Maybe I'm getting caught up on that pesky little requirement of credible probable cause. Am I the only one bothered by the fact that the government rounded up 400 of its citizens, removing them from their families, homes and community?

I'm trying to look at the bright side - at least they didn't use a battering ram and burn down the buildings like they have done in the past killing 82 people in the process.

Let's all sing along - "I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free..."

It is interesting to me that both on this issue and the recent New Mexico judgement that a fundie photographer discriminated against a lesbian couple by refusing to shoot their civil union that progressive/LGBT blogs are the places where people have huge problems with the government's actions. Certainly I think that says a lot about who truly supports liberty and freedom.

I don't really have an issue with this raid, as the shenanigans at these compounds are well known. Underage girls being "married" to dirty old men and "reassigned" to other "husbands" if/when there are changes in the leadership of the cult and certain men fall out of favor. Teenage boys, who are seen as a threat to the old fogies in getting the young wives, exiled out of the communities with little/no money or training and left to fend for themselves. No private property - everything is owned by the "church."

Of course, the authorities cannot do anything about these compounds without a complaining witness, and they believed they had one in this case, although they cannot now determine which of the girls was the caller (and IIRC she called both the police and a women's shelter). Once they were in the compound, of course, any evidence of crimes can be used for additional actions, which the authorities used in this case (e.g., they saw numerous underage girls who were pregnant).

It remains to be seen whether the state did have the legal authority for the raid, but I actually believe they had a legitimate concern here that warrants removing the children from a dangerous situation. I have no doubt the fundies in this case will be able to hire lawyers to protect their interests, but I also think forcing underage girls into sexual situations under this kind of scenario is simply sexual slavery.

Bill Maher had a great take on all of this on his Real Time show last week. He basically said that when religious freaks have sex with underage kids on a small compound in the middle of nowhere and a couple hundred people are involved, they are called cults and they are immediately raided and their leader arrested. However, when it's a worldwide religious organization (i.e. the Catholic church) that's involved and there are many thousands of people involved, it's all settled with a bunch of hush money and a "let's keep this quiet" mentality, and their leader is celebrated.

Ouch! So painfully true TOFSU.