Despite all of the doings on Wall Street, the get-the-FLDS cottage industry continues in fine form. Today, for our entertainment, we have Andrea Moore Emmett — “award-winning journalist” and author of an anti-FLDS screed which I will not name — banging her mercenary drum, assuming the tired old list of facts not in evidence:
What is an agency, charged with the protection of children, to do when encountering the preponderance of evidence of abuse that was discovered at the YFZ compound?
Emmett apparently has no clue of the meaning or legal significance of “preponderance of evidence”. It’s impossible to tell what she means. I doubt that she knows.
As we have previously discussed, indictments in most U.S. jurisdictions (Louisiana excepted) mean nothing in terms of conviction. To be sure, it’s no fun to be indicted. And it costs a bundle to defend yourself. But between indictment and conviction or plea (if any) the accused is presumed innocent. Emmett overlooks this fact, posing questions that assume guilt.
What do you do upon the discovery of “spiritual beds” where plural marriages to underage girls were consummated to older men?
First, you honestly acknowledge that you don’t know how the bed was used. No evidence has been published that the bed in the FLDS temple was ever used to consummate anything. From what occult reservoir does Emmett pretend to know such nonsense?
What do you make of the finding that 41 children had fractured bones or “historical injuries and fractures”?
Given my own experience growing up and rearing kids in a rural area (and my knowledge that the FLDS kids were living on a ranch - duh!), I’d say 41 bone fractures demonstrate an extraordinarily attentive group of parents. Huffington Post, however, is always good for a fit of sensationalism at the expense of whoever happens to be in the way.
How do you sort out siblings from children who can’t distinguish their birth mothers from their “other” mothers?
Again, I would first learn that this is just another vicious rumor. But, having said that, I would imagine there are millions of other children across the United States who have never seen their birth mothers. What of it?
What do you make of U.S.-born children who don’t have the basics of an education? Or of children who have reportedly never seen a crayon?
Reportedly? According to what source? Are crayons a constitutional right? What if the FLDS supplied them with watercolor paints or pastels, instead? What should we make of “award winning journalists” incapable of distinguishing fact from fabrication?
In the midst of a highly charged process, much was and continues to be said about the violation of parental rights and religious rights. Noticeably absent from such accusations of rights violations, however, are concerns about basic human and civil rights of the children. Absent too is any context, including the dynamics of domestic abuse and of mind control.
Utter nonsense. The entire sorry affair was ostensibly inflicted on FLDS children and parents “for the children” 99.9% of whom, as far as can be ascertained at this distance, had no desire whatever to be taken from their parents. If CPS could have justified yanking those kids permanently, I’m sure they would have done it. Grow up, Ms. Emmett. Get a real job. Learn to mind your own business.
I won’t provide a link to Emmett’s sophomoric piece. It doesn’t deserve one.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Bob 10.09.08 at 11:37 pm
Sometimes, throughout history, we need to thank the haters and condemn the lovers. This may be one of those times, and the FLDS may benefit in the long run much more from hate than it ever would benefit from love.
Just one quick example may make the point: Jews have survived not because they were loved in the many lands where they lived, but because they were hated and despised.
This caused them to circle the wagons and increase their “ingroupness.” It worked as a survival strategy.
Today, however, many Rabbis are warning that Jews may disappear from the earth. Why? Because Jews aren’t as hated as they once were and they’re marrying non-Jews and producing children who are increasingly less Jewish. In other words, they’re being loved to extinction.
duaneh1 10.10.08 at 12:15 am
Hey they may have “discovered” a new FLDS
RanchCompound in South Dakota, checkout the Custer County Chronicle.mhojho 10.10.08 at 12:20 am
Kurt , the number is 100% of the children want thier parents,Mothers, and FATHERS too! I certainly do thank you for, your untiring efforts to defend the rights of others. heaven bless you Kurt mhojho
Pliggy 10.10.08 at 1:14 am
Ya, I was wondering who that half a child was too…
Andrea has a book to sell too ya know, she can’t use the truth now it would ruin herself confidence and ruin the faith she has in herself as one who finds strength and freedom in accusing her former church with “Too many have died, too many have lied”:
http://mormonalliance.org/casereports/volume3/part1/v3p1c07.htm
cheese 10.10.08 at 3:39 am
What do you make of U.S.-born children who don’t have the basics of an education? Or of children who have reportedly never seen a crayon?
