One For The People
May 22nd, 2008One For The People
Justice
The Texas 3rd District Court of Appeals today decided in favor of 38 women who had appealed the removal of more than 460 children from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) sect.
The three-judge panel said “The existence of the FLDS belief system as described by the department’s witnesses, by itself, does not put children of FLDS parents in physical danger” and that the state’s Department of Family and Protective Services “did not present any evidence of danger to the physical health or safety of any male children or any female children who had not reached puberty.”
The court concluded, “Evidence that children raised in this particular environment may someday have their physical health and safety threatened is not evidence that the danger is imminent enough to warrant invoking the extreme measure of immediate removal prior to full litigation of the issue.”
Now, I’m certainly no fan of the FLDS (except for the whole multiple-wives thing), or any organized religion in general for that matter – but I am even less of a fan of out-of-control government agencies. Clearly, the Texas DFPS had overstepped their boundaries and jurisdiction in this case, not at all unlike similar Protective Services departments do in other states.
Far more dangerous than any religion in the United States, even polygamist ones, is a government that is ready and willing to ignore the rights of its citizens.
This is yet another reason for less government.
May 23rd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Finally, one branch of US government – the State Appeals Court - is beginning to show some logic, fairness and common sense. How on Earth can Texas authorities raid what was effectively a “small village” and separate over 400 kids from their parents. All on the basis of one allegation from one phone call, which the police were either too incompetent or naïve to figure out was a hoax. It was clear from the beginning that the raid was a political move and not a legal one. Texas is just one big disgrace. I know 3rd world countries with better law enforcement than Texas.
And the injustice does not end there. The politically-motivated officials who lead this crusade won’t face any discipline or penalties for carrying out such an outrageous act. I hope the voters of Texas can restore some faith in us outsiders, by voting out the district attorneys, prosecutors, mayors, etc. who supported or instigated this barbarian act. Come to think of it, isn’t there another Texan we know who raids communities on false pretexts?? At least he’s out of the way next year. What about those idiots running Texas CPS?