In the interest of keeping my own self accountable and honest, I was compelled to revisit the Texas Polygamy case and my quick-draw post on the matter prior to taking in anything but the initial report. Billy points to three posts by Wendy McElroy here, here, and here. It's the latter of those three he's referencing. I think she's dead on about the women from the perspective of 3rd party intervention. There's no plausible way they couldn't leave or explicitly call for help if they wanted. Having read over what I posted, I still think my general point is valid, which is that rational men, unbound by "The People" fallacy, might have taken care of that mess long ago. Of course, they would have been totally accountable for whatever actions they took, and had they found it necessary to dispatch the rapists and those giving aid and comfort to the rapists (the adult wives), then they would have also been responsible for the well being of all the children as far into the future as it takes. Not saying that's what should have happened at all; just what if. Ghastly? Perhaps, but the prospect strikes me as less arbitrary and...