Several of our readers have asked for the Beehive Standard Weekly to speak out on the recent raids on polygamists in Texas. Uniquely, our staff consists of lawyers who also happen to be Mormon, who also happen to be journalists. To that end, perhaps we can't avoid having or expressing an opinion.
To that end, we offer the conclusion before the commentary, so no one can misquote us without knowing that they are misquoting us.
Conclusion: Our conclusion is that though there may be specific and individual examples of violations of several laws of the State of Texas relating to underage marriage, the state and federal authorities have also violated the most sacred law of all, the United States Constitution. In the balance, religious prejudice and bigotry has tainted the actions of authorities, the media and the peeping-tom public. It may be one of the ugliest displays of religious intolerance since -- well, since the Mormons were driven out of the United States.
With that said, this is not an apology for those who have violated the law or abused children. Those participating in such low crimes should be brought to justice. The FLDS cannot hide behind their faith for attrocities against children. Religion is not an excuse for violating the laws which are clear and unambiguous.
Collective persecution, however, is not the way to obtain justice. In the majority, the people who were subject to the raid were living peaceful lives, though their religious practices are clearly not mainstream.
Some may view this act of Texas authorities as America taking a stand against abusive religious doctrines. In many ways, this is a test of the American system. Either we believe in religious freedom, or we don't. If we don't, then let's not act like hypocrites and let's rescind the right under the Bill of Rights. We can't continue to hold up litmus tests for public office and persecute those who don't hold mainstream religious beliefs and claim at the same time to have religious freedom. We either do, or we don't.
John McCain is headed for defeat in November. He has won over 40 percent of the Republican party, but will likely face a political rock star in Barack Obama who will not lose a single Democratic vote and might even get some Republican cross-overs. A McCain defeat will be devastating for the GOP and a last embarrassing blow to a once proud coalition of religious, financial and military conservatives.
To avert this loss, Senator McCain, with the help of prominent conservatives, needs to make a New National Covenant filled with new ideas and a definition of conservatism.
Shunned Mormons Could Serve Up the West for Obama Mormons learned a hard lesson from the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney. The message Southern Evangelicals made loud and clear was "you are not welcome." Despite sharing substantially similar values, Mormons and Evangelicals are deeply divided on the issue of theology. To Mormons, voting for Evangelical candidates is routine. For Evangelicals, voting for a Mormon candidate is now seen as nearly heresy -- hence the reason Mormons may abandon the Republican Presidential nominee in November
As one blog contributor noted recently, this election was never about the Mormons supporting Evangelicals, as there is a history of such support coming from Mormons. This election was about turn about and fair play. Mormons believed that the Republican Evangelical base in the southwestern portion of the United States would accept a Mormon candidate on shared values, despite theological differences. In other words, Mormons incorrectly assumed that where common values prevailed over theology, Evangelicals would return the favor and vote for a Mormon candidate.
(Las Vegas, NV) -- Save the laughs, we need to talk politics. Last summer, we cast and predicted a Romney-Thompson ticket. Later, as Mike Huckabee stepped up and became the Evangelical vote, and Fred Thompson never seemed to launch into the campaign, we recast our prediction of a ticket as being Romney-Huckabee.
At the time, it made clear sense that Romney would win the north and Huckabee would then deliver the south. Together, this ticket would have been dynamic and very tough to beat. Then Huckabee got an attitude and an ego and surrounded himself with people who told him that he could win it all.
He could have recovered from the ego after New Hampshire, but insisted on using Romney's religion against him. You may have heard the term "flip-flop," but that was really code-speak to far right-wing Evangelicals. It really means "you can't really vote for a Mormon can you?"
That brings us to South Carolina. Thompson suddenly started attacking Huckabee and started looking like the political player many thought he should have been months earlier. The pundits said that he was doing his buddy McCain a favor, but the truth perhaps lies deeper.
(Las Vegas, NV) -- An important source at the highest levels of the Obama Campaign in Nevada said Thursday that the Obama Campaign is most fearful of Mitt Romney coming out as the Republican candidate as he is dynamic and has a command of economic issues. This revelation came about as the Obama Campaign was inquiring with some prominent Mormon civic leaders about a possible Mormon cross-over vote in the Southwest to Obama if Huckabee or McCain were to be the eventual nominee. The reliable source indicated that the Obama camp is currently implementing a plan to attract Mormon Moderate Republicans to their camp as a second choice to Romney, assuming he doesn't get the Republican nomination.
"I have grown up with Mormons all my life," the source stated "and I do not see them following McCain or Huckabee, so Obama can capture those votes and carry many of the Southwest states, including Arizona, if Obama can shave away only some of the Mormon vote."
Mormons represent an important voting audience in the West. Though only representing five to seven percent of the total population, the actual turn out of Mormons is nearly the highest of any major voting block. It is estimated that of actual persons voting, the Mormon block accounts for nearly twenty percent of actual voters.
In the West, Mitt Romney is relying upon the Mormon block to help him carry the day. With nearly twenty percent of the vote virtually in his pocket, he has the task of broadening his message to moderate evangelicals, and economic conservatives who are not of his faith. In a speech at Brady Industries Thursday night, Romney hit hard on Washington's failure to deliver any of the promises made in the past. The large banquet room was packed to capacity as former Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn joked to the crowd that he had asked a favor of the local fire marshal to turn a blind eye on the room capacity until Romney's speech was done. Not only was the room filled to capacity, but the staircase and lower lobby were also packed.
Romney noted that he had received the endorsement of the main Las Vegas paper, the Review-Journal, earlier that day and then flashed the good news that he had just learned before the speech that the editorial board at the Reno Gazette had also endorsed his candidacy.
Of important note, however, was that those filling the room were in the majority of the Mormon faith, though there were clearly many, many other groups represented. This block of voters will be Romney's mainstay in the Southwest and will give Romney an immediate lift as they will turn out in large numbers and they will deliver nearly a quarter of the total votes in some areas. Recognizing the significant disadvantage, the other candidates are noticeably absent and have all but conceded the race to Romney. Huckabee should also have a reasonable showing as there are many evangelicals in the southwest, but they are often less hostile towards Mormons, which means Romney should split that important vote.
As to Obama, he is also counting on the Mormon vote. If Romney is not the Republican candidate, look for Obama to cater directly to Mormons with the message of inclusion in order to take important southwestern states.
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