Ben Stein Says Texas Authorities Are Acting Like The Gestapo By Taking Away The Children Of A Mormon

[bronxiteforever]

April 27, 2008-Ben Stein on CBS

"Look, I am a huge fan of Texas. I have many friends there and love being there. But what is the attorney general of Texas doing? This is an Orwellian nightmare. For no reason except what looks like a crank call, the lives of these children have been turned upside down and into a screaming horror movie.

Can't someone say the obvious here? That in this case, it's not the Mormons who are the criminals, it's the government of Texas.

Governor Perry, wake up and give those kids back to their mothers until you have some compelling, proven reason to do otherwise. What your state is doing here is Gestapo tactics pure and simple."

Link-

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/27/sunday/main4048476.shtml

Another DU member mentioned this-I had to post it

[Maine-ah]

1. what the hell can you say to that?

cripes, what a fucking idiot. x(

[Fridays Child]

7. I can say that it makes Ben Stein a defender of rape.

eom

[uppityperson]

He also doesn't know how to do any research on his own, obviously.

[B3Nut]

38. And a defender of brainwashing

but that I can understand, since he's obviously "in the business" himself, witness his latest pathetic propaganda flick.

[Ilsa]

2. Ben Stein thinks 14 year old pregnant girls are okay?

They are not legally able to marry until age 16, but these people are matching up girls with 40+ year old men who have other "wives".

Ben Stein is wrong.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

43. Until recently

In texas 14 was a legal age to be married:

--

HILDERBRAN AMENDS SB 6 TO ADDRESS POLYGAMIST ACTIVITIES
For Immediate Release
Monday, April 25, 2005

Hilderbran's original bill and his amendment to the Senate bill would both raise the age of consent for marriage from 14 to 16 and outlaw stepparents from marrying stepchildren. He filed the bill after hearing reports that the group, known as the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints, had forced young girls into incestuous marriages.

--

So as of 2005 the laws in Texas said its not only ok for a 14 yo to be pregnant but married and pregnant. There is no way to morally defend what was going on there but legally speaking it is somewhat more gray..

[sakabatou]

3. .

[ColbertWatcher]

18. You know who else used to bring up Hitler?

[sakabatou]

19. The hell his he holding?

[proud patriot]

20. It looks like a photoshopped melon

:shrug:

[sakabatou]

29. Oh, I get it now

He's taking a bit out of a melon.

[OnyxCollie]

27. Kitler! nt.

[KharmaTrain]

4. Do We Really Care What Ben Stein Says?

He's got a failed movie to promote...then I hope his latest 15 minutes are up...again.

[Olney Blue]

5. Yes, I heard his essay on CBS Sunday morning. I get so confused by these

conservatives- government should stay out of peoples lives- yet they want the government to take away choice.
They want to lower taxes, yet they are breaking the bank paying for an illegal war....

[pokerfan]

34. To take it a step further

Conservatives really don't believe in the free market. Not really. They are fine with the profit for themselves when things go there way and begrudge every nickel they might have to pay in taxes.

But..... when things go bad (S&Ls, subprimes, airlines, etc.), then suddenly they say we all need to share the burden and bail them out.

This is called, "heads I win, tails you lose."

And why do we care what Ben Stein thinks? He thinks "science leads us to killing people."

[AlCzervik]

6. Ticket sales down Ben?

[MannyGoldstein]

8. Fucking Idiot

The Gestapo killed people by the millions. None of these folks has been killed, or will be.

One may not agree with what the Texas AG did, but comparing him (her?) to the Gestapo is utterly fucked.

[Breeze54]

9. Ben Stein was on the 700 Club this morning.

Need I say more? :eyes:

I can't stand that asshole.

[ccharles000]

10. What the hell does he think they should do...

leave the children there to be raped and abused.

[bronxiteforever]

11. My thoughts precisely!

[rwheeler31]

12. Ben Stein is a stupid right wing nut case. Why is he rich?

[seabeyond]

13. ANOTHER old man defending rape of children..... n/t

[Bright Eyes]

14. This is coming from the man who thinks there is a

scientific conspiracy to keep intelligent design out of the schools.

[ColbertWatcher]

15. Hahahahaha!

Ben Stein is talking!

Hahahahaha!

[JDPriestly]

16. A lot of people are spouting opinions about what did or did not happen

in that compound in Texas. It's up to the Texas court (and all those Republican judges appointed by recent Republican governors) to protect the Constitutional rights of the parents in this situation. Just whom is Ben Stein targeting with his criticism -- the Republicans who run Texas?

[eppur_se_muova]

17. So, Ben, you're comfy with statutory rape? (link)

CPS: Half of sect's teen girls have been pregnant (AP/CNN)

SAN ANGELO, Texas (AP) -- More than half the teen girls taken from a polygamist compound in west Texas have children or are pregnant, state officials said Monday.

A total of 53 girls between the ages of 14 and 17 are in state custody after a raid 3½ weeks ago at the Yearning For Zion Ranch in Eldorado.

Of those girls, 31 either have children or are pregnant, said Child Protective Services spokesman Darrell Azar. Two of those are pregnant now, he said; it was unclear whether either of those two already have children.

"It shows you a pretty distinct pattern, that it was pretty pervasive," he said.
***
Under Texas law, children under the age of 17 generally cannot consent to sex with an adult. A girl can get married with parental permission at 16, but none of these girls is believed to have a legal marriage under state law.
***
more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/28/polygamist.retreat.ap/index.html

[UTUSN]

21. He likes the dresses?!1 n/t

[proud patriot]

22. Ben Stein doesn't believe Females have rights I guess

He's just another pig wallowing in stench.

[soothsayer]

23. Hate to say it, but he's right.

[uppityperson]

24. What do you mean? Expand please.

[ColbertWatcher]

25. Who is right? n/t

[Richard Steele]

26. Nope. Not even a little bit. nm

[ColbertWatcher]

30. Uh, hello? Who is right? n/t

[seabeyond]

35. they have a visual of law being broken. preg gals under age. not a hard one

only if allowing rape of girls as constitutional right is he correct

[elizfeelinggreat]

37. That's too hard to say

and besides, gestapo is such a fun word!

Added bonus: It's extra shiny and distracting so people won't have time to talk about the bombing in the green zone yesterday.

[orleans]

28. ben stein is A FUCKING IDIOT!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3219001

[JI7]

31. he has lost it

[BobTheSubgenius]

32. Ben Stein is still a HUGE Nixon fan.

The fact that he isn't strapped to a gurney is a testament to the tolerance of mankind in general.

[Canuckistanian]

33. What, like we're suddenly paying attention to what Ben Stein thinks?

Tell me, what does David Duke or Gordon Liddy think about this?

Or how about Charles Manson, did anyone get his opinion?

[Marrah_G]

36. He is a jackass- who gives a crap what he thinks?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

39. Godwin's Law.....end of debate

Shut up, Ben and go back to doing eye drop commercials, you dolt.

[hatrack]

40. Lookie! A rich right-wing gasbag thinks child rape is A-OK!

After all, it's wrapped in the mantle of Gaw-duh and therefore cannot be infringed upon.

Oh, and he managed to work the Nazis in with no trouble at all!

:puke:

[ogsbee]

41. Little children belong with their mothers

You do not uproot small children unless you are willing to inflict severe psychological damage on them. I don't get it. You know the charges are true because the government says so, because charges so severe must true? So if the government learns from an anonymous call that you and your spouse have your children lick your feet while you two have sex (careful sex in this case) we should applaud when the government takes your children away?

[Dorian Gray]

42. He agrees with

Michael Savage, as well. Good company they keep.