Nightline's Daily Line

I'm disgusted but not surprised by the judge that was wrong to begin with throwing a wrench into the process of restoring these children to their mothers. Judges today take on the legislator’s job by writing law instead of interpreting it. She was found to be wrong! The state of Texas should remove her from this case and return these children immediately! The children have already been defiled by the world, especially television! If any of the men at the YFZ ranch are found to be guilty of child rape, throw the book at them but return the children!

I am absoutely disgusted with our Justice System. It's obvious the High Court did not care about these children who are know to be abused both sexually and physically. Here I thought of all states, the high cout of Texas would have said the children stay in foster care. i am outraged. what happened to putting the children's need, care adn well being first? this FDL group -- all men and women need to be locked up with Warren Jeffs. Personally I think the FDL paid off someone on the high court to make this decision. Come on - the FLD is loaded with more money than you and I have. this is an outrage to our system. I would like to know why Children's Services is not taking this to the highest court of the U.S. these kids are better off in foster care. they are finally learning what it is like to live in the REAL world. they are getting to play with toys, go to public schools, learn what color crayons are. this makes my stomach turn knowing they will be placed back with a bunch of no good child molsters. Everyone in TX and the U.S. should be outraged and write their congressmen/woman and senators.

The issue is now beyond whether they were abused or not, the courts have spoken let those involved respect the rule of Law. They know what to do if they are not satified with the court's ruling.

This is not saying that the FLDS was(is) rigth, it is about following the rule of Law.

Allow the kids re-unite with their parents or you proceed to the next level of the courts.

Ditto what Jerry B Baker said. Judge Walther needs to find new employment when her current term ends.

CPS really stands for "Child Predator Service". They think they are a law unto themselves and Judges who are supposed to provide "due course" always rubber stamp their actions, because "who can dare to oppose 'child welfare'"? Of course when it runs amuck, civil rights are an "unfortunate casualty". Aw, too bad. :-( Two higher courts have said this is wrong, wrong, wrong, yet the Judge is still on her high horse. She should be sweeping the stables.

I don't know how Texas judges child molestation or insect or forced sex (RAPE). But where I come from all the above are illegal and carry a 5-25 year prison term and any child under 21 is permanently removed from the home and parental rights terminated.

Our constitution says to separate church and state. This also needs to be done here.

Any child over 21 has the right to coose the home they return to.

ONCE AGAIN THE U.S. GOVERNMENT OVER STEPPED THEIR BOUNDS..THERE WAS AND IS NO PROOF OF CHILD ABUSE...HOW THESE PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING TO LIVE THEIR LIVES IN NO DIFFERENT THAN THE QUAKERS OR ANY OTHER CULTURE WHO CHOOSE TO HAVE ARRANGED MARRIAGED WHETHER WE AGREE OR NOT..THAT IS THEIR CULTURE AND CHOICE..ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THE MISFITS THAT SOCIETY LET RUN AROUND STARTING GANGS AND TEEN PREGNACY...YOU CAN NOT BLAME THIS GROUP FROM NOT WANTING THEIR CHILDREN LIVING IN THIS KIND OF SOCIETY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BE DEVIANT..DRUGS..DRINKING AND JUST PLANE MISFITS...BUT IT'S OK..BECAUSE IT'S THEIR CHOICE AND THEIR RIGHT TO BE THAT WAY..PARENTS WHO HAVE NO KIND OF CONTROL OR RESPECT FROM THEIR CHILDREN THAT EAT AND SLEEP IN THEIR HOMES..BUT THEY CAN'T SEEM TO DO ANY THING WITH THEM..THERE WAS NO PROOF...I THINK THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT JUST GO ON SOMEONE MALICIOUS LIES TO HAVE SOMEONE CHILD TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM..THEY SHOULD HAVE MORE CONCRETE PROOF..THEY HAVE TRAUMATIZE THESE CHILDREN..SHAME ON THE STATE OF TEXAS....

The Texas court has apparently ruled that sexual activity (molestation) of underage children is OK, as long as it's done in the name of religion. If anyone can watch these people on TV and say they are "normal", then you need your eyes examined or maybe a new TV set.

