Spring Break
FLDS intolerance, prejudice unjustified
Kyle Martin
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: Opinion
When was the last time you heard about a raid on the Amish? There have been several accounts of abuse and rape in their closed communities, and no raids have come to light. Those people, who are viewed as more of a tourist attraction than a threat, have just as many secrets as the members of the FLDS church do and surprisingly, they are left alone. The FLDS church is not the only secretive group that has its problems.
On that same note, what about polygamy scares people so much? Women everywhere have children from multiple partners; if it is OK to procreate with more than one person, why not keep those relationships intact at the same time?
Wouldn't it stand to reason it's better for everyone involved, as a whole, for the father to have contact and good family relationships with all his kids and their mothers?
What this really boils down to is hate. People hate these American citizens for practicing their religion. People at Eldorado passed around hats with "ELDORADO: POLYGAMY CAPITAL OF TEXAS" on them.
One person paraded around the entrance to the ranch in a grim reaper costume, and a song called "The Plural Girl Blues" has been written about the members in Eldorado.
These things don't just sound like hate to me, but hate crimes.
The point is not that the people are innocent or guilty, but that they deserve the same rights and fair treatment as every other citizen of the United States. This is being done to these people because of their religion, and almost everyone else is cheering at their demise.
It sounds familiar, and it raises frightening questions. How long until the next Inquisition? The next witch hunts? The next Holocaust? That same kind of religious intolerance fueled those horrific events. How long will it be before history repeats itself?
Kyle Martin is a Ranger beat reporter. He can be reached at kemartin21@my.actx.edu or on his blog at www.crazysoutherner.blogspot.com.
On that same note, what about polygamy scares people so much? Women everywhere have children from multiple partners; if it is OK to procreate with more than one person, why not keep those relationships intact at the same time?
Wouldn't it stand to reason it's better for everyone involved, as a whole, for the father to have contact and good family relationships with all his kids and their mothers?
What this really boils down to is hate. People hate these American citizens for practicing their religion. People at Eldorado passed around hats with "ELDORADO: POLYGAMY CAPITAL OF TEXAS" on them.
One person paraded around the entrance to the ranch in a grim reaper costume, and a song called "The Plural Girl Blues" has been written about the members in Eldorado.
These things don't just sound like hate to me, but hate crimes.
The point is not that the people are innocent or guilty, but that they deserve the same rights and fair treatment as every other citizen of the United States. This is being done to these people because of their religion, and almost everyone else is cheering at their demise.
It sounds familiar, and it raises frightening questions. How long until the next Inquisition? The next witch hunts? The next Holocaust? That same kind of religious intolerance fueled those horrific events. How long will it be before history repeats itself?
Kyle Martin is a Ranger beat reporter. He can be reached at kemartin21@my.actx.edu or on his blog at www.crazysoutherner.blogspot.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 35
Steve L
posted 4/24/08 @ 6:44 PM CST
"if it is OK to procreate with more than one person, why not keep those relationships intact at the same time?"
It is not OK to procreate with minors, thats why. (Continued…)
LL
posted 4/24/08 @ 6:47 PM CST
This is not about polygamy. Yes, I will admit that I do not understand and I have no problems if it is with consenting adults. However, this is about underage sex by a bunch of pervert pedophiles masquerading as 'prophets'. (Continued…)
mamacita
posted 4/24/08 @ 6:52 PM CST
Wow, Kyle, what a sophomoric essay. You apparently haven't done much research about this cult, have you?
This cult's leader openly preaches that his followers should hate black people and others not inside their fold. (Continued…)
about time
posted 4/24/08 @ 6:58 PM CST
I think what you are missing is the severity of the abuse, and the lack of choice to escape it. To equate that with hate of a religion is showing alot of blindness on your part. (Continued…)
Jazzy
posted 4/24/08 @ 7:19 PM CST
Kyle, have you actually done some reading on the FLDS church and some of the victims?
Here's some names you can google:
Warren Jeffs
Brent Jeffs
Fawn Holm
Kathi Jo Nicholson
The Lost Boys FLDS
Carolyn Jessop
The issue here is child brides and abuse. (Continued…)
mamacita
mamacita
posted 4/24/08 @ 8:38 PM CST
I think Kyle must have been reading FLDS propaganda, because he certainly doesn't know what he's talking about. This is a joke, right Kyle?
mamacita
mamacita
posted 4/24/08 @ 8:46 PM CST
Just one more comment:
According to Kyle's reasoning, any "religion" that harms others should be allowed to practice its faith.
Let's say my religion practices animal sacrifice and on certain occasions, HUMAN sacrifice. (Continued…)
ConcernedDad
posted 4/24/08 @ 10:27 PM CST
>The point is not that the people are innocent or guilty, but that they deserve the same rights and fair treatment as every other citizen of the United States. (Continued…)
OtherSarah
posted 4/24/08 @ 11:03 PM CST
Kyle,
Do you have a mom, or sister? Do you have a girlfriend? Is she your age? You look, to me, 21 or 22 -- assuming that photo on the first page of your essay is you. (Continued…)
Sun Shiney
posted 4/25/08 @ 12:22 AM CST
Here are some metrics for identifying cults:
http://www.neopagan.net/ABCDEF.html
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