It looks obvious

The story about the polygamist compound in Texas will probably be material for movies - a mysterious phone call, wired cult that is most likely damaging its children and abusing it women and the heroic raid of the authorities to save the children. Should the authorities have acted upon the phone call - unequivocally yes. This is exactly why we should have a government - to protect human rights, and especially children human rights. Should they have responded differently - probably.

I agree with those who argue that the government should have taken custody on those children that were in danger of abuse even before it had enough evidence. Certain level of suspicion that those young girls are being forced into unconnected sexual relations should be sufficient for a temporary removal of the children and taking custody. However it should be temporary and should be justified with a proof in court. But the decision to take all the children from the compound was a mistake. Nobody argue that the little children were in any immediate danger of abuse and the fact that we don’t approve the lifestyle of this cult isn’t a good enough reason to intervene.

Defining the line, were government justified to intervene when protecting children rights, is always more problematic than when discussing adults rights. After all children has less freedom to decide as they are under the control of their parents. However, the state is often use “children rights” as a tool to assume more power and to restrict more rights. We should carefully prevent cases where a mere disapproval of life style, belief or even less competent parenting become a justified reasons for government regulations and taking over parents control. It seems that in Texas the state crossed that fine line.