Where are the Protestors

Where Are the Protests? We as a society protest injustices all the time, but we no nothing about the Texas courts decision towards the children of the FLDS?

The children of the FLDS are being sent back home to their compound in Texas. They’re being sent back home into a closed off society that’s core tenants dictate the subjugation and physical and mental abuse of its members. They are being sent back into a cult where they are brainwashed from birth that it is OK for a creepy old man with 10 other wives to rape little girls continually for the rest of their lives, and not is it only OK, but it is their only way to heaven.
Now there are a whole bunch of arguments about the immediacy of danger to these children, etc., that the courts in Texas used to make this decision under, which concentrated on the rights of the parents.

We somehow view this as an issue solely of the rights of the parents. How could we take away these parents children? (These parents that wouldn’t admit which kids were theirs). These parents that live in a society pretty much based on breaking the law (last time I checked, polygamy and child rape were still crimes). Somehow these parents’ rights reign paramount.
But what of the rights of the child? We as a society would not leave a little girl with her mother and father after we knew the father had abused her older sister, but this is what we seem to be doing with the FLDS children. There is not simply one mother and one father. There is a father and many mothers. The mothers have very little control over the futures’ of their children. Instead, the father’s will dictates the course for his children. When he decides to marry wife A’s little girl off, this reflects on the safety of wife B’s little girl. We seem to forget this. This is not a normal family structure on one father and one mother. This is a society based on the subjugation and dehumanization of its female populous. And let us not forget the underlying tenant of corrupted control. The man controls his household and his many wives and the religious leader in this community holds ultimate sway to marry of little girls and kick out little boys so he has more little girls to go around for his fellow old men to “marry” and rape. This is not a normal family structure, unless you are thinking of family in terms of a mafia family, where the don reigns supreme to abuse his underlings as he sees fit (Of course, even the mafia seemed to have some honor code that is completely lacking from the FLDS).

We know girls are married off at ridiculously young ages. To claim otherwise is to just completely break with reality. We have women who have fled this community and have spoken of their ordeals, yet we ignore them. We have a religious leader in jail for assisting of the rape of a 14 year old girl, and facing future prosecution on the same matter, but still we ignore the true threats that these children face every day.

And it is not just the known physical threat that every girls faces that she will be married off as a child to some older man who will be able to rape her according to his whim. There is also the constant emotional and mental threat that is quite imminent and harmful. These children are taught from birth that women are chattel and that it is only through these “spiritual marriages” that they can reach heaven. They are taught that it is only through subjugation and acceptance of abuse that God will somehow accept them into heaven. The boys are taught to abuse. They are pulled into the hold of the corrupted power that men wield over their “wives.” They are taught that the objectification and degradation of women is necessary for them to attain heaven.
Let us be honest with ourselves. Setting aside the relativist view that we are taught in modern society that all cultures have value and should be treated with respect, the type of system built into the FLDS teachings thrives on inequity and corruption. It is a society that mut kick boys out so men can have enough wives. It is a society where men must shut off any desire for a marriage based on equality and respect and partnership, for such a thing cannot be had in a polygamous marriage. Polygamy inherently puts women at a disadvantage and in an inferior position of power, particularly in a society that so curtails a woman’s rights to control her life. To claim otherwise, is to simply lie to yourself.

But perhaps that is what we as a society are doing in regards to the FLDS community. If we were to pass judgment on them, would we have to pass judgment on other religions? What kind of slippery slope would we find ourselves on?

Let us simply step back into reality and look at the facts. This is not a religion, it is a cult. It maintains its power by continual brainwashing and seclusion from outside society. It maintains itself by lying to authorities and intentionally trying to hide what they are doing from outsiders. They know society views their actions as wrong. I think some part of themselves probably tells them that what they do is wrong. But the men ignore it, getting drunk off the corrupted power they wield over the women in their lives.

