Its a fact that there are 16 yr old girls pregnant with their 3rd child. The "husbands" of these girls are abusing the girls. That alone is enough reason to arrest the husbands. (understandably its tough to determine paternity in such a secret community) Its not reason enough to round up every child and seperate them from their mothers. If they rounded them up with their mothers and provided a safe place for mother and child together it would be different, but that's not the case. Texas is playing a heavy hand by denying the women of their children. The fact that it all came about from a prank caller is also making texas look bad. The prank caller called from a cellphone in another state. The texas authorities could have easily verified the phonecall didn't originate from inside the ranch, but instead any excuse would do to raid the place. And its obvious they were intent on raiding the place. The speed at which they mobilized could only have happened with preparation in my opinion. Too bad they didn't spend just a little of that preparation time investigating the claim of the phone caller.

The media in the US has done an ok job as far as I can tell about distinguishing between the LDS and FLDS churches. Not so around the world however and the LDS church is taking the brunt of it.

A couple of my great great grandparents practiced polyandry back when the LDS church was practicing it. I don't think it would be an easy lifestyle, however they felt they were in the right to practice their religion according to the dictates of their own consciences. That antimormon sentiments were the reason for the church's eventual compliance here in a country with the most radical freedom of religion ever established is a quandry. Mormons in America have never enjoyed the full benefit of that freedom that protestants, catholics, and even jews have enjoyed. Its only in the last century that mormons have not had to fear the destruction of property, rape, and murder at the hands of common mobs, militias, and elected officials. This history is also shared by the FLDS who left the LDS church about 1930. To raid the compound as they did can't help but to add a bit to the resentment they harbor towards government already.

Polygamy not really a new thing anyway. Polyandrous relationships based on religious belief have been going on at least back to Abraham's time. The way the FLDS have been practicing it is quite different from any scriptural or historical basis that my ancestors practiced.

While I am happy to see that the FLDS community is getting a shakeup for their horrible practices of abuse, I wish it was done in a more compassionate way. There is no excuse for stealing children, while leaving the abusers in place. There is also no excuse for assuming systemic abuse without proof. Especially when the initial warrant was based on such shaky proof. We can do better than this.

This isn't a clear cut case, and there are losers on both sides no matter how it eventually shakes out.

Steve G.