Polygamy and Public Assistance

I'm including a submission from a polygynist friend of FME. The following reflects his thoughts. I will make a brief comment at the end.

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Q: I would like more explanation of what the polygamist mindset is like, because to mono people it is so hard to understand. For example. As a mono person all I can imagine is that there is one guy who is fathering 20 or more children and the state ends up providing everything for the family because they can't manage on their own. I don't think that it is right for the state or taxpayers to have to take care of all the children that are born into these families. These so called families are just lazy and want a free ride from the rest of us.

A: That is a very good question. And I am so glad that you brought that up. The fact of the matter is that it is really easy to think that one man is going to have so many children and not be able to take care of them. In today's society we hear a lot about unwed mothers who have a lot of children in order to collect state benefits. But the truth is that polygamists believe in families. Polygamists are family oriented and not oriented toward the single lifestyle. Due to that fact and the fact that polygamy is illegal, most polygamists have learned to be self sufficient and rely on themselves for their needs. Just look at the TV show "Sister Wives." The husband and some of the wives have real jobs that they go to. But they also started their very own business. It is called My Sister Wife's Closet. I know of polygamist families that have started their own restaurants. One of which is centered around polygamy so that people can take a trip and experience what its like in that community. 

As for myself, I have done so many things to ensure that my children and way of life is preserved. I bought my own home and land. I own it completely. I don't pay a mortgage or anything else. I even buy my cars outright. So by buying my own property, homes, vehicles and everything else, I am not in debt. Everything that I bring in is free and clear. Most people today are living paycheck to paycheck and can barely afford the rent or mortgage that they have. I don't have that problem. Also, what is great about owning land is that I can always grow the food that I need for my family. We produce so much food that we give food away to others in need.

I always knew that I wanted to have a big family. Because of that, I took the time to think about my life and what I needed to do to provide for them. I can't speak for all polygamists, but for the ones that I do know, they all understand that in order to have big families that they will need to work hard and do whatever they need to do to ensure that their families succeed in life.

The fact is that there are many people out there in the world that do try and take advantage of the system and get what they can from it. But most polygamists aren't that way and will do whatever they need to in order to survive so they don't bring more attention to them then they already have. But in the end, if there are people who need a helping hand in life because they have fallen on hard times, then what's the problem with us being good neighbors and helping them to the best of our abilities?

Let me ask you something. Have you ever thought about what a man has to do in order for a woman to want to marry him? The man has to show the woman that he can provide for her and the family. And have you ever thought about what a woman has to do in order to choose a man to marry? She has to think long and hard about whether or not the man can provide for her. What woman would want to marry a man that was a bum? Not many, I can tell you that. Now imagine what it's like for one man to show four women that he can provide for them. 

But in the end, the men and the women understand that they all need to provide for their families, not just the man. What I mean is that the women understand that they need to take an active part in doing what is needed for their family to survive, also. I know some wives work, not because the man doesn't make enough money but because they want to take some of the burden away from the man so that they can all have more quality time together. No wife and children would be happy if the husband and father was never home because he was gone all the time working. I know of polygamist families where the man had lost his job and the wives had to go to work because the man couldn't find work. The whole family pitches in. That's what love is all about. 

The polygamist family works as a team to ensure that the needs of the family are met. No matter what the needs are or what they have to do.

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People are increasingly realizing the advantages of determining their own roles and making mutual agreements with their partner(s) rather than trying to conform to "traditional" gender roles and hetero-monogamist constructs to which they're not suited. There will always be some families that are polygynist and in which the husband will be the highest earner. But there are many other families where this is not the case, and families in which the adults are all men or all women, or with multiple men and one woman, or multiple men and multiple women. They can determine for themselves who will earn income and who will be with the children when. Some of them will have home-based businesses.

What is the current system in the US when it comes to welfare benefits? A polygynist man can only have one lawful wife. So, he's legally married to none or just one of his wives. In the US, if a mother isn't legally married, she is more likely to qualify for public assistance. Allowing all adults to marry any and all consenting adults would make it more likely these women would be legally married, making it less likely they will qualify for public assistance. It seems to me that the argument asking "Aren't polygamists a drain on public assistance?" is actually an argument for legalization of polyamorist or polygamist or plural marriage.