Warren Jeffs FLDS compound in Texas surrounded by police

[Sally]

I don't think anyone wishes to have them go back to the criminal aspect of their lives. I think some are concerned about the upheaval in the process of removing them. If not done correctly could be very psychologicaly damaging.

ETA: when I say them, I'm referring to the children.

I've been trying to keep up with this thread while working for the past couple of days. What a fascinating topic!

I read "Under the Banner of Heaven" a few years ago. Have also seen a few documentaries about the FLDS groups. All I can say is it's about time this raid happened.
It may well be psychologically upsetting to the children for a while, but with counseling they will adjust and be so much better off.
These groups are like a festering sore that need to be wiped out. Permanently.

 

[SuziQ]

http://www.kutv.com/content/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=c927e8f3-08a9-4e34-96a2-7805a248652b

Authorities who raided a polygamist compound in Texas last week issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for the man accused by a 16-year-old girl of rape and physical abuse. (more at link)

 

[golfmom]

I think that the younger children will rebound fine. I'm concerned about the older children and women. Many will be faced with a choice of whether to continue their lives living within a secret sect or change. The older ya get, the harder it is to change.

 

[nanandjim]

I think that the younger children will rebound fine. I'm concerned about the older children and women. Many will be faced with a choice of whether to continue their lives living within a secret sect or change. The older ya get, the harder it is to change.

If I had somewhere to go, I think that I would go there if I were a teenage girl. I would not want to marry an old guy just so he could have sex with me.

 

[Leila]

http://www.kutv.com/content/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=c927e8f3-08a9-4e34-96a2-7805a248652b

Authorities who raided a polygamist compound in Texas last week issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for the man accused by a 16-year-old girl of rape and physical abuse. (more at link)

Interestingly, there's a poll at that link asking if the Texas authorities were right to raid the compound. 83% said "Yes, polygamy is illegal" to 17% who said, "No, they should be allowed to practice their religion."

I read earlier that there may be a mistake in regards to the husband of the 16-year-old girl who originally reported the abuse. There may be more than one person by that name - her husband may be a relative of Dale Barlow that shares the same name.

 

[Masterj]

I listened to a noon report on MSNBC.
Looks like Glow and a few others will get their wishes and have their concerns settled with little of no seperation of the girls and their moms and the children and their moms.:furious:

Glow,
How nice of you to want the raped and sexually abused young women to go back to the compoud.
(You must not have daughters to care so little.)

This post is incredibly out of line, IMO. I think you should take a deep breath and try to read Glow's previous posts without letting emotion come into play. Just because she looks at the situation from a different angle than you, certainly doesn't mean that she cares so little. What an awful thing to imply, especially when Glow has repeatedly attempted to explain her opinion in a polite and respectful manner.

 

[golfmom]

http://www.kutv.com/content/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=c927e8f3-08a9-4e34-96a2-7805a248652b

Authorities who raided a polygamist compound in Texas last week issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for the man accused by a 16-year-old girl of rape and physical abuse. (more at link)

Suzi, did you catch the link I put up this morning? I guess there's some dispute as to whether he's the right "Barlow" male.

 

[mysteriew]

One thing I have been wondering about is whether there will be any effort to determine if any of the women are mothers or "sister mothers" to any of the "lost boys". Considering the way they were raised to believe that "outsiders" are so bad, I am wondering if perhaps allowing some contact with their "lost boys" would help to reassure the mothers that life outside is not so bad. That they can live and thrive outside.

It wouldn't be strangers who were talking about life outside, it would be their children. Of course I don't know how it would affect the boys, and that would have to be taken into account.

 

[SuziQ]

Suzi, did you catch the link I put up this morning? I guess there's some dispute as to whether he's the right "Barlow" male.

Yes, and I find it very interesting that an arrest warrant was issued in spite of that.

 

[Moe]

I listened to a noon report on MSNBC.
Looks like Glow and a few others will get their wishes and have their concerns settled with little of no seperation of the girls and their moms and the children and their moms.:furious:

The MSNBC reporter said this 'cult' lawyers up big time so they can keep things nice and locked up at the compound.

So far, the reporter said LE found-- IN THE COMPOUND--- sexual toys used on the girls aged 12,13,14,15,16. :furious:
Glow,
How nice of you to want the raped and sexually abused young women to go back to the compoud.
(You must not have daughters to care so little.)

Sex toys, oh my as if this story wasn't bad enough. Those poor children! If your a praying type please do.

 

[golfmom]

Yes, and I find it very interesting that an arrest warrant was issued in spite of that.

