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I think TLC used to stand for "The Learning Channel", now it seems the L stands for LOSER. Wasn't the skakarama Gosselin on there, then Palin, then her daughter, now this.
I've reached the point where I skip from 46 (History)for me right to 50 (HGTV) for the wife. Everything in between is just a freak show.
I've reached the point where I skip from 46 (History)for me right to 50 (HGTV) for the wife. Everything in between is just a freak show.
History used to be chock full of good stuff, but it's going to crap like every other channel;
Modern Marvels Essentials: nothing new here, they take hour episodes and chop them down into half hour reruns.
Ice Road Truckers: was boring before the first season ended, they try to build up these life threatening scenarios which turn out to be nothing, trucks driving on ice, yay, I think the Modern Marvels episode on the subject was more than enough of that.
Life After People was an interesting mini series, it should have remained that, the series was the same old stuff over and over.
Sliced was just goofy
Some good shows still remain, Ancient Aliens, The Universe, Pawn Stars (not for the people, I like to see the items, the plugs for Subway are pitiful), Modern Marvels, American Pickers.
They canned a great show, cities of the underworld
Don't get me started on the syfy channel, wrestling? really? They changed the name so they could get away with loading it up with the same junk on most other channels. I'm curious as to who determines that the american public wants to see the crap that's on TV right now.
The promo shows one of the sister-wives saying it's hard not being able to talk about her family (for fear of legal repercussions). Uh.....YOU'RE ON TV, LADY!
Are they just daring the local authorities to arrest them and place all 13 kids in foster care? I don't get it.
The lifestyle being portrayed in this program is ILLEGAL within the borders of the United States. In many cases (possibly the majority), it also involves abuse of the food stamp and WIC programs. The law forbids the "husband" marrying the alternate "wives" in the eyes of the state; therefore, since these women are usually mothers who -- by the choice of their husband -- do not work, they often qualify for food assistance programs. The cults encourage the women to sign up for the programs; even when they don't require the assistance, the cult leaders enjoy ripping off the American government and encourage it within their communities.
Many of these women DO live in abject poverty, as well as enforced ignorance and breeding. To ensure that they can enjoy multiple younger wives, the older male leaders use any excuse possible to banish healthy young men from the community, thereby eliminating competition. The larger cities outside the cult communities are "home" to many of these under-educated, unskilled young men who have been banished from the only family they ever knew for the crime of being attractive to young women who are valued for their childbearing ability. These young men, too, live in poverty and loneliness and often fall victim to drugs and prostitution. If TLC was really interested in "learning" rather than money, they would do a program about that tragic situation.
The promo shows one of the sister-wives saying it's hard not being able to talk about her family (for fear of legal repercussions). Uh.....YOU'RE ON TV, LADY!
Are they just daring the local authorities to arrest them and place all 13 kids in foster care? I don't get it.
Child protective agencies have to have grounds of proveable abuse or physical endangerment to remove children from their birth parents. Simple bad parenting is, unfortunately, not enough. The downside of freedom is that people are "free" to make frighteningly bad decisions. (Or else the Octomom's 14 children would be with better families.) These cults are well aware of the letter of the law and take great care to make sure they operate just within the bounds of legality.
The biggest problem is there are no complaintants. Most of these people were born and raised in these cults. They don't know any other life. They are unlikely to know much about the outside world since their educations and travel are highly restricted. Their ignorance is part of the plan. The girls think it's normal, or even good, to be "given" to a cult leader to be impregnated. To ask them to leave, or even disobey their leaders, is akin to asking you or me to take a rocket to the moon and never come back.
I'm sure the sister-wives are participating because they were ordered to do so. And I'd be willing to bet they're not going to see a penny of the cash TLC is paying their husband and/or the community, other than maybe a treat bestowed for their good behavior. That will all be taken to be used as the cult leaders see fit.
Actually, I'll bet that the "husband" TLC will be following is much richer than the standard. His family probably lives in much nicer conditions than is typical and his wives are probably better provided for than the average. TLC wouldn't be allowed to portray the downside of this lifestyle. So what viewers will be seeing in this "reality" show is no doubt a highly scripted "unreality."
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