Group that starred in TLC reality show about polygamy under investigation for, well, polygamy
By James Brady RyanSeptember 28th, 2010, 2:45 pmComments (6)In a story that's not unlike the one about the former-prostitute-turned-art-teacher yesterday, a Utah man and his four wives are under investigation for bigamy after they appeared (and continue to appear in) TLC's newest "look at this crazy family!" show, Sister Wives. Despite the fact that there are rarely arrests and prosecutions for this crime, I guess the police felt they kind of had their hands forced by that whole "appearing on national television" thing:
"At the conclusion of the investigation, the evidence will be forwarded to the Utah County Attorney's Office for review and possible prosecution," says Lt. Darren Paul... Police acknowledged that publicity over the show's announcement prompted the case.
The man, Kody Brown, and his wives Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn, have a total of sixteen children (three of whom are step-children, but honestly I'm not even sure what that means in this situation. From his former marriage? From one of the wives'?). Here's a preview clip from the show, which premiered on Sunday:
Brown is only legally married to one of the women, which I had incorrectly assumed meant he couldn't be brought up on such charges. It turns out, however, that living with the other women could constitute a common-law marriage, which could then get them in trouble.
On the one hand, the police can't not investigate what is or could be a crime just because they don't feel like it. (Well, not legally, I'm pretty sure. Readers, any help?) On the other, I can't help but feel like the state or federal government telling people they can't enter into a consensual relationship because it's outside a "normal" family structure is never a great idea.
Commentarium (6 Comments)
Do they really have nothing better to do? I could never be in a relationship like this one but it looks like there's a whole lot of love in that family, there are FAR worse situations the police should be spending their time looking into.
I know Bill Paxton isn't jealous, ...2x4, can't get through the kitchen door and all that.
It's not that much like the hooker-teacher thing, though. Only consenting adults visit hookers; polygamists like to marry twelve year olds. I mean, both things are illegal, but not the same morally, if you ask me (which by having a comment box, I guess you did, sort of. Yay Internet!)
Why can't anything good ever come out of my homestate?
So when Kody "GETS BORED" He goes on a date to look for fresh excitement and leafe the old in the dust! Well, I think the whole situation is sad, because the women already involved do not have the luxury to look for their own "NEW EXCITEMENT"! They are stuck with good ol' Kody.
Notably "Polyandry", a women marrying a bunch of husband s is not accepted , but of course thats considered an "abomination" by these same people. The thing that people who haven't gone to Law School don't understand about how Polygamy came to be illegal in America isn't JUST because some people find it "morally repugnant". It's illegal because it fits our "legal test" for "doing harm" to an
"identifiable class of person" . Namely women, and girls, and children. The women and girls who marry ,and /or are born into these families often have little to no choice coming into the relationship and a very hard, to impossible time, getting out of them. Once they are in a polygamist relationship they have a hard time getting out. They are often afforded little education or training of any kind., and act as virtual slaves to the "Husband" Although the "sister-wives" (I shudder at this incestuous term) in this case were not under age at marriage according to the story line, they were very young. Traditionally Polygamists have been notorious for their egregious disregard of statutory restrictions on consent for marriage and sex. But the failure of these marriages, and the frequent flagrant subsequent moral and financial abandonment of socially and economically disadvantaged wives and children was what caused legislators to act to ban Polygamy in America. It is illegal on State or Federal levels, and is unlikely ever to become recognized. Any comparison that might be made of polygmamist marriage to homosexual couples FAILS, because, in homosexual relationships the two parties remain equal (in the eyes of the law) on both social and economic grounds, and no harm has ever been proved to arise from such relationships despite rigorous opposition, either for the mates, or for children of the relationship . The only comparison they share is that of the moral prejudice of others against them, and that is not what our laws are based on. Laws are not made based on the experience of one individual family. They have to be based on what is best for the General Welfare of the State and the Nation.
Now you say something