I simply had to post this somewhere, & get some comments, thought I don't have any (comments that is, I have one wife)
I'm a bit shocked there are 25K folks doing it, how many wives per man is that?
Friday January 28 5:58 AM ET
Friday January 28 5:58 AM ET
House Kills Polygamy Bill
By ROBERT GEHRKE Associated Press Writer
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Utah lawmakers have voted down a bill that would have established a special prosecutor to investigate abuse and fraud in polygamous communities.
The House bill, killed by a vote of 28-43 on Thursday, would have allocated $200,000 to hire a special prosecutor to probe crimes of welfare fraud, tax fraud, domestic abuse and sexual abuse in polygamous societies.
The bill's sponsor, Salt Lake City Republican Ron Bigelow, said investigators are needed because polygamist societies are generally secretive, making uncovering crime difficult.
``Do we say, 'Because you choose this particular lifestyle and it's hard to investigate we're simply going to ignore it? You suffer these crimes? You go ahead and let your children be abused?' he asked.
Opponents argued the measure targeted an entire group of people based on their religious beliefs.
Utah was required to outlaw polygamy in its constitution as a condition of statehood and the crime of plural marriage has only been prosecuted a handful of times.
But two years ago, two prominent members of the Kingston polygamous clan were accused of child abuse. Both men were convicted.
That case, along with reports of rampant welfare fraud in the polygamous sister-cities of Colorado City and Hildale, prompted heightened scrutiny of such abuses.
There are an estimated 25,000 people living in polygamy in Utah, many of whom trace their beliefs back to fundamental Mormonism. Mainstream Mormonism has disavowed the practice.
dailynews.yahoo.com
|