This is sick. Anyone who turns these kids over should have their humanity questioned. Has anyone noticed the creepy voice and stepford like look. please

the person who posted these kids should be returned. you are as guilty as the parents are in abusing their children. the judge was NOT wrong. did you forget there were girls (NOT women) who were pregant when taken out. How would you feel if it was your kid? Bet you'd be outraged. i am so glad to know that child's services can go to the ranch at anytime to check on these kids and these idiots cannot leave tx. they need to shut down all fdl's and throw all in prison with warren jeffs and let this kids live a NORMAL life.

Who gave the government the right to interfere with the parental rights of these women? Who believes that the government can make better choices for the kids than their mothers? The judge ruled the right way. The government usurped a power that does not belong to it. The government bureaucracy can not keep criminals out of the streets, now they think they can be better moms than the women that gave birth to these kids? Give-ma a break ... too much government arrogance.

The state of Texas should do EVERYTHING in their power to remove these children from this insanity. If you take the religion out of it and look to see that 13, 14 and 15 year old CHILDREN are being forced to have sex and bear children with their uncles, cousins and other older "family" members. Does anyone else see the horrific cycle here? These young girls become pregnant and bring more children into the insanity and think it is Ok to then allow this to happen to their children. It comes down to a cycle of abuse, and brainwashing. Someone PLEASE save these poor kids and get their mothers some therapy. I totally disagree that these children should be returned. It is awful and these so called "leaders" should be held accountable for every count of child endangerment, rape and anything else that could put them away. How is this OK in the United States to treat women and children like this??????

They should judge each family accordingly,
and if there is an adolescent daughter in
those families who would be given to a much older man, it should not transpire.
This is just modern day assault (rape)
condoned not by the scriptures but by their sick belief system. They are practicing fornication and adultery which is sinful in the true Word of God (Holy
Scriptures). They are also practicing modern day "idol worshiping" in that they worship people like Warren Jeffs
whom they call a "prophet."

Taylor, I have no quarrel with the adults wanting to live like kooks and goofballs, but children need protection; those kids are (for the most part) not old enough to make an informed decision about marital and sexual affairs. They need to be exposed to the REAL world, as ugly as it may be. Then, when they are of legal age, they can return to the "compound" and live like wackos if they so choose.

If the children are returned to their parents and I don't think they should everyone of them should be watched at all times. Lord only knows what all has gone on in that compand.

FLDS = Polygamy & grown men having sex ("spiritual marriages") with under-aged girls;

Catholicism = predominately homosexual behavior between clergy and under-aged boys;

Judiasm = male child mutliation/circumcision.

Organized Religion = Organized
Molestation/Sexism

Dear God,
Please save me from Your followers!

I think it is wrong to return these innocent children to an atmosphere of rape and incest. Teenage girls should not be allowed to be forced into marriage and bearing children by men old enough to be their grandfathers, who might also be their uncles or any other blood relation. Teenage boys should not be forced into sex with the same men. It's perverted and very, very wrong. These children need to be kept away from that degenerate atmosphere and given a chance to thrive and succeed in a more normal lifestyle. It's wrong to send them back to such any oviously abuse way of life.

I can't believe these judges who ordered these children to be returned to this cult. How do they know who the parents really are any way, the children don't even know. If these babies were waterboarded and beaten in our world the parents would be in jail with no chance of getting the children back. If an 18 yr. old boy had sex with his girlfriend under 18 he could be arrested and not allowed to go near her. why do our laws not pertain to thise children of the FLDS. No these children deserve to have a chance at a safe childhood without abuse and brainwashing. Have these Judges forgotten Jim Jones, those poor people followed him to their death and that of their children. I do hope The state of Texas can find a way to save these children and get rid of those Judges. The Judges need to go home and look at their Grandchildren and think how it would be if they were subjected to this kind of life.
Don't return these children to that ranch.

Hey Melinda, it isn't about the few children that may have been abused. Punishment should follow, appropriately. This issue is about the 455 children that were ILLEGALLY taken from their parents, and about their parents. Not to mention the abut 15 adults that were taken ILLEGALLY on the basis they were "children". The CPS took adults and held them, and a rubber stamp judge approved that action. The so called due course hearing could have been presided over by a Kangaroo with the same results. Ever heard of a Kangaroo Court? In two states now (plus New York recognition of Calif actions, two men can be married, two women can be married, but poligamy is still a crime? Why? At least this way every child has a mother and a father.

