Part A

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/12/us/12raid.html

“They were reaching out, opening up,” Mark L. Shurtleff, the attorney general in Utah, said of the polygamist communities. “Now they’ve kind of pulled back. Everybody’s going to wait and see how this thing plays out in Texas.”

This article is about how a compound, owned by religious extremists from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was seized in an attempt to free 416 women and children. The police raided the compound after receiving a call from a 16-year old young woman. This polygamist community had been under watch by the police for years, but they feared a large confrontation. Polygamist communities exist in places all over the United States, yet even with the knowledge of such places officials do nothing. They fear the possible outcomes and the potential reactions of the community.

Response 1: I feel that the scariest part about this article is that the police knew about it, but had to wait until they thought it was the right time to raid. The quote at the top of the summery makes it seem like there are many of these compounds and the police are waiting to find out what happens in Texas before they decide to raid them. This situation also made me think about the U.S. foreign polices and how conflicts between us and other countries occur. Do we wait and watch the country for a long time discover what they are doing wrong then go in, or do we until they do something that makes us watch them (like al Quada)? Because we have had problems like this in United States before (Waco massacre) we should be able to act faster in order to help the women and children.

Response 2: I guess that I interpret this article, and others like it a little personally. I always try to keep an open mind, but usually get defensive. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, not the Fundamentalist one, but the original. Often people get the two confused, and it makes for a fairly sore spot. As far back as I can remember people have harassed me about how Mormons have polygamist backgrounds, and how terrible they think that is. Then they talk about the modern-day polygamists, and state how they are Mormon too, and automatically place bad connotations on my religion. It bothers me, and there is nothing I can do about it; but some people can do something. The government knows about the polygamist communities, but they are just afraid to take action. Since when have lawbreakers been allowed to continue their actions when the government knows exactly what is going on? Instead the media blames the religion of the people, and very often the public doesn’t listen to all the facts. All they hear is that the Mormons are being polygamists. They don’t hear that it is a Fundamentalist group that doesn’t align themselves with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They blame a religion, one completely different from the actual one at fault for the acts of the people. Why does the government stand aside and let the polygamists rule their communities and allow the blame to fall on an innocent religion? Why is it that I grew up being harassed for my beliefs, all because of something completely unrelated to me? It’s not right. It’s the job of the government to enforce the law, and if they had actually done their job, such as they did in Texas, then maybe some of the harassment would cease.