I've been watching the news about the plight of the FLDS women and children in El Dorado, Texas with interest. I should make it clear that I do not condone how the men of that religious group treats their women, and mostly their young women. There seems to be a lot of evil happening there. That concerns me and it needs to be handled. Yet, the same entity which needs to take care of that problem, is grossly mishandling it right now.
Rounding up 400+ people, separating children from their mothers (regardless of the age of those mothers) to be placed in foster care, forcing DNA testing on all of them, and who knows how many other common-senseless acts is entirely the wrong way to handle the real issue. While it may be possible that every single mother in that group was wed and bred too young, it does not give license to our government to sever families and traumatize children, among whom are some of the mothers. If the Texas government will do it to them, other state governments might not feel so shy in the future about doing the same to some of the groups in their residence.
Our government is forgetting its place. Do they need to enforce laws and protect the innocent? Of course! That is exactly what they are supposed to do. Perhaps the Texas government officials believe that is what they are accomplishing. Individual rights, though, are being trampled by a heavy-handed officiary, and there should be a public outcry against their methods. They need to be taken to task. Officials (including judges where necessary) need to be released from their government duties and possibly serve jail time for their miscarriage of justice. Due process is being ignored because someone feels compelled to flex their political muscle. If they are willing to do it to them, who says you, or I, won't be next?
Our laws are set up to handle crime on a case by case basis. Gathering DNA samples on more than 400 individuals might be necessary to accomplish that. But tearing apart mothers from their children is not necessary to do that. Don't punish the innocent with bureacracy because you are trying to build your case. Gather up the men and put them in jail and take the time necessary to build your case (assuming, of course, you have just cause). You can put a halt to illegal behavior in that manner just as well.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Ethan,
It amazes me that the only two men that I know of who have been charged with anything were arrested on the day of the raid and were charged with obstructing an investigation. No one has been charged with abuse at all - not to mention the fact that the phone call was fraudulent!
I can understand why the government would go this route with their terribly botched experience with Waco several years ago. It had some of the same markings and they didn't want the same catastrophe to take place. Perhaps it is better for them to take the safe side - however, once it was established that it wouldn't be another Waco they should have stopped treating it like one and returned the children, conducted their investigation and arrested those to be charged with a crime.
They need to return to the rule of law instead of trying to be God in this case.
Those are my two cents. Thanks for your post - I couldn't agree with you more.
Ken
Post a Comment