Child abuse is wrong. CPS is worse.

I do not condone the beliefs of the FLDS, neither am I for the polygamous practices of them either. I am, however, disgusted with the actions of the State of Texas. The children belong to their parents and not to the state! The Government needs to "back off" and let the children go back to their parents with no strings attached. Last I checked, we still live in a free country, where we can come and go as we please and we are not a "police state." No, I am not some "anti-government wacko" but I believe there needs to be a balance in everything; checks and balances, especially in our government.

I say, let's not make the same mistakes we've made in the past with our own children by allowing them to slip through the cracks. How many times has a child been overlooked by the system when there has been reason and cause to protect them and have ended up as casualties. If the system (court/protective services) can save at least one child by what they are doing than more power to them.

These kids need a voice and we're it!

I say protect the children at ALL COST....PLEASE!

I am overjoyed that children should be with their own parents! Just because their lifestyle is different from a lot of us doesn't give the Tex-ass government the right to impose their will on anyone! As it is, we are still suffering from the will of G.W Bush! Texas hasn't been much good at anything lately...how 'bout them cryboyz that can't even win a playoff game! Go Pack Go!

I really don't understand what these judges are thinking when they ordered these children be returned to this type of environment. The Law should make sound decisions; especially when it comes to the innocent lives of these kids. Would they really want this for their kids? Is it really legal for twelve year olds to be engaged with adults over the age of eighteen in the State of Texas? Please tell me what are the real motives and intentions in this type of arena.

I think CPS was totally within the law in taking over the care of these children. I do not think their version of religious practice precludes them from state laws regarding child endangerment and/or abuse. The laws exist to help children at risk -clearly, these kids fall into this category. Personally, I get the impression the members of this compound cult do and are hiding certain facts about the kids and their "treatment."

This society and their offspring have been fed and sheltered by the State of Texas for decades. Warren Jeff's group has been supported by taxpayers for decades without their knowledge. 70% of the people in Colorado City were on food stamps and 40% of the women were receiving additional assistance through a special fund. The FLDS bases their culture on rape - the premature marriages of young girls against their will & the outright rape of the American taxpayer. Shame on the state of Texas for waiting this long to end all of this tyranny and injustice. If the FLDS wants their kids back then all parents can get a job like the rest of us. It would help if the mothers were of age in pursuit of this employment.

The matter should be decided on a case by case basis. I realize that it was with a positive intention that the gov't wished to rescue children from the trappings of an allegedly wholly abusive lifestyle, these kinds of cult trappings need to be addressed. However, a blanket removal of the kids was drastic and wrong and a blatant example of a bigoted reaction to difference. Yes, wrongdoing needs to be investigated and addressed- even prosecuted. But these parents should be treated like any other parents who may misstep (or worse) including conducting individual investigations, ordering family counseling and efforts toward rehabilitation/ visitation and/or permanent removal. but a blanket removal is overstepping the parents and kids rights without fair trial or investigation case by case.

This society and their offspring have been fed and sheltered by the State of Texas for decades. Warren Jeff's group has been supported by taxpayers for decades without their knowledge. 70% of the people in Colorado City were on food stamps and 40% of the women were receiving additional assistance through a special fund. The FLDS bases their culture on rape - the premature marriages of young girls against their will & the outright rape of the American taxpayer. Shame on the state of Texas for waiting this long to end all of this tyranny and injustice. If the FLDS wants their kids back then all parents can get a job like the rest of us. It would help if the mothers were of age in pursuit of this employment.

GET REAL!!! These are innocent children that are being taught the wrong way of life. And not being taught self respect and learning that incest is a normal way of life. Foster care can be bad at times, but at lease these kids will have a chance with there life then having to worry about being physically and mentally abuse.

