~~~ Η «ελληνική πραγματικότητα» υπάρχει μόνο στο μυαλό εκείνων που δεν μπόρεσαν (ή δεν ήθελαν;) ποτέ να ξεφύγουν από αυτήν ~~~
Monday, August 21, 2006
Polygamist Raly in Salt Lake City
Reuters today provides a news item about a social group I did not know it existed in organized form.
SALT LAKE CITY (Reuters) - More
than a dozen children of polygamist families spoke publicly at a Utah rally for
the first time on Saturday about their lifestyle and called for more
understanding. "I'm the 14th child in a large family and I have several moms,"
said Mary, 18. "All my mothers love me."
Using only their first names to
protect their families, 15 young men and women ranging in age from 10 to 20
addressed a pro-polygamy crowd of 200 to 300 in downtown Salt Lake City.
"I did not come here today to ask
for permission to live my beliefs. I shouldn't have to. I came here to defend a
principle," said 19-year-old Tyler.
Organizers of Saturday's rally
say plural families have historically avoided the spotlight, fearing criminal
prosecution and ridicule. Polygamy is outlawed across the United States, but
researchers estimate there are more than 30,000 practicing polygamists in Utah.
"There has been so much
negative publicity about the polygamy lifestyle; we felt it was time to present
the other side of the story," said Anne Wilde, spokeswoman for the polygamy
advocacy group Principal Voices. "I just don't think it's for everybody but I
also think it should be a free choice and what we would like to see is equal
civil rights so people don't lose their jobs or are ostracized for any reason."
Ten-year-old Sarah told the boisterous crowd she gets her homework done faster
because of the help from "lots of brothers and sisters." Seventeen-year-old
Jessica called her several dozen siblings her best friends. "We're not
brainwashed, mistreated, neglected, malnourished, illiterate, defective or
dysfunctional," she said. Most of the young men who spoke wore slacks, shirts
and ties; the women wore long dresses and blouses.
http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=13246171&src=rss/oddlyEnoughNews
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