I wasn't sure if it was a smoke screen or a legitimate complaint. DNA will tell. Regardless, besides it sounds like they've gotten plenty of evidence that the complaint was valid. Any girl under the age of 16 pregnant or with a baby is proof of the initial allegations.

 

[Moe]

Okay, I'm ready for the hearing to be over now, the judge has to make an immediate decision here, I hope.

 

[Leila]

Logistics: At the present time there's a total of 555 people, 139 adult women and 416 children who've been removed from the Texas compound. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to maintain that many people together for a long period of time.

Depending on the outcome of the April 17th hearing, it would probably be better in the long term to break the group up into smaller (much smaller) groups and disperse them to other counties in the state. It's a burden for one county to handle that many people and cases. It also doesn't allow individuals to be counseled and deprogrammed if they are kept together. The young teenage mothers and their babies should go into foster homes. Those who are of adult age - 18 and over - will need public assistance, along the same lines as woman shelters for women who are leaving abusive relationships. But, in this case, these adult women will need much more.

One reporter on the scene last night said many of the adult women are actually young adults, 18 and a few years older.

Since the compound is dependent on the women being on welfare and the church using their welfare payments for the community, those welfare payments can go to the women directly on an individual basis to help with getting them on their feet.

 

[mysteriew]

I have a question about the Az probation officer. He is totally backing Barlow up, Barlow never left the state etc. How does the probation officer know? Did he see Barlow 7 days a week? Talk to him by phone between visits? I mean it isn't like it is Austraila or that Barlow couldn't be driving down there overnight or on weekends.

 

[golfmom]

Leila, don't forget that there are children with substantial medical needs included in the group. It's also probable that the foster care system will be unable to shoulder the burden. I think that there were way more children in the compound than authorities anticipated. This will certainly be a huge financial strain on Texas. I almost wonder if it will be eligible to be declared a national disaster.

 

[golfmom]

I have a question about the Az probation officer. He is totally backing Barlow up, Barlow never left the state etc. How does the probation officer know? Did he see Barlow 7 days a week? Talk to him by phone between visits? I mean it isn't like it is Austraila or that Barlow couldn't be driving down there overnight or on weekends.

I actually wondered if the probation officer is affiliated with the sect. Remember that a Barlow was mayor at one time.

http://extras.sltrib.com/specials/polygamy/Timeline.asp

On July 26, under the direction of Colorado City Mayor Dan Barlow, a museum and monument commemorating the 1953 Short Creek raid are dedicated without approval of FLDS Prophet Warren Jeffs.

In August, FLDS leader Warren Jeffs orders museum closed and monument destroyed.

 

[Pepper]

Logistics: At the present time there's a total of 555 people, 139 adult women and 416 children who've been removed from the Texas compound. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to maintain that many people together for a long period of time.

<snip>

Since the compound is dependent on the women being on welfare and the church using their welfare payments for the community, those welfare payments can go to the women directly on an individual basis to help with getting them on their feet.

Yep. Too bad they can't arrest all the men so the women can be housed on the compound with counselors. Also too bad they can't seize all the holdings of this cult rumored to be in the hundreds of millions, and use that money for the benefit of the women and childre. Ah, in a perfect world........

 

[golfmom]

ETA: PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE. Lots of Information to discuss!

http://www.sltrib.com/polygamy/ci_8864530

SAN ANGELO, Texas - Flora Jessop wishes she was wrong.
She wishes authorities hadn't found dozens of young girls at a polygamous sect's ranch in West Texas who were already mothers or pregnant. That rumors of abuse were unfounded. That no one had to experience the upheaval that now has beset members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
But she also wishes someone - Utah and Arizona authorities, specifically - had acted long before now to stop the sect's practice of arranging marriages between young girls and older men.
"Do I wish it on them? Absolutely not," said Jessop, who lives in Arizona. "But if a child is being hurt, the authorities need to be there for the children. They deserve the right to be free from abuse, just like their parents."
Utah and Arizona authorities have said they will not prosecute polygamous relationships that involve adults - a position taken because such prosecutions would likely fail on constitutional grounds. But the two states have attacked the sect's practice of underage marriages with some success.

 

[txsvicki]

Fort Concho isn't really very large if I am remembering it correctly.

 

[mysteriew]

I actually wondered if the probation officer is affiliated with the sect. Remember that a Barlow was mayor at one time.

http://extras.sltrib.com/specials/polygamy/Timeline.asp

On July 26, under the direction of Colorado City Mayor Dan Barlow, a museum and monument commemorating the 1953 Short Creek raid are dedicated without approval of FLDS Prophet Warren Jeffs.

In August, FLDS leader Warren Jeffs orders museum closed and monument destroyed.

I hope the Az probation office is doing an investigation. I think that would be a major breach of ethics for a public servant.