By the way, in Texas "common law" marriage is legal. That is any two adults can declare they are married and in the eyes of the law, they are married. You don't have to have a license from the state to be married. Therefore "spiritual" or non spiritual marriages are legal. The marriage license is simply a way to record and register marriages. A fine governmental convenience, but not a necessity in Texas. Bigamy, child abuse and other illicit or illegal actions are still wrong, but "spiritual marriage" shouldn't be in quotation marks like it is weird. All religious based marriages are spiritual marriages. If there is a marriage license from the state, fine, if not, so what? (ATTENTION NEWS MEDIA) Other states laws may differ, but Texas recognizes all marriages licensed, or common law.

We only hear and see what the media wants us to see and hear. Sure would like to see the story from THEIR reporters! I have a workers compensation story and I'd like to be heard...but unless it's a fraudulent act against an employer like faking an injury...noboby cares that a huge corporation disguards me like a broken piece of machinery! What has Brown done to me?

Look at these molested females dressed up as if the are from another century, and brainwashed to worship a man who uses them for sex. Innocent children should not be left to grow up in a polygamist cult, which contributes very little to the better ment of scoiety. These children should not be returned to this cult where they are subject to further abuse.

But Jeremy,
"This society and their offspring have been fed and sheltered by the State of Texas for decades." is wrong.

This group only moved to Texas about 4 years ago. The built the ranch from the ground up in 4 years, they are the largest tax payer in the county the live in. (about $500,00 a year in property taxes) They don't send their kids to public schools, but they pay public school taxes. They make and sell products to others out side their community to earn money for their support.

As this group, they haven't been doing ANYTHING in Texas for decades, they haven't even been in Texas for decades.
They church paid about $750,000 cash for the ranch property 4 years ago, and it is now appraised for taxes at about $17,000,000 after 4 years of labor by hundreds of people.

If there is child abuse, the abusers should be punished. The whole group shouldn't be tarred, feathered, their hearts cut out, then burned at the stake.

I am not them I don't want to live there, I don't know any of them personally, I have no dog in that hunt.
But, there are a lot of villages who are missing their idiots based on some of the comments posted about this situation. (Yeah I leave myself open after that but I am willing to defend my views and quote facts, not make up unsupportable bushwa.)

Before rushing into judging what should be done with theses children, read Carolyn Jessop's book, Escape. Abused women and children just might not be speaking up for fear of reprisal. The shroud of abuse must be lifted. If nothing is wrong, they should be returned but only after an investigation.

The issue is now beyond whether they were abused or not, the courts have spoken let those involved respect the rule of Law. They know what to do if they are not satified with the court's ruling.

This is not saying that the FLDS was(is) rigth, it is about following the rule of Law.

Allow the kids re-unite with their parents or you proceed to the next level of the courts.

The poor mothers are brainwashed and its sad that they believe it is normal for their young girls to marry and have children so young and kick their male children out on their own like they do. The government should step in on all these sects and create a law that makes it illegal to disregard laws that normal religous people follow. This is a cult and should be forbidden in the US. The children should never be returned unless the mother's leave the FDLS cult. Texas should be required to follow the laws the rest of us know are best for our women and children! Please do not return the kids!

I think that the Texas authorities were wrong to take these children from their parents. They should be returned as quickly as possible no questions asked. These children were taken from the only world they know and forced into a world they knew nothing about. Forced to live with strangers. I'm sure they were scared and probably traumatized by this. Who are they(Texas)to say the practices of the FDLS are wrong. So what that the men there are married to more than one wife. At least they take care of them. I thought that America was a free country. I guess not.
Who's to say that they were raped, that hasn't been proven. They still have not found the girl they were looking for.
These children were kidnapped by the government of Texas. Why would the government want to take on another 400 plus cases, they are swampped with children they can't take care of now. Why not monitor the men that leave this country, and go to these third world contries and get their under aged wives and bring them back her to live like everything is o.k.. Isn't that not child abuse too, or do we look the other way because these children are not american. I think what Texas has done to these children is wrong they have suffered enough. Leave them alone. Sure if the children are suffering something should be done, but if not just leave these people alone they are not harming anyone her in the outside world.

I'm glad that the children are being returned --- afterall, this isn't Nazi Germany, is it? I'm more concerned about how this abduction will effect the children -- they've now had a couple of weeks' exposure to the other world... Will they now want an Xbox???

