwards of 500 women and children displaced without warning. Oh yeah, much better use of manpower and money.

I take it you are being sarcastic here. This action was all about protecting the children, not arresting the men. There would have been no cause of action for removing the men since they haven't been charged with anything yet. HAD THE MEN BEEN FORCIBLY REMOVED, THEY COULD SUE FOR FALSE IMPRISONMENT, SINCE NO CHARGES HAD BEEN FILED!

I repeat, THIS WAS ALL ABOUT PROTECTING THE CHILDREN. PERIOD. As such, the children were removed from the danger. The adult mothers were given the opportunity to go with their children (very humane, if you ask me) and most did.

 

[SuziQ]

From what In remember she just gave a quick very professional reply that she didn't have that information or something similar to that.

I guess that could be taken alot of ways. I wonder if there is a rumor about cadaver dogs being used? Or if the reporter was just taking a wild guess that they might be used?

 

[sherri79]

I take it you are being sarcastic here. This action was all about protecting the children, not arresting the men. There would have been no cause of action for removing the men since they haven't been charged with anything yet. HAD THE MEN BEEN FORCIBLY REMOVED, THEY COULD SUE FOR FALSE IMPRISONMENT, SINCE NO CHARGES HAD BEEN FILED!

I repeat, THIS WAS ALL ABOUT PROTECTING THE CHILDREN. PERIOD. As such, the children were removed from the danger. The adult mothers were given the opportunity to go with their children (very humane, if you ask me) and most did.

exactly!:clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[curious1]

also from the above link...

a lot of people are beginning to question why an entire community was uprooted.

i dont feel so alone now :crazy:

I think maybe they moved them so they would not have another possible Waco on their hands. Who knows what they might have had access to in their 'community'...weapson, explosives, maybe even poison for a mass suicide. I think it was smart to remove them from their home base.

 

[curious1]

Maybe the women were removed so THEY would be protected.

And to get them away from the men (I use that term loosely) so they would feel safe to talk. It's not rocket science people. Remove the abused from the abuser and they feel safer to speak up.

 

[SuziQ]

Tom Green County usually handles about 271 abuse cases a year and now are faced with 400 additional ones all at once. More at the below link about the search warrants, FLDS attorneys, etc.

http://gosanangelo.com/news/2008/apr/08/courts-brace-onslaught-state-prepares-take/

 

[tamfish]

I live in Central Texas -- this story is HUGE here right now. I heard from a source actually in El Dorado (someone who has been campaigning to get this cult investigated for years) that in the first bus load of kids taken, there were 18 girls aged 16 and under who were pregnant.

While I certainly appreciate freedom of religion -- this is abuse, in my opinion. The girls are brought up with a limited education so that they fear leaving the compound -- if they leave, they won't be able to care for themselves. The children are taught to fear outsiders.

If this "religion" believes it is appropriate for a young, 16 year old girl to be married (against her will or choice) to a man old enough to be her father or grandfather -- to become one of his many wives -- does it not stand to reason that, at some point, a 14-year old could be married off?? 12 years old? 10??

At what point does it stop?

 

[barb0301]

I live in Central Texas -- this story is HUGE here right now. I heard from a source actually in El Dorado (someone who has been campaigning to get this cult investigated for years) that in the first bus load of kids taken, there were 18 girls aged 16 and under who were pregnant.

Those are probably the first 18 girls that were legally placed in the state's custody on Friday. That number alone would probably lead the state to believe the entire community of children were in danger. 18 under aged girls pregnant and noone in charge of keeping these young girls safe has reported to the authorities that a pedophile(s) has been raping their children? You betcha the state of TX is gonna step in and take those kids !!

 

[Moe]

I wonder what kind of medical care these poor girls get, they are still growing themselves!

 

[Trino]

Has anyone thought of the financial implications of this on the county? Just feeding 500 people each day has to be a HUGE financial burden. Does this county have this kind of money?

I realize the adult women/mothers were given the option of going with their children - very humane - but since when does a county give the parent of detained individuals (children) food and shelter? I've never heard of this before.

I'm guessing LE officials did not consider the magnitude of what they were going to encounter.

 

[nanandjim]

Has anyone thought of the financial implications of this on the county? Just feeding 500 people each day has to be a HUGE financial burden. Does this county have this kind of money? .

I have read that the wives collect public assistance anyway. So, why would it be an additional burden? I personally find this entire type of situation disgusting. A few old men in power, who have money, control an entire group of people--men and women and children. It's like shooting ducks in a pond because they isolate the group and brainwash them.

