October 5, 2016

Dear Next President,

My issue I would like to talk about is a religious cult called polygamy. I feel like this issue doesn't really come up that often and I would like to draw more attention to it. I feel that polygamy is a bad place for people who were raised in that religion.

The history of Polygamy began 1852. Polygamy is becoming more widespread and unfortunately more accepted in the U.S. It is accepted and practiced currently in Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. The main reasons why I feel polygamy should be stopped is because of the physical and mental abuse that happens in the culture. Also, polygamists are known to have sexual relations with minors and sometimes without their consent. This type of lifestyle does not believe in birth control, and women are becoming mothers at an early age. Children are often times born with genetic disorders due to relations within the family. Women in the polygamist lifestyle are not valued or given choices of what to wear, how to wear their hair, or watch on TV. They do not have independence in their choices. The leader named Warren Jeffs is still being a prophet even though prison.

I feel polygamy should be completely done with and legal consequences should be given to people living this lifestyle. We need to pay more attention to the abuse that women and children are suffering. Suicide among children is happening because of the brainwashing and not knowing how to escape.

This issue needs to be addressed and looked into so that women and children can live lives of independence and not be controlled by the prophets.

Sincerely,

Nataliya L, 10th grade

West St. Paul, Minnesota