Why do people repeatedly turn to the same disproven or unsubstantiated allegations about the FLDS? These kids belong with their parents, who, even if somewhat misguided are still morally lightyears ahead of the society the rest of us live in (the official gay pride MONTH is coming). I find it difficult to believe that Marleigh Meisner (major player in the Waco massacre) or Barbara Walthers (a career(non)mother)knows more about practical parenting than a traditional Mormon woman. To me a spiritual marriage sounds like a betrothal not a sex act, and if I am mistaken then let the law of deal with this in a LEGAL fashion.

the foster care system in this country is a disgrace. children are shuffled around like stray dogs. foster parents receive financial assistance, medical, and clothing allowances-much too often foster parents are in it for the money. yes their are exceptional folks who foster parent, but overall they are the exception and not the norm. i agree that court appointed oversight should be a condition. additionally parenting skills should be required. but remember if they take their children they can take yours also. i am reminded of the native american children that were taken from their parents and placed with white families or boarding schools...during the genocide of the american indian.

in the U.S 1.3 women raped every minute.
1 in 2 sexual assault victims are under the age of 18
1 million teens become pregnant every year.
u.s has the highest teen pregnancy rate of all developed countries.

we need to clean our own house before we impose our degenerate values on other's.

I want to first say that I am in no way connected to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I only use the LDS geneology services in my home state and online. I think this closed YFZ ranch community based on their religion should have their own police force and be subject to their own laws based on their religion only. I strongly feel that everyone removed from the YFZ ranch should be returned immediately with no restrictions of any kind. No government agency should be able to tell this closed YFZ ranch community based on their religion, how they should live and raise their children. Their have been various states throughout the years since the United States was formed that allowed at one time for couples to marry as young as 12 years old. Closed communities like the YFZ ranch, normally have lower crime rates and better overall quality of life. I do not understand why the authorities are prosecuting this closed community based on their religion and lifestyle choices. The authorities want to force their religious beliefs on everyone in this closed community of the YFZ ranch. I think someone should look into the inital call that started this whole thing to see if the call was real or faked by someone who does not believe in the closed YFZ ranch community and their religious beliefs. Anyone that started this matter by providing false statements should be held responsible to the fullest extent of the law and be forced to pay financially to all parties involved. I personnally have seen over the years, that society has changed the ways in which parents can punish their children and it appears to have raised children that are out of control. I think that the closed YFZ ranch community is raising children that will not be out of control like the large amount children in today's society. I think that the Texas Child Protective Services and other authorites went well beyond the initial warrant of looking for one child of a certain age. They should be held accountable for going past that initial warrant and using their own personal religious beliefs to remove all of the children of various ages and the adult females. This is just our government telling us what religious beliefs and lifestyle choices we can make for ourselves and our family members. The Judge that issued the initial warrant should request that this matter be looked into by the Department of Justice, because of the religious beliefs that are being questioned. The state of Texas should not have a wide range of authority over the members of the YFZ ranch and should not be able to restrict the movements of any of the adult or child members of this closed YFZ ranch community. Any restrictions made by any agencies of the government would restrict their religious beliefs and their lifestyle choices. The next thing you know is that the government will want to restrict something in your own religious beliefs concerning your children or yourselves. I think it is to much power to give any government agencies the authority to restrict travel of any United States citizen that is not charged with a crime.

I am dispointed with our court system that they would take these children and then return them. We are talking about children who need to be protected. I find no reason why those children would be returned to this cult. One boy said he was raped by Warren Jeffs at age of nine. Warren Jeffs said he is quilty. How much more do they need. What is wrong with our society. If their Mother's love their children so much why don't they take their children and get out. Are they totally disfunctional? It makes me sick. These children don't stand a chance.

i am also reminded of iraq. we raped, tortured and mutilated women and children in the name of liberation. we do not have the moral authority to judge others, we lost that on the great plains when we slaughtered and raped the native peoples. we have allot of work to do in restoring our own morally bankrupt society before imposing our standards on others. it is time for reflection,love and tolerance. it is time to listen, and learn and be humble if we are to grow and change. we have done enough damage.

i am also reminded of iraq. we raped, tortured and mutilated women and children in the name of liberation. we do not have the moral authority to judge others, we lost that on the great plains when we slaughtered and raped the native peoples. we have allot of work to do in restoring our own morally bankrupt society before imposing our standards on others. it is time for reflection,love and tolerance. it is time to listen, and learn and be humble if we are to grow and change. we have done enough damage.