I have discussed this topic with many people and I continually hear similar responses. “But there really isn’t proof that all these girls would be married off under age.” There is ample evidence of underage marriages. After all, isn’t that why Warren Jeff’s is in jail? “Our constitution guarantees us freedom of religion.” Any individual who studies constitutional law will tell there are limits to freedom of religion. The breaking of laws designed to protect the innocence and safety of children clearly falls into the realm of what is not protected. “As long as it involves two consenting adults, it is completely fine, and we don’t know for sure that they really are married off young.” These types of responses allow us to ignore reality and allow us to cloak our inaction in terms of tried and true phrases that really do not apply in this instance. To consent to something requires choice. When an individual is brainwashed from birth that they must marry into these polygamous marriages, their ability to choose has been removed. Instead, they are coerced through continual mental abuse that there really is no other option. This is not choice, this is learned slavery. And again, the evidence is pretty overwhelming that underaged marriages occur. “Young girls get pregnant all the time, how are these girls so different?” Well, for one, we as a society tend to view any underage pregnancy is bad and there are many groups out that make concerted efforts to prevent it. And most of these under aged pregnancies usually involve some choice by the under aged girl (Now, whether there was coercion involved is an entirely other matter). So when you step back and look back at the reality of it, there really is no reason we as a society shouldn’t be working to actively break up these FLDS groups and integrate its children into society.

But still we as a society do nothing. Where is the uproar? Where are the women’s groups that protest the right to abortion on the grounds of personal autonomy? Do the rights of these little girls not matter to them? Do these little girls’ freedom to choose what to do with their own body’s not matter? Why are they not in the streets protesting? Why are they not working to get civil rights lawyers to defend these children?

Where are the religious groups that so strenuously protest abortion or gay marriage or any other action they view as bad for the moral fabric of society? Isn’t the systematic abuse and brainwashing of women and children bad for society? I would think so. For those of the Christian bent, Christ remarked that it a sin to even lust after another man’s woman. Some religious scholars have hypothesized, and I tend to agree, that the point of this admonishment rests on the objectification of the women involved that results from this lust. Where is the What Would Jesus Do movement? I am pretty sure he wouldn’t be saying, yeah its cool to rape little girls and brainwash them into believing that the fate of their immortal souls rests on a polygamous marriage (especially as his teachings tend to run counter to polygamy, what with the whole two become one thing, not eight become one). Instead, Jesus would be advocating to protect the little children.

And what about the Church of the Latter Day Saints? Why are the Mormon’s not stepping forward to protest? I know they disavow any connection to the FLDS, but they share a common history. The modern Mormon church may not practice polygamy, but they did in the past and what we see in the FLDS is the corruptive nature of that practice. How do they not feel some responsibility for these children? Do they somehow fear being tied in society’s eyes to FLDS if they speak up? Honestly, I would disconnect you more if you actively worked to remove the children from any FLDS member and worked to end the FLDS all together. Instead, the FLDS sits out there like a skeleton in the LDS closet that’s door has been open for the world to see.

Where are the political leaders? The men and women that we have instilled with the authority to oversee the protection of the citizenry? I know we as a society have become pretty jaded about politicians, but shouldn’t we require that our politicians at least make a token effort to protect children? Where is Obama with his pretty speeches on change? Why isn’t he talking of this injustice that needs to be changed? Where is Hillary with history of women’s rights and having a village raise the child? Are we just going to ignore these children? Where is McCain and his speeches on all of us being the children of God? Are these children somehow not the children of God? Do they fear rocking the boat? How can we ever trust a politician to lead this country if he or she cannot even speak out against such an obvious and horrible wrong?
And where are you? Why aren’t you educating yourself on what happens in these FLDS compounds and cities and why aren’t you telling your friends that it just wrong to idly sit by and do nothing, that instead, we as a society should just say that it wrong.

Disgusted by Texas

So the appellate judges in Texas decided that teaching girls that their only path to heaven is to submit to rape by an old creepy man with 10 other wives and teaching boys that it is their job to rape little girls and having a religious leader in jail for assisting in the rape of a 14 year old girl and living in an environment where it obvious that people are brainwashed was not enough of an imminent danger to remove all the kids.

So, according to the judge's reasoning, when little jane's sister is raped and beaten by her dad, jane can't be taken away, because there is no imminent danger to her. That is just stupid. Or when daddy dearest is a big old drug lord who deals drugs out of his house, protective services have no right to remove his kids. After all, the sect is breaking the law every day, yet somehow they should get to keep and abuse their kids?