I wonder what Emmet’s handwriting looks like and how it compares to Marrianne’s. (you know, the ‘uneducated’ little ‘plig’ girl being ’saved’ by CPS)
Chai Tea 10.10.08 at 5:12 am
Cheese,
I don’t even care about the handwriting comparison. What God looks at is the heart, and Merrianne wins hands down in that department. One is white…the other as dark as hell itself.
Guess which heart belongs to whom.
Bob, thanks for that insight into the Jews - I had never looked at things that way, although I know they’ve been hated since they were called out to be a separate people. I always heard the hatred explained because it was the Jewish nation that crucified Christ, but that does not explain the ‘world’s’ hatred of them pre-Christ - I suspect it has more to do with them being God’s chosen people and called out to be different.
I also suspect, that if all Christians were living the holy life we were called to live, religious persecution in this country would FLOURISH.
What we are seeing happen to the FLDS is just a sign of things to come for those who trust in God.
Joey 10.10.08 at 7:29 am
I commented at the Huffpo site last night below that article, and still it hasn’t appeared. It’s hard to believe such crap sensationalism can appear in a site that purports to be an authentic news source.
The temple bed rape myth was based on, well we don’t know what it was based on exactly, pure speculation, I guess, based on a rumor which was believed because of the officers’ BAD FAITH towards (bias against) the FLDS during the investigation.
More on Walsh’s testimony and the temple bed rape myth: http://blogs.sltrib.com/plurallife/2008/04/temple-beds.htm
duaneh1 10.10.08 at 9:45 am
I commented on Emmett’s column as well. This article is ridiculous! It is as if she took off on a trip to Madagascar back in early May and just returned only to find out there were indictments handed down while she was away without bothering to fill herself in on all the other events that took place.
R 10.10.08 at 10:33 am
But, having said that, I would imagine there are millions of other children across the United States who have never seen their birth mothers.
Birth fathers, maybe. But birth mothers?
R 10.10.08 at 10:48 am
There was a Baptist shelter worker or something of the sort who was the source of the crayon comment. Can’t remember her name.
R 10.10.08 at 10:50 am
Joey, duaneh, were your comments under the word limit? Did you make sure that they was in line with the commenting rules? If so, maybe you should try emailing them to see what the matter was.
duaneh1 10.10.08 at 11:04 am
R, they were within the rules, 250 word limit, I wonder if they are being chickens**t and censoring them. Maybe they realize how idioitic her column was. I mean really, the polyga-phobes are often their own worst enemy.
R 10.10.08 at 11:06 am
I registered and my comments went through. I think you should email and ask before throwing out speculations that may prove false.
duaneh1 10.10.08 at 11:27 am
Ok, I posted a shorter verions of my original comment, lets see if it gets past the moderator.
kbp 10.10.08 at 1:27 pm
R & Duaneh1,
Try keeping your comments there limited to 4 letters.
cheese 10.10.08 at 6:56 pm
Chai Tea, I’m with you! I only commented like I did because the other comment was talking about the ‘education’ thing.
Thomas Forguson 10.14.08 at 7:11 pm
A Poem for Merrianne Jessop
CPS took children from their safe nest,
Terror enterd young minds who lost a home,
Thus evil entered while peace was at rest
And scattered innocent children to roam.
Mir’cle occured at appellate level,
Children returned to loving Mother’s arms.
Judge Walther was the CPS devil,
Who sent poor Merrianne Jessop to the alarms.
Poor Merrianne Jessop spends nights alone,
Held as hostage by souless goons from state
Of CPS who act as mindless clone,
Only the just are considered as great. J
Justice comes sl0wly to the patient ones,
While FLDS roams under countless suns.
Thomas Forguson 10.16.08 at 7:47 am
Kurt; This sounds like your tirades against Barak Obama.