The state of texas should prove abuse or get out of people's lives!

I believe these children "should not" under any circumstances be returned to this compound! The older children are already "brain washed" and need extensive love and psycological help. The younger ones need to grow up in the real world and experience love as it is meant to be - not rape and torture and brain washing. If they return these children, the families will disappear and probably never be traced. Please protect these precious beings.

If this group was law abiding citizens then they would not segregate themselves from society.

Respect their religious understanding and give the children back to their mothers.

These kids were better cared for than most children of TWO parents....

Think about it, most families today don't spend more than a hour or so with their children every day.

I bet these kids had constant attention...

Give the kids back

Respect their religious understanding and give the children back to their mothers.

I think it's a load of horse crap, kids should not have to be put through that kind of stress anyways. I am not a big fan of child services in the first place, but this is one sick case. the kids should never return to those people, because they are warping those kids' minds forever. We as Americans, and responsible adults don't want all those kids to grow up and commit acts like this, do we?

Please let the DNA decide who these children belong to before they are returned to the cult. There has to be a starting place to track the children to validate their stories. The FLDS do not have the right to have different laws as they live in the USA and you cannot just pass children around wherever you please and do what you want with children. There is religious freedom, but not when it comes to hurting children. Broken bones and child marriage- My God, please monitor this cult one child at a time, and it is best to be cautious rather than irresponsible by returning the children too soon.

I was sexually abuse by a member of my family at 9yrs old.
After I told the police what was going on at home, all Hell broke lose & I was put in a shelter for 6 weeks.
All I wanted to do was go home but I had to lie to the judge to do that...
Then I was returned back into the abuse.
The kids are better off NOT going back there! It will never END

Isn't the solution, at least a temporary one, fairly obvious? Return all the children to their mothers and remove the men until any possible dangers are addressed. That could have been done weeks ago, and no child would have had to suffer, at least to the extent they now have.

The judge is right. For the protection of the children, there must be unannounced home visits by professional child protective social workers to monitor their conditions. I have worked in child protective services in California for the last 25 years, and without court ordered supervision, child are exploited, injured, molested and emotionally abused when the home environment is unhealthy, as the FLDS families obviously are. It would also provide opportunities for teens to confide in someone outside of their family's sphere of influence.

in the U.S 1.3 women raped every minute.
1 in 2 sexual assault victims are under the age of 18
1 million teens become pregnant every year.
u.s has the highest teen pregnancy rate of all developed countries.
we need to clean our own house before we impose our degenerate values on other's or pass judgement without knowing all the facts.

I agree that the children should be returned to the mothers,but only if the mothers agreed to have court ordered monitoring by children services workers, and the fathers having a restraining order to stay away, and only see the kids under age 12 within the presence of the monitor at a neutral setting for no more than one hour per week. Although I worry that the mothers are not emotional free from the influence of the FLDS men, and would still indoctrinate the children to endorse the ways of their fathers. That they would tell them that the fathers are to be respected and obeyed and that the outside world (judges, social workers etc.) are persecutors.

I am without words on the whole issue of so many woman being so stupid on their life's direction. I was more upset when I heard that a large majority (over 75%) of these women are not officially married (law of the United States) and are allowed to collect our tax dollars as a single parent (i.e. food stamps and payments from the government). These women are not only stupid, but guess what, they are living on your paycheck and getting away with it, talk about milking the system, this is the breaking point in what we will allow in this free country of ours. I am totally disgusted with this whole issue. These women are using our tax dollars to live this disgusting lifestyle and have been for years, they should not only lose their children, get some help, but we would probably have to pay for that also. My opinion would be to send the children to better homes and hope they forget their childhood. Send the mothers to a place where they learn the true meaning of "DO NOT MILK THE SYSTEM, GET A JOB, and learn what it means to live in a civilized community. Quiet Frankly, this whole situation (FLDS/religion) needs to go AWAY. These people have lost their minds. I am sooooo tired of people looking for a free ride, they need to address this issue given "it is illegal" to live like this in our county, go away. BYE BYE. Take your crap somewhere else. I feel sorry for all of those children. Let's hope that they all don't become mass murderers.

