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Posted on Aug 21, 2006

A group of Utah teens rallied in Salt Lake City over the weekend in defense of polygamist families. “I didn’t come here today to ask for your permission to live my beliefs,” a 19-year-old told the AP. “I shouldn’t have to.”

  • Check out how HBO dramatizes the issue

  • AP:

    Calling their lives blessed, more than a dozen children and young adults from polygamist families in Utah spoke at a rally Saturday, calling for a change in state laws and the right to live the life and religion they choose.

    “Because of our beliefs, many of our people have been incarcerated and had their basic human rights stripped of them, namely life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” said a 19-year-old identified only as Tyler. “I didn’t come here today to ask for your permission to live my beliefs. I shouldn’t have to.”

    Polygamy is banned in the Utah Constitution and is a felony offense. The rally was unusual because those who practice polygamy typically try to live under the radar.

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    By Broiler, August 22, 2006 at 12:28 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    1.  A 19 year old, eh? I couldn’t get my opinion
    out on the AP for love or money.
    In my opinion the coverage of this topic was chosen
    for the shock factor and not to highlight the perceived
    injustice.
    Where a problem would arise from legalized polygamy
    is health insurance. What business offering
    family coverage could afford to cover such
    an extended family? You can imagine the abuses.
    I fear that women are brainwashed and coerced
    into these arrangements from a young age. It’s
    hard to imagine an educated, worldly woman agreeing
    to such a subordinate arrangement. When I hear
    of sheiks with harems I don’t immediately think
    of the women as being all gung ho for being part
    of the marital pile. I’m guessing that the “Book
    of Mormon” must have some laws addressing this
    with God backing the man’s side of the story.

    What do Mormons do with all of the excess men?
    Do they all become bachelor farmers?

    Report this

    By Todd, August 21, 2006 at 11:54 am #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    If some guy in Miami can claim his religion forces him to sacrifice live animals, etc., etc., and have it upheld in a court, then some branch of Mormonism should certainly be able to claim polygamy as part of their religion.

    My question is, having been married for 15 years, and happily as well, why some guy would want to add another or two more wives is absolutely beyond me.  I think most people would agree that a successful relationship is a full time job.  I wouldn’t have the energy to have sex with them all, never mind having a truly serious relationship with each of them.

    Report this

    By R. A. Earl, August 21, 2006 at 10:07 am #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    It’s beyond me why the notion of polygamy causes such a fuss unless it’s because the really NARROW, RELIGIOUSLY CONDITIONED MINDS of America make up the majority of the population.

    It’s beyond me why I should care if a neighbor chooses to live, peacefully, harmoniously, communally. WHAT’S IT TO ME?

    The major problem that I have only hearsay information about is the report that UNDERAGE women in some way are forced/coerced/enslaved into the group living arrangement. If this is the case then THAT part of it should be illegal.

    Otherwise, it’s nobody’s business who ANYBODY sleeps/cohabits with, or doesn’t. But in America, sticking your nose into other people’s affairs is a national pasttime/hobby/compulsion.

    Report this

    By TomChicago, August 21, 2006 at 7:45 am #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    One of the biggest ironies in this is that the Mormon church, founded by a polygamist, is one of the most vocal of those organizations who oppose gay unions in favor of the “one man-one woman” faith-based nonsense.

    Report this

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