From the NY Times’ Latter-Day Republicans vs. the Church of Oprah: “After hearing someone like Mitt Romney preach his narrow, exclusionist idea of ‘Faith in America,’ some Americans may simply see a vote for Mr. Obama as a vote for faith in America itself.”
Now Hearing- Bob Dylan – It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
- Gov't Mule – Lay Your Burden Down [Live]
- Ray Charles & The Count Basie Orchestra – Feel So Bad
- Bright Eyes and Emmylou Harris – Landlocked Blues
- Paul Simon – Paranoia Blues
- Neil Young – Words (Between the Lines of Age)
- The Willowz – I Wonder
- Andrew Bird – Masterfade
- Jonny Greenwood – Convergence
- Mitch Hedberg – Six People Isn't Convincing
2 Comments
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1978 wasn’t racist - the United States of America was racist. This church was the first major non-all-black-denomination church to have blacks in positions of authority in the church. The church made this radical move to let Blacks have positions of authority in opposition to many commonly held racial beliefs in America at that time. Why is there a finger being pointed at the church for this instead of praise? If this church hadn’t set the standard, would the other churches have followed suit so quickly?
This had nothing to do with a perceived racial church but instead has to do with the sad dark racism heritage of America.
And why is Mitt Romney being attacked for believing in a church a few don’t understand? This isn’t a Mormon political race. Are Mitt Romney contenders so desperate to find something to pin on this pristine candidate that they’re sinking to this new low?
If I have disagreements with a religion, should I petition against having members of that religion hold a public office? Should I pick up picket signs and march against those religions? I prefer more constructive approaches.
Mitt Romney is the best candidate I’ve seen in years and I’m excited about this race. As candidates have risen and fallen in the polls, Mitt’s numbers have stayed strong.
That America in its entirety was racist and not just the Church of Latter-Day Saints is, I think, a fair remark to make. But 1978 is fifteen years after Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I have a dream speech,” and ten years after his assassination. By 1978, equality was a foregone conclusion from a “what is right” perspective, if not from a “what is real” one.
Also, by 1978, Mitt Romney was 31 years old, old enough to have a mind of his own.
So while the Church of Latter-Day Saints may have been the first non all-black church to have blacks in a position of authority (I’m not fact checking that, but I wonder if it’s true), I think it is still fair for Frank Rich or anyone else to ask the individual who is deigning to be the leader of the “free” world not only where his opinion stood in 1978, but more than, why he didn’t stand up before that?
As far as Mitt Romney being the best candidate…I said it before and I’ll say it again. The man is a stuffed shirt.
Thanks for coming by.