Tally of kids in polygamist sect grows to 401 -- how does this happen?

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  Posted by pixie Wed Apr 9, 2008 8:13am PDT

  All religion is mind control to some extent,this just shows to what a horiable extent it can go to. People are so ignorant about life and makeing their own choices they run to anything that offers an easier way of life and someone to tell them what to do and believe. It's a scary scary sad way of life. If there is a god I'm sure she/he would be very sad with the way the crazy people try to manipulate things for thier own proffet and use. I live in a town with 2 such cultish so called churches,the woman have long hair,wear dresses or long skirts,no makeup...the are lead by very manipulative people and families. I have no respect for these "sheep" who can't make their own decisions.

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  Posted by Cathy Wed Apr 9, 2008 8:49am PDT

  I thank the goverment knew what was going on and they just didn't care.

  Because all that money was going into there back pockets!

  And I fell sorry for all the children!

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  Posted by b Wed Apr 9, 2008 9:20am PDT

  Why is everyone pretending they are surprised? There's been a lot of press about this particular sect. Notice there are no boys in the photos? They cull the teenaged boys out for minor infractions like video games....so all the young girls are available for older matches. Those kids are shunned. If you look up "lost boys", you should find something about it.

  I find something inherently cruel about a sect that allows the marriage of a man and a woman....and her sister. Or a man, a woman, and her daughter. Usually, there's a little friction among the females in a family-whether it's positive or negative depends on the circumstance, and this is the worst possible application that I can imagine. What a head-game.

  I think the reason they are so cloistered is so the women can't say "Hey, wait a minute!" and shwack the men.

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  Posted by Andrea M Wed Apr 9, 2008 10:21am PDT

  I am feeling a bit of what everyone is saying but we forget someone a generation or two made that decision and now these women and girls are being put through this drama because of it.

  Also I can understand how something like this can go unoticed someone said earlier if they are peaceful and not bothering anyone outside of that community why should anyone bother them. I feel sorry for the mental and emotional trials they have yet to go through now that everything has been put on blast.

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  Posted by KimberlyP Wed Apr 9, 2008 10:42am PDT

  I am still in shock that this was let to go this far before someone stopped them did we learn nothing from the WACO problem. Never let it get this far again. These children saftly should had been someone 1st thought when they put the leader in jail.

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  Posted by Mama Bear Wed Apr 9, 2008 10:45am PDT

  Colorado City is actually in Arizona, on the northern border, and very remote. I was a dispatcher for the Mohave County Sheriff's Office, which had jurisdiction in the area. This was about 20 years ago. We had a resident deputy who, of course, lived there. It was a running joke in the office about Sam's many wives and children, but had I known the conditions under which they lived, I would not have laughed. We had a few of the "lost boys" drift in to Kingman from time to time. There was no men's shelter or homeless services at the time. More often than not, they ended up in juvenile detention or at the county jail. The full impact of what had been taking place up there just floored me. It was years after I'd worked there that everything with Ms. Jessup broke loose. I've just finished reading her book, "Escape," and cannot imagine the hell these women have gone through. I feel even more for their children, they are going to have to endure culture shock as well. In 1954, two hundred children were separated from their families in Colorado City for the same reasons, in an effort to eradicate polygamous families.

  The strange thing is, I don't have any problem with how many of what gender permanent partners someone has, but mutual consent and wellbeing of the children (physical and emotional health) must come first. I have encountered several good group marriages over the years, and what makes them good is that decisions are shared, childred are loved, and mutual respect reigns. Definitely not for everyone, I prefer my boring old monogamous relationship myself. My one husband is high-enough maintenance; I couldn't handle more than that. And I think that any man who is crazy enough to have more than one menstruating woman, other than daughters, in his home needs therapy in a serious way to get him over that case of masochism.

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  Posted by John Wed Apr 9, 2008 10:53am PDT

  I think Americans who say, "How can this happen?" are quite naive. How could the Christian Identity Movement, the Order, and a multitude of white supremicist groups happen? How could the Black Panthers, the Nation of Islam, the El Rukns happen?

  Then there's Scientology, ECKKANKAR, Raelism,

  Then there was Heaven's Gate, the People's Temple, Aum Supreme Truth.

  There may not have been as many, but children were / are affected by these organizations.

  Google some of these organizations.

  This is another example, the Amish. They believe in biblical separation on steriods. They won't be seeing this blog. And if my Amish neighbor pays his taxes minds his own business... will I look the other way if he should spank his child with a wooden rod? Think about it. I have a great deal of admiration and respect for the Amist but they too have splinter groups and have fine lines in their beliefs.

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  Posted by fred f Wed Apr 9, 2008 10:54am PDT

  There seems to be an outlook of "if it does not effect me it is none of my business". Well it is everyone's business. If you see children,women or for that matter ANYONE being taken advantage of you should speak out. It is unbelievable that this still is going on. The balme goes to everyone in the city who knows this was going on and did nothing. When will we as citizens of this world stop worring about petty things and start worring about the children who lives are effected in these types conditions? shame on us all,Including me.

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  Posted by Leticia Wed Apr 9, 2008 10:55am PDT

  People don't want to get involved. Ofcourse people knew and saw but they feel as if it is not affecting them then they have nothing to do with it. Now had one of their daughter's been in this group it would have been a different story. On the outside they were not breaking any laws so what was going on on the inside did no matter. It is sad but everyday people turn their backs on things like this, that is America.

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  Posted by Whisper35816 Wed Apr 9, 2008 11:04am PDT

  I feel the most for the children because the last count said 416 children where do you think those kids are going? Over filled underfunded mostly uncaring foster parents. I lived in Foster Care all my life you want to talk about Culture Shock these kids are in for it and yet not. The abuse that noone talks about in the sects also happens in the foster care system and in never talked about as well. These kids are going to be used to this but how is that going to help them? Its not its going to make them think there original home wasnt so bad. You also have to wonder if there is even enough homes for these children if not where are they going to go? These poor children. These people are sick and have sick minds and we allow them to continue breeding.

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