Source: Google Image

Technology's Impact 

Technology was challenging to operate at times, however it gave me the ability to collect research from different resources and share them in different ways with other students and the world. It definitely allowed me to learn from many resources in the world and overall it was quick and easy to access. Through this bloging process I also learned more about the use of multi-media elements and because of it made my learning experience more exciting. Besides exciting, it was also interesting to see how other students incorporated technology in their blogs. Certainly through the use of technology I was continuously able to expand my knowledge.
      

The Unknown World Of Polygamy

Well, I have been aware of the definition polygamy and its practice in some Muslim countries where the law allows men to have up to four wives in certain circumstances. However what really sparked my interest to further knowledge my self about this topic is the way North American polygamous individuals practice it, which is usually with 5 to 15 wives and over 100s of children. Polygamy is not greatly common and is very secretly practised that is why I also was interested learning about it. During my research I have learned that North Americans do not have up to date information on polygamous communities instead they have very strong arguments against polygamy. I also noticed during my research that all articles either argue against polygamy or try and support polygamy but no article mentions pros and cons side by side. After all, this learning experience was unique and full of new information.

Polygamy In My Views Based On The Bountiful Community

 Source: Youtube, 16x9: Inside Bountiful: Polygamy investigation


Certainly we are all aware of the fact that news is bias. In my opinion the majority if not all of news are influenced by the attitudes of writers, directors, interviewers, editors and photographers. Watching  this video makes me wonder how much the definition of  polygamy is created by media.

In my previous blogs I have been neutral not supporting either side, trying to interpret all the different views and perspectives of weather polygamy should or should not be legal. However, with reference to this video I will now be listing my points of view to why polygamy should remain to be illegal.

Partially I think this video is intended to show polygamous people who undergo modern changes along with the rest of the world and showcase polygamy as not violating human rights. However me as a viewer was not convinced because:

-Winston Blackmore polygamous family are still implying strict gender roles.

-It is necessaries for a child to have equal love and attention from both parents, however Blackmore has more then 130 children which is impossible to even remember their names.

-Portrays how much polygamy is influenced by the United States.

-It capters how ones interpretation of polygamy is forced upon others.

-Blackmores wife mentions how she has to preaper breakfast for around 200 people which in my opinion is an example how polygamy limits individual growth.

-In six second footage (between 3:35 and 3:41) it makes me question family values polygamous individuals claim to have because of  Blackmores interaction with his daughters like they are strangers.

-Blackmore is very uncertain and hesitant when answering questions from the reporter which makes me think Blackmore is not telling the truth.

Overall the Blackmore family does not showcase stability and a strong definition of polygamy that can support the legalization of polygamy; each person reports different opinions of what polygamous lifestyle is. I was not able to spot one common complementarity definition of polygamy in Blackmores community which influences my final statement; Polygamy should not be legalized.
 

Does Polygamy Have Solutions  

Polygamy is illegal in North America, however there are small communities who practice it which is illegal. Due to polygamist living a very secret life governments have not been up holding their laws. We as a country need to be aware of all the communities that surround us especially the ones who are breaking the law North Americans have a strong belief against. In my opinion the possible solution would be exposing this communities and making sure the government up holds its laws. One way of taking action is singing pledges against polygamy. In the other hand I believe that everyone should live the lifestyle they chose as long as it dose not damage them self and the people around. Having said that polygamous people live a lifestyle that our society is not familiar with, therefore I think we need to further educate ourselves to inssuer equality of those who practice non harmful polygamous relationship. Due to polygamy being know as a practice that violets women rights and those of children which was a major problem in the past for women and children to find help. However that is not the case in modern day society, there many groups and organizations that the victims can reach out to like: social workers, law enforcement, schooling systems, and websites that are against polygamy. The challenge that we need to find a solution to is if polygamy is illegal or not because clearly polygamous families are not giving up their belief and we as a society need to acknowledge it. We need to make polygamy legal so its a safe and open environment. However accompanied by laws against harmful polygamous relationships.   

Source Citation: Google Image 

  

    

Source: Google Image/ The hit television show that follows
the lives of a polygamist family that try and showcase
their polygamous family like every other one.

Source: Google Image/ Women protesting against polygamy

Those Who Support Polygamy And Those Who Do Not

As addressed before polygamy is claimed to be a religious right however its a right that is never been granted, not even in the early years where polygamy was more commonly practiced. I believe that the government has always had an enormous impact on this issues since it makes the biggest decisions and that is if polygamy can or can not be practised. Many polygamous family's and individuals who support them claim that the government is discriminating against their religious rights. However the Charter does not prohibit all discrimination, it only prohibits those forms of discrimination that can not be justified as reasonable. These argument is a set back for polygamous individuals that use this point in court, since they are being judged because they broke the law and are not there to argue against changing the law. In the other hand, polygamy certainly has not be justified as reasonable because of different reasons that occurred in the past like: sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse, insest, lack of education, enforcement of this belief, and violating basic rights for both women and children. In all regards if these are results of polygamy then it should stay illegal however governments and communities should not be narrow minded and base there arguments in experiences that have happened decades ago. In my view many religions have  individuals who practice there beliefs to different extents and  ways that violate basic human rights. I would conclude the same about polygamy there are individuals which there interpretation on how they practice polygamy is harmful however there are  many other family's that claim and show  the practice of  polygamy is not harmful and forced. Therefore we should look to find different solutions that do not completely banned polygamy.Polygamy is legal in certain Muslim and African countries so individuals coming from these countries living in North America are faced with the challenge of partially practician their religion. This situation is very challenging for North America because they practice polygamy secretly. Many women in this countries do not support polygamy however I believe that there strong religious beliefs prevents them from standing up against polygamy. As result it is hard to help them if they do not admit  to it. Based on statistics the majority of North Americans do not believe in polygamy and therefore it creates this limited spectrum of those who believe in polygamy and those who do not which makes polygamy a controversial issue.  

 
"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.

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.

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.