To Eugene Wright: You wrote:No government agency should be able to tell this closed YFZ ranch community based on their religion, how they should live and raise their children.

All citizens need to abide certain laws of the land. What if a XYZ religious community decreed that certain children should be slaughtered to their god to show how much they love the god? What if another religion decreed that all brides should first give up their virginity to the father of the groom on her wedding night? Should we condone such practices because they are religious in nature, and only practiced within their closed community? This is different from us imposing Christian and democractic idealogy on Muslims or Communists because we do not like their ways----which I feel is morally wrong, eg. Iraq, and the Macarthy eras. If the community is on American soil, we must interfere. Ouside of America, mind our own business.

Sorry, I meant Eugene Waybright.

To Eugene Wright: You wrote:No government agency should be able to tell this closed YFZ ranch community based on their religion, how they should live and raise their children.

I should add that I do not begrudge welfare etc. to these families/mothers and children. They are also victims of the practice of keeping the women "pregnant, ignorant, and obedient", and do not have the skills to be financially independent. MOST people go on welfare out of necessity, not out of greed. They are NOT stupid, just lacking life skills.

It's truely sad that this country would stupe to this level. Watch out! Next maybe the Catholics or Jewish kids. It is definitely another sign of the time. Maybe more people should read the Bible!

A breeding farm for forced prostitution has little to complain about.

The system Faol the children.

Once they had them out and safe. It was their responsibility to keep them safe.

Returning them is negligence and a crime, and on the heads of those judges.

Anything that happens to them is on the heads of those judges. For the fact that they know, that the parents to do not know the harm they are doing those children or do not care about the harm or harms way they put their children into.

God Bless those Children and keep them safe, since no of the Adults in Texas will.

The courts are just too lazy to figure everything out. There is enough evidence from former members to justify keeping girls away from the males in that sect. I admit it is a mess of incest and hard to determine who fathered who, but those pictues of Warren Jeffs kissing those little girls should be enough to make the courts look further.

The children need to be returned to their mothers. Did anyone ever think of just removing the men?

Hello,

FOCUS PEOPLE,

Can you prove at least ONE girl was wrongfully pregnated by an adult male, If so go after them, if not Get out.

Second, even if they are not forcing children to have sex GET THEM OFF OF Government FOOD STAMPS!!! IF they choose not to marry and those errigant men do not support there own children then make them pay child support like all other Americans.

We have a family member that needs a heart transplant and the help from our government for a man who was working and had health care when he got sick is without question pathetic. Then I here that 36 million dollars a year of our tax dollars is going to support these people. OH MY GOSH

FOCUS PEOPLE AND STOP LETTING THE FEW FROM STEALING AMERICA's MONEY AND DISTROYING OUR ETHICS IN THE VEIW OF THE WORLD

Choosing one’s faith is the most personal of choices, a matter of individual conscience. That is why we cherish it as part of our Bill of Rights. That is why Franklin Roosevelt listed as one of his four freedoms the right of everyone to worship God in his own way, everywhere in the world.... All people must be free to worship as they please, or not to worship at all. It is a simple truth: There is no freedom without the freedom of religion.

This is the United States of America, not Nazi Germany. Anything less than the restoration of full freedom for the parents and children is threat to liberty for everyone.

Where is your evidence that there were ANY
people on the FLDS Ranch recieving Welfare or any other State Aid? I have read a statement from a TX state worker who said that they have NO EVIDENCE of any person on the Ranch getting state aid! The actions of CPS have cost millions, and for what? Each family should be treated as an individual situation, and not piled together into one case. That is unless you what all Catholics to have their children taken away because of the actions of some preists.
http://www.offthekuff.com/mt/archives/011734.html

The evidence that "one girl was impregnated forcefully" are the 420 children they picked up. Even if only 10% are from underage teens, that would be 42 kids whose mother was under 18 when molested. There is no doubt that incest and sexual exploitation went on. If you feel you can condone it under the umbrella of religious freedome, I surely cannot

This is the United States of America, not Nazi Germany. Anything less than the restoration of full freedom for the parents and children is threat to liberty for everyone.

