Not everyone is lining up against the polygamists, though. Scott Henson at Grits for Breakfast, his blog about Texas criminal law, points out that the 16-year-old caller has not been identified and that Texas laws may have unfairly targeted the sect. Madcap at sacrilicio observes, "So the sect told their children that the outside world was 'hostile and immoral' and what does the outside world do? Take them from their homes and families and crowd them into social services facilities, and then threaten to place them with foster families. Say what you will about Joseph Smith and his magic stone goggles, but the sect seems to have nailed at least one prediction."

Commenting on it all at Jezebel, a stunned drunkexpatwriter remarks: "Wow. It sorta makes Scientology look sane."

Read more about the polygamist sect.