Monday 21 May 2012

Bibliography

News, CBC. "Some Girls Taken from Polygamist Ranch Pregnant: Court Documents."
CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 09 Apr. 2008. Web. 21 May 2012. <http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2008/04/09/polygamist-ranch.html>.

News, CBC. "400 Children Pulled from Texas Polygamist Compound." 
CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 07 Apr. 2008. Web. 21 May 2012. <http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2008/04/07/texas-raid.html>. 

"POLYGAMY STUDIES." 
CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada. Web. 21 May 2012. <http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/bustupinbountiful/studies.html>. 

Press, The Canadian. "Polygamous Town Had Many Teen Moms, Court Told." 
CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 27 Jan. 2011. Web. 21 May 2012. <http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/01/27/bc-polygamy-hearing-statistics.html>.

"
Gale World History in Context. Detroit: Gale,
2010. 
Gale World History In Context. Web. 8 June 2012.

Source:  
400 children pulled from Texas polygamist compound (website: www.cbc.ca)

"Moroccan Men and Women Protest Plans to Reduce Religious Strictures on Women, 2000."Gale World History in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale World History In Context. Web. 8 June 2012.

Religion As A Root Cause Of Polygamy And Its Effects

Shortly after the Second World War a small group of polygamist traveled to British Columbia determent to set their own community. They bought land in Bountiful, located in the Creston Valley because it was a private and remote spot. The community was very secrete and able to practice their beliefs even after the official Mormon Church banned polygamy in 1890. Through the eyes of Canadian governments and its population polygamy is illegal and therefore we label polygamy as an issue. Based on the limited history of community's like Bountiful the root cause of polygamy is assessed to be religion. Even though polygamy has one major root cause, there are many issues caused that prevent polygamy from decriminalization. Some listed and discussed below from specific examples and statistics in North America.


-It has been reported that girls in Bountiful community only attend school until grade 10. After that they often get married and start their families. It is visible that education is very limited for children, especially for girls. The lack of education dose not allow career growth and self independence for women in polygamous lifestyles.                                                                                 


    -  In  April 2007 Texas authorities pulled 400 children from the secretive religious retreat built by polygamist leader Warren Jeffs. The children have been legally taken into state custody. One of many state investigation is the case of a teenage girl married to a 50 year old member of Warrens Jeffs community who had a baby at the age of fifteen. Texas law, prohibits girls under age 16 to marry, even with parental approval. Based on these statistics we can see the issue of underage marriages polygamous communities practice.


Police escort members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on to a school bus in Eldorado, Texas, on Sunday.
Source:  400 children pulled from
Texas polygamist compound
(website: www.cbc.ca)


-In 2011 Bruce Klette the provinces Vital Statistics Agency examined Bountiful birth records between 1986 to 2009  which indicate that 1 in 10 children are born from mothers under the age of 18 and identified 883 births to 215 mothers and 142 fathers. These statistics show the presence of polygamy and child  brides. A man with multiple wives and children is incapable to ensure equality of each women and raising his children.


    After all polygamy violates women rights, teaches young boys to marry with underage girls, creates unstable marriages, incest practices, polygamous communities cause physical, emotional and sexually abuse to the children as well as women, under-aged marriages, and child brides. These are some of the reasons why polygamy was made illegal in North America and still remains to be.


 



Thursday 3 May 2012

What is Polygamy 

There are multiple terms defining relationships that involve more then two individuals.

-Bigamous marriages involving one man and multiple wives each wife being unknown to each other

-Polygamy is like Bigamous marriages except all individuals are aware of each other. They come in three forms:

                       

         Polygnous marriages which consists of one man and multiple wives, also the most common.

 

         Polyandrous marriages consists of one woman and multiple husbands.  

                             

         Polyamorous relationships group of individuals having relationships all together.

Even though Canada and US do not formally register polygamous marriages, they do exist and have not been  actively prosecuted by some state and provincial governments; specifically Utah in US and British Columbia in Canada. Polygamy is common in multiple religious groups : Christians, Muslims (polygamy being legal in Muslims society) and even non religious individuals. Polygamy was always illegal in North America and it still remains to be. However the governments and courts are now facing the issue whether it should be legal or not which polygamous society argue that it violets their rights to practice their religion. On the other side non polygamous society's argue that polygamy violets human rights.

Source: Google Image



Source: Google Image