Parents seek children
I watched yesterday as state troopers -- 10 of them, as best as I could tell -- questioned an FLDS man and woman in a parking lot across from Fort Concho, where 416 children and 139 from the sect are being held.
As the man spoke with one plainsclothes officer, he gestured animatedly. He appeared to be in his late 20s or early 30s. The officer and the man shook hands for a long time afterwards.
The woman, who was questioned separately, looked to be the same age. She was calm. At one point the officers gave her a bottle of water.
The conversation lasted about 10 or 15 minutes. The couple then got back in their white extended passenger van and drove slowly out of the parking lot.
A trooper later told a few reporters who witnessed the interaction that the van had been pulled over in a traffic stop. Asked the nature of the violation, the trooper repeated it was a routine traffic stop.
All week, law officers guarding and patroling the fort have been pulling over vehicles driven by people who appear to be from the FLDS community.
The van had a Nevada plate. I don't know why the pair came to Fort Concho.
But if they are among the unknown number of FLDS parents trying to claim children taken from the ranch while they were elsewhere on business, it may be a frustrating week.
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services has confirmed that parents are arriving and seeking to be reunited with their children. But among the many legal documents filed so far in this case, the state says that any one -- man or woman -- who wants to assert parentage of a child now in its care will have to submit to a genetic test to prove their claim. The policy apparently also applies to the women at Fort Concho and the men at YFZ Ranch.
For now, Texas officials are turning away so such parents and telling them they will have to wait until a hearing next Thursday, when 51st Judge Barbara Walther will begin making decisions about what to do with the state’s new wards.
As the man spoke with one plainsclothes officer, he gestured animatedly. He appeared to be in his late 20s or early 30s. The officer and the man shook hands for a long time afterwards.
The woman, who was questioned separately, looked to be the same age. She was calm. At one point the officers gave her a bottle of water.
The conversation lasted about 10 or 15 minutes. The couple then got back in their white extended passenger van and drove slowly out of the parking lot.
A trooper later told a few reporters who witnessed the interaction that the van had been pulled over in a traffic stop. Asked the nature of the violation, the trooper repeated it was a routine traffic stop.
All week, law officers guarding and patroling the fort have been pulling over vehicles driven by people who appear to be from the FLDS community.
The van had a Nevada plate. I don't know why the pair came to Fort Concho.
But if they are among the unknown number of FLDS parents trying to claim children taken from the ranch while they were elsewhere on business, it may be a frustrating week.
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services has confirmed that parents are arriving and seeking to be reunited with their children. But among the many legal documents filed so far in this case, the state says that any one -- man or woman -- who wants to assert parentage of a child now in its care will have to submit to a genetic test to prove their claim. The policy apparently also applies to the women at Fort Concho and the men at YFZ Ranch.
For now, Texas officials are turning away so such parents and telling them they will have to wait until a hearing next Thursday, when 51st Judge Barbara Walther will begin making decisions about what to do with the state’s new wards.
8 Comments:
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I can't help but conjure up images of German concentration camps when I read descriptions about what is going on at Ft. Concho. Is this the DFPS version of Guantanamo Bay?
Have you delved into the political aspects of this story, led by State Rep. Harvey Hilderbran? He not only sponsored legislation tweaking the marriage laws specifically targeting the FLDS, but also led a failed attempt to change certain election laws as well in order to obstruct any FLDS political ambitions in Schleicher County.
These actions go far beyond concern over polygamist and underage marriages. They are a harbinger of the new police-state reality emerging in America.
Keep up your excellent coverage.
I guess the flip side of making sure no birth records can be used to prove paternity or underage marriage, is that parents can not easily prove their parentage. What an unfortunate puzzle for the authorities! The only thing worse than all the time and money that will be spent on DNA tests to make sure children are returned to their true parents, would be children being given to people who are NOT really their parents.
I have nothing against polygamists per se - I am distantly related to the Allreds and the Blackmores. I live in an area where consenting adults can do whatever they want; you see a lot of pagan "handfastings" out here too. However, the sexual abuse of underage girls (not to mention the widespread spousal and child abuse reported by many former FLDS who escaped) has got to stop.
I'm not a supporter of the FLDS, but neither am I a supporter of the police state. Other than anecdotal accusations and a few convictions that aren't much higher percentage-wise than the general population, I'm still looking for the evidence of this "widespread" spousal and child abuse.
If patriarchal ideology, separation from the modern world, and strict religious dogma is a crime then it won't be long before the state starts rounding up Apostolics, Pentacostals, Amish, Mennonites and millions of other fundamentalists. Erase the First Amendment and begin building the concentration camps, because that's the direction such precedent-setting events as are occurring in Texas will lead.
Listening to some of the former members of the FLDS, it would be easy to get the impression that all women are feeble-minded idiots until properly programmed by modern society.
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
"Listening to some of the former members of the FLDS, it would be easy to get the impression that all women are feeble-minded idiots until properly programmed by modern society."
THIS former member is telling you (the public) not ALL former members feel that way about FLDS women -- we're just not wasting our time swimming upstream trying to convince "modern society" otherwise.
The truth is, a great many FLDS women are exceptionally strong, capable individuals. It takes more courage and strength than you might be able to comprehend just to live their lifestyle.
By the same token, if and when we/they are ready to break away, that strength and courage is right there to carry them through - especially women with children.
I found your blog through Grits for Breakfast.
I wanted to comment to give you kudos for your excellent coverage.
You're the first source I'll be checking from now on.
Have to get DNA testing to claim your child. How horrifying!
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