Well, the kids from the polygamist sect are to be returned or so says the Texas supreme court. I don’t know why I’m investing any brain cycles at all in considering this but I am conflicted. See, I’m not real smart that way. Instead of scratching my head and concluding that more intelligent people have prevailed, I’m unconvinced. and conflicted.
Deep down, I feel as though the authorities overstepped their bounds. They got a phone call indicating that there was something illegal going on so they rode in and busted the place up. The police don’t appear to have done much in the way of research and this is what the court seems to have objected to. However, I am also keenly aware that the practical effects of the courts decision are not likely to be desirable. From my perch here in VA, there seem to be some troubling things going on at that ranch. It appears as though the authorities agree and let us hope that this time around they will conduct a more thorough investigation.
This case has it all: the safety and welfare of children delicately balanced against the rights of a group that is out of step with current social norms.
June 11, 2008 at 10:02 am
Andy, nothing to do with the topic of this posting, but with
something you and others have been saying in the last few
days — “I want the new iPhone!”. Which brings me
to Steven Pearlstein’s piece in today’s WaPo biz section
headlined “What Smartphone Makers Can Teach Legislators”.
Not sure that I agree we always had a public sector that
was ” … as smart and quick and innovative in
developing economic policies as our private sector
was in developing and embracing the smartphone.”
But I do agree that Washington today must change or
“it is a pretty good bet that, a generation from now,
the next new thing will be developed somewhere else.”
America Next?
June 12, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Steve (and Andy),
If you’re enamoured of an iPhone style device, but not of AT&T (or it’s slow network in Manassas with no 3G in sight), you might want to Google “Blackberry Thunder”. It looks very much like a iPhone, but with all the robust capability (and likely City IT support) of a Blackberry and the reliability and speed of Verizon’s network here.
As for the topic of this thread, I agree with you Andy. I too think there was been something fishy with this “cult” for a long time, but rather than doing true investigative work the authorities down there acted on a suspicious tip and IMHO exceeded their authority. I don’t believe I’ve seen any report that the supposed tipster has ever been located?