This is the United States of America, not Nazi Germany. Anything less than the restoration of full freedom for the parents and children is threat to liberty for everyone.

June Baker. Why don't you go join the FLD and take your kids and put them there also. NO one was taken illegally. there was a report of child abuse and are you that blind - take your blinders off. my gosh. all the kids were molested. the state wanted to protect these kids. have you ever really listend to the fld women? they are so programed it makes one sick to the gut or it makes you want to punch through tv and say to them wake up and see the horrific, dominating, absive world you're living in. go join the group and take your kids with you there since you think this behavior is ok. let me say if this had been a normal person, they would NOT get their kids back

It's about time the justice system did something right, but they took too long. Did they not learn anything from 50 or so years ago when the government tried to break apart the FLDS ranch? They broke apart hundreds of families then and it did no good. What should be prosecuted is the breaking up of families. Hearing Elisa's story shows that there is some sort of damaging unlawful practices going on there but to rip away hundreds of little children from their mothers with no legitimate evidence is plain wrong. I was disgusted to see that hundreds of children were scattered around Texas, it seemed more like a chaotic, unorganized, unethical act against a religion. They should have every right to practice their religion but before any compromise is made, the courts should make them promise religious freedom for their own members. It is our human right for religious freedom and as any American citizen, should have every right not to take part in their own religion.

Ms. Sonia Trevino, I agree with you 100%. Before we judge anyone else we must look within and correct ourselves. For who are we to judge, only God is the Most Honest and Honorable Judge above all.

I am sorry to hear that the children were returned en mass to their parents WITHOUT requiring the removal of the "elders" from the ranch or homes of the children. There were 400 returned, so I wonder what happened to the other 60 children separated.

Unfortunatly I personally know alot of peole who have been targeted by CPS, as well as myself.
1) a catholic mother is explaining her faith to a CPS worker after giving birth the CPS worker a 7th day adventist. The CPS worker took this woman's child not due to abuse but due to her faith. The CPS worker saw toit that the adovtive parents were in fact 7th day adventist.
Another case a military couple with children. He's overseas fighting, shes here working 2 jobs, paying a sitter, and barely able to stay afloat. CPS went to the daycare and found nothing abnormal took the children and adopted them to a self employed contractor who couls not afford his own home. 3 years after the children were adopted they were living in a van.
Single mother, wonderful suppor system. CPS comes into her hospital room and takes her baby from her arms. What abuse??? The mother had no street drugs in her system. Yet they called her a drug addict and demanded that she go to a live in treatment center for a year. When the mother went to the county people who pick and choose who goes to a live in treatment center. The county supervisors of the treatment centers said see was not an addict. CPS adopted her child out to a family where 2+ persons were strung out on heroin.

ABUSE??!! WHERE??!!

If a cop, or a judge, or any other county, state,or federal agencies behaved the way CPS does they would be disbanned, and prosecuteted.

Here's a thought.

For all of you that think that CPS is a good thing. Did you know that C.A.P.T.A. was originally put in place by President Nixon to protect child from domestic violence. The diffence being that it was worded to protect all children from any and all persons in thier homes, or within thier families that would do them harm. This law requires the victim to be removed and not the attacker. Domestic violence laws aloow law enforcement to investigate and to remove the atter not the victim. They also see to it that the victim is with an adult, that's family and wont harm them. The Police are then governed by certain laws to be held accountable for thier actions.

CPS everyone in thier office including janitors are not held accountable for anything that they do to harm children.

Seems to me they are no better than the S.S. who gave orders to the Ghestopo.

After all law enforcement found no legitamite reason to enter Eldarado. Yes CPS gets a call that has been proven to be a hoax and they raid with a virtual army at thier disposal. It has been PROVEN IN A COURT OF LAW that there was