I think the age that they start picking a new victim to sexually abuse is 14 years old. They make sure that they control what these people do, think and feel. Once these youngsters start having children, there's usually no way out. The females have limited education and no "real world" skills.

I think that they are doing most a favor. It wouldn't surprise me if some of the young men are glad that there was a raid.

 

[Pepper]

I have read that the wives collect public assistance anyway. So, why would it be an additional burden? I personally find this entire type of situation disgusting. A few old men in power, who have money, control an entire group of people--men and women and children. It's like shooting ducks in a pond because they isolate the group and brainwash them.

I think the age that they start picking a new victim to sexually abuse is 14 years old. They make sure that they control what these people do, think and feel. Once these youngsters start having children, there's usually no way out. The females have limited education and no "real world" skills.

I think that they are doing most a favor. It wouldn't surprise me if some of the young men are glad that there was a raid.

EXACTLY!!:clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[curious1]

Has anyone thought of the financial implications of this on the county? Just feeding 500 people each day has to be a HUGE financial burden. Does this county have this kind of money?

I realize the adult women/mothers were given the option of going with their children - very humane - but since when does a county give the parent of detained individuals (children) food and shelter? I've never heard of this before.

I'm guessing LE officials did not consider the magnitude of what they were going to encounter.

Yes, but with most 'communities' like this they were probably already living off the local and state gov't in the form of welfare and aid programs.

 

[Pepper]

Think about it. These men have the ultimate scam going on. They have multiple wives with lots of kids. This means lots of welfare checks so the men don't have to work very hard. Now they all believe in tithing, so 10% of these welfare checks goes to the church to build their temples, buy up land for compounds, etc. The church can then pay the leaders big $$. Of course the church is tax exempt. The church can expand its sphere of influence because of all the tax exempt $$ they collect. The multiple wives and huge families insures that the fold will grow in population. The more kids the bigger the welfare checks, the bigger the tithe, etc., etc., etc.

 

[Glow]

There would have been no cause of action for removing the men since they haven't been charged with anything yet. HAD THE MEN BEEN FORCIBLY REMOVED, THEY COULD SUE FOR FALSE IMPRISONMENT, SINCE NO CHARGES HAD BEEN FILED!

I repeat, THIS WAS ALL ABOUT PROTECTING THE CHILDREN. PERIOD. As such, the children were removed from the danger. The adult mothers were given the opportunity to go with their children (very humane, if you ask me) and most did.

but they ARE holding the men.

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/details-of-sect-life-emerge-after-raid/20080404201909990001

And I don't see anything humane about telling a woman that you are taking her child and she can come along if she wants or just stand there if she doesn't.

I am not saying that some/many? of these women don't feel relief at being out of their situation. I'm sure some do.

I'm just saying that it wasn't handled right.

A good result can still occur when things are mishandled. It is possible for the two concepts to exists side by side.

 

[barb0301]

but they ARE holding the men.

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/details-of-sect-life-emerge-after-raid/20080404201909990001

And I don't see anything humane about telling a woman that you are taking her child and she can come along if she wants or just stand there if she doesn't.

I am not saying that some/many? of these women don't feel relief at being out of their situation. I'm sure some do.

I'm just saying that it wasn't handled right.

A good result can still occur when things are mishandled. It is possible for the two concepts to exists side by side.

I would say that they have been treated far more "humanely" than most mothers who have their children removed for suspected abuse. They have been allowed to accompany their children. Most mothers aren't given that choice.

I would be interested to hear how you would have seen this handled more appropriately Glow. I think we agree on the outcome, maybe just not the tactics used? I'd like to better understand how you would have seen it all being handled.

 

[Pepper]

See embedded answer

but they ARE holding the men. Holding the men is not the same as removing (arresting) the men, and this was being done until the search is complete.

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/details-of-sect-life-emerge-after-raid/20080404201909990001

And I don't see anything humane about telling a woman that you are taking her child and she can come along if she wants or just stand there if she doesn't.Then I guess you don't believe any child, regardless of the danger that child is in, should ever be removed from parental custody if abuse is suspected? We should just do away with CPS because they are heartless and cruel and just want to hurt children and their parents? Absurd.

I am not saying that some/many? of these women don't feel relief at being out of their situation. I'm sure some do. I'm just saying that it wasn't handled right. And how would YOU have done it? Keep in mind there are some Constitutional issues here. They could not remove the men - Unconstitutional.

A good result can still occur when things are mishandled. It is possible for the two concepts to exists side by side. I don't think anything was mishandled. They CPS are the professionals and they know their job and the requirements far better than any of us.