Having read the article titled The Texas Polygamist Sect: Uncoupled and Unchartered, by David Von Drehle, which appeared in the Time Magazine issue dated April 24, 2008, I believe that on the face of it, the article indeed divulged shocking details of the prevalence of polygamy in the present times especially when the system was made illegal over a century ago. More shocking and devastating was the realization that young teenage girls were married off to older men within the community in keeping with the traditions as set by the so-called prophets of the Mormon community in Texas. The shocking practices would never have come to light but for the anonymous telephone calls made by some girl inmates of the Mormon ranch who feared being exploited and misused at the hands of community leaders. After having raided the Yearning for Zion (YFZ) ranch in Eldorado, Texas, on April 3, 2008, the authorities were shocked to see women engaged in a sexually aberrant lifestyle. Following the discoveries and revelations, the children were hastily removed and put into foster homes in fear of their being emotionally and physically abused by the community. It was found there was an ongoing process by which young girls were groomed to become brides, while there was no guarantee of the children being protected from going through future abuse. Several of the teenage girls were made to get married to too much older men immediately after they reached puberty and most of them became pregnant at early ages.
In addition to the problems of young girls, several young children were separated from their families and mothers. The children were housed in different foster care homes at separate locations. Men belonging to the Mormon sect continue to believe that they had not broken any laws and said they loved their families and children very much and were willing to take care of them. Following counseling by authorities who aimed at making the men of the community realize the harms of practicing polygamy, several Mormon men had complied in giving up the practice although some did not refrain. Those few who did not change their ways were the ones who have to now answer and provide reasonable justification for having indulged in violation of women’s rights and the self-determination and dignity of children. However, it is strange that a small group of people still manage to continue with their ways under the guise of using the legal framework to avoid conviction and extreme penal action.
Polygamy is illegal but most violators can escape persecution due to loopholes in the law, but more worrisome is the act of abusing young girls and children. The history of America is replete with examples of apocalyptic cults holding sway and control over some subjects, and their leaders command a charisma that enables them to act as virtual tyrants. Polygamy has been kept alive in several parts of the world and though illegal, can be sorted out with appropriate education and counseling, and sometimes can be tolerated too in being permissible in religions such as Islam. I feel that the justice system should take the issue of child abuse and the forceful marriage of teenage girls on a more serious note and bring the guilty to book. The government is right in treating this as a matter of child welfare and although the sect has taken the protection of some provisions of the law in calling it religious persecution, the only basis that stands ground is to take strict remedial measures so that children are not abused and exploited.