NEWS FLASH! "Polygamy is ACCEPTABLE UNDER THE LAW" - The San Angelo Standard-Times

If you read every article thoroughly, little tidbits drop out. This one is great because it reveals to the public what the press and law enforcement have always known but would not admit to publicly. The most they will do is let people like Rod Parker or Willie Jessop say it, and quote it, but they will not ACKNOWLEDGE it. Here the press doesn't put the words in someone else's mouth, and the stroke their chin in doubt, they actually admit it;

"The (FLDS), which split decades ago from the mainstream Mormon Church, practices a form of polygamy with spiritual unions that, when conducted between consenting adults, is acceptable under the law. Malonis alleges the girl was spiritually married at age 15 to an older man; the girl in letters, e-mails and interviews has denied being abused."

Well DUH, FINALLY. No, it's NOT illegal.

Furthermore it would seem that a lot of time the "spiritual marriages" of the FLDS amount to betrothal or go unconsummated for a variety of reasons. The law can only concern itself with sexual congress or sexual behavior and the issues of whether or not marriages are legally registered. This all changed when the Supreme Court of the United States struck down cohabitation laws. Essentially those laws say that if you draw your blinds and you are an adult or of "consenting age" you can have at it.

Free speech laws say you can SAY what you will as well. So Teresa Jeffs can go around saying she's "married" to someone else, if in fact she has done that. Bishops of the FLDS faith can declare her "married" if they choose to and unless she drops trow and does the "horizontal mambo" or a little fondling, in the eyes of the law, NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. When she turns 17 in Texas, she can do all of that, and in the eyes of the law, only her consent is required.

So now we're waiting for that "other admission." The admission that in this country, Free Speech is still a right. Yes, Polygamy if practiced with people of consenting age or with adults it is not ILLEGAL in this country. The next admission we need from Ms. Malonis, is that being "spiritually married" in the eyes of the law amounts to nothing as well. Unless the "spiritually married" that are underage are caught "en flagrante" or such a relationship is proved with a person too old in the eyes of the law, they can say what they want.

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