Judges, you disgust me and I hope you can't sleep at night. When you pass on to your just desserts and go to those pearly gates, St. Peter will just shake his head in disgust and ask how could you do that to those kids? Do you have no common sense? And then likely contemplate kicking you on down to hell.

I'm going to pretty much say polygamy is wrong and is inherently abusive to the women and children living under it and that every second in this cult called FLDS puts the children under imminent danger, both physical and mental. If you say otherwise, I sincerely doubt your intelligence and am pretty sure I don't want you in my country.

I hope the Supreme Court of Texas is smarter than it's appeals court, because right now God is surely not blessing Texas.

Apparently the Government Wants Us to Die

So some company (Creekstone Farms) wants to test all beef for madcow disease out of their own pocket, in part so they can sell to Japan. Who could oppose this? Who would say, gee company you should not make your product more safe for consumers? Well, apparently our government, the Agricultural Department to be exact. That is right, our government wants to prevent a company from being more safe.

Apparently, they want us to get mad cow disease. I am not sure why they want us to get mad cow disease, but they do.

I am really confused as to why they are doing this. But I do not want mad cow disease so I would like the government NOT to sue people to prevent private companies from keeping us safe.

Really, this is just stupid and should be on every news channel across the U.S.

yay CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/05/09/mad.cow.testing.ap/index.html

Solution to Solving the Recession

So here is my very simple solution to staving off a recession here in America: Buy American and do not buy Walmart.

Why, you may ask would this act as a solution?
Well, for one, if you buy American, Americans would be employed (You would also generally get a higher quality product for your money, but that is another story). If Americans are employed, they would have money to buy things. They would then buy things (preferably more made in america stuff) and a glorious cycle would be created. We also would reduce our trade deficit, which would strengthen our dollar, which would lead to many benefits like lower gas prices.

So why am I asking you to say no to Walmart?
Well, for one they are one of the driving forces behind the Made in China America we live in today and I believe in punishing them for this. Also, they can afford healthcare for their workers and don't give it to them thereby creating a drain on the healthcare system. Over 70% of their products are Made in China (the rest is made in other third world countries, I don't think a single thing there comes from the US). How many American jobs do you think they have cost us (excluding the jobs lost when they move into a town and drive our mom and pop stores thereby ruining the American culture and work ethic)? Also, the stuff in your house wouldn't be crap because it wouldn't come from Walmart.

So that is my simple solution: Buy American and not Walmart

Stupid Religious Ignorance Bothers Me

So some of you might be expecting some diatribe about respecting others religious choices (I am generally for this except for FLDS and Scientology and any other religion that preaches craziness and oppression - they don't deserve respect), but I instead I am about to focus on Christianity and interpretation of the New Testament.

So there is this website: http://www.ihatemymarriage.us/ It is hosted by new spring chuch (I will now call this church and all churches like it Ignorant Christian Church, or ICC for short). So ICC has made this website that discusses the way to an appropriate marriage. ICC says that to achieve this marriage you must follow the bible, in particular the parts of the bible that talk of submission of women to their husbands. A lot of ICCs of different denominations use certain versus of the bible to put women in an inferior position (including catholocism). Usually this stems from the inerracy of the bible (i.e. everything in the bible is right).

I am going to address the flaw of this argument. In my mind God does not ask for ignorant faith and I feel this is what churches that push inerracy asks for. Now, most of these anti-female verses of the bible are from Paul. He wrote the Corinthians, etc. Many people have no idea who Paul was.

I will tell you. Paul was a persecutor of Christians. He converted to Christianity after he came across Christ after Christ had risen from the dead. After his conversion he became a church leader and wrote many letters to churches on how to run themselves. Some of the anti-female verses in Corinthians even seem to be added later (some though admittedly come from Paul).

Now let me explain why this does not matter. Christ spoke of equality. He welcomed women amongst his followers. He never established anywhere the concept of women being inferior to men or their husbands. Christs words are the words in red in the bible. Guess what, the anti-female words of the new testament are not in red.

