A big mess

I've been following the news about the raid on the FLDS ranch in Texas rather closely the last couple of weeks, partly because I am LDS, partly because I am from Utah where the FLDS group originated, and mostly because last summer we moved back to Utah after living in San Angelo, Texas, 45 miles north of their ranch. I never saw the FLDS temple when we drove through Eldorado on our trips to San Antonio. I don't think it's visible from the highway. But I've joked (probably inappropriately) that it was our closest temple--the San Antonio and Lubbock LDS temples were both three hours away. My emotions have been snagged by the whole situation. Here are some of my thoughts about it (with apologies to Kathie, who has heard most of them already).

First, Texas had to act when they got the phone calls from the 16-year-old girl. Even if those calls turn out to be a hoax, they still had to act. And I think their warrants will hold up because of the evidence they have, even without the girl. I'm glad they acted. I think it was the right thing to do. But I'm not sure they are handling the whole situation very well. They learned a few lessons from Waco, but I really, really don't think they know quite how much of a mess they've gotten themselves into.

Second, the children are not the only victims here. They are the ones who most need to be protected, but I feel for the mothers too. Many if not all of them are just believing and doing and saying what they've been taught. I read something last week that suggested they should have let the women and children all stay on the ranch and filed restraining orders against the men to keep them away until the perpetrators can be prosecuted and punished. I guess that is often what is done in "normal" abuse situations. Might have saved Texas a whole lot of headaches if they had done something like that instead. I would think finding appropriate and helpful foster care for all of those kids is going to be difficult.

Third, despite the mess, I feel good about the judge who is handling the custody hearings, cases, etc. I didn't know who she was, but I read an article about her that indicated she has deep experience with family law in Texas, and she doesn't put up with lawyers or anyone else in her courtroom who don't have their ducks in a row. She's been in my prayers as much as anyone. I remember the family law class I took at BYU and how we just kind of skimmed through the different kinds of issues that could come up. I remember barely acknowledging how ugly and complicated some of those issues could become. They were probably nothing compared to this.

Fourth, I'm sad about how this is affecting the Church, especially in San Angelo. I know we've overcome worse, and we'll get past this and the stone will keep rolling forth (Daniel 2:31-45), but stuff like this being linked to the Church seems a big step backward from all the good will and progress we made during the Olympics and during President Hinckley's time as prophet and president. My good friend is the Relief Society president in our San Angelo ward. She says the press down there has handled it very poorly. Evangelical Southern Baptists already think the worst of us. This just doesn't help. I really feel for the missionaries there, and everywhere really, who have to deal with the flak from this. Jeff says maybe it'll give them more opportunities to talk to people, but I still feel for them.

Lastly, a lot of people (including my husband) are calling foul on Texas, saying they've violated the constitutional rights of the FLDS people--their freedom of religion and their rights to due process, etc., etc. My legal expertise amounts to nil, but I say, "Baloney." Even though Texas probably doesn't know what they've gotten themselves into, I believe they have and will continue to try resolve this situation within proper legal boundaries and for the purpose of protecting and doing their best by those children. I could be wrong, but if I am, I still believe justice will prevail. Above all though, the rights of the children to not be physically or sexually abused eclipses the rights of their parents to worship how they please. Abuse shouldn't be excused or hidden behind freedom of religion.

Edit: Deseret News coverage here, San Angelo Standard-Times coverage here