What does this mean? It means when we say that Pauls teachings that contain an anti-female bent are to be followed we are awarding them more authority than the teachings of Christ. This is what inerracy and ignorance gets you.

What do I suggest? Religious knowledge. Know where the books of the bible come from and realize what they are. Recognize that these writers may have biases because they are products of their time, but that we as individuals with minds able to think should look at these writings for what they are. Men close to Christ trying to determine how their church should be run after Christ had left. We should give weight to their words, but also recognize that they have biases. When an issue is called into question, we must fall back on the words in red and search for the truth.

Now boys, I know this may scare you. But why must you be in charge of your wife? Can't you have logical discussions to reach a conclusion? Or are you afraid you might not get what you want?

We saw what happens when men are given crazy authority over women (hint, FLDS child rape). No one should be given control over another. We as humans just cannot handle it. Equality is really what me strive for to prevent abuses of power.

Pope, contact me when you have decided to allow Catholics to think on their own. We'll talk.

Religious Public School? Violate the Constitution Much?

So I am a pretty big proponent of the constitution. You know, it protects my rights and all that. Now some people say that the raid on the child abuse cult named FLDS is against the constitution. I say that is crazy. They have tried pretty hard to follow the constitution. What with responding a call, seeking appropriate permission from the courts, delaying charging any of the men until they have solidified the proof, etc.

However, there is something in our country that is completely counter to our constitution and no one is talking about it. I am talking about a Muslim Charter School in Minnesota.
(For article discussing the school go to: http://www.startribune.com/local/17406054.html).

The school is a public school, funded by the government, that is run by an Imam and follows Muslim religious teachings included prayer, not prayer time, but organized prayer led by a muslim religious leader, and a class in islamic teachings, which though apparently not mandatory and at the end of the day is essentially mandatory as no buses come until after the class, teachers must stay for it, and students essentially forced to sit in the room until it is done. They also are being pretty secretive and won't let in people who want to investigate whether it actually is impermissibly teaching religion (from all that I have read, I am going to guess yes).

So I am going to say violation of the constitution. Now, I am all for religious schools. I went to one as a child and will probably send my child to one, but at a public school, where one religion is put forth and forced upon the students, I am pretty much going to say that is against the constitution.

Where are people standing up in outrage at this one?

FLDS

So American Media is annoying me right now. Why because they are not blatently condemning the poylgamists at that crazy Yearning for Zion ranch in Texas.

Now, no one say religious freedom, because if you do, you are an idiot. Religious freedom only goes so far and anyone with sense should say that forcing 15 yr old girls to marry old men pretty much crosses the line. If you disagree, you may be too dumb to live. Just saying.

I have been following this story because to me it is a failure of America that we have allowed this exist in our midsts. We are allowing this child abuse to continue and we are excusing it. Just go see CNN's coverage of this. The last few days they have almost seemed to be garnering sympathy for these people, these people who are abusing children.
go to this site and read the captions for the pictures: http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/12/polygamy.suspect/index.html

This is what America should be saying loud and clear (or at least something close to this great Texam quote):
“It's pretty jacked up, marrying those young kids,” Jason Evans said. “Down here in Texas, we feel the value of our daughters. I won't go so far as to say they [FLDS men] should be killed. But I do think they should be put in jail.”
http://www.sltrib.com/polygamy/ci_8908640

In the name of political correctness, we are allowing the ruin of these girls (and boys - search for FLDS lost boys) and the complete destruction of their innocence and any chance of choice these girls could have.

Any American that does not raise their voice in protest should be disgusted with themselves.

Now, I condemn polygamy in general since it inevitably leads to inequality in the marriage (here's a great example) and I am pretty sure that Christ would not be ok with it (I admit to a Christian theological bent, I am not ashamed - I did a lot of research of the scholarly persuasion into Christianity before I made my decision, much more than most atheist or "maybe there is some God out there" individuals have done in reaching their religious views), but even if you aren't opposed to polygamy (because, say, you give up personal morals in the name of being open-minded).

Anyway, my complaint today? Americans who aren't disgusted by the FLDS and their practices and every person of authority in areas near other compounds who aren't stepping up and crushing this practice.