Update January 6th: After the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay of Judge Shelby's order to allow same-sex marriages, Trestin Meacham ended his fast after 15 days. On his Twitter site, he proclaimed initial victory, but said it's only a first step and still wants Utah to exercise nullification. Meacham also added that while he is opposed to same-sex marriage in principle, the reason for the fast was the unconstitutional nature of the ruling. He also said that another purpose of the fast was to "expose the hatred of the supposedly tolerant homosexual movement".
A devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has torn a page out of Mahatma Gandhi's book in an effort to stop the onset of same-sex marriage in Utah. Trestin Meacham, identified as a devout LDS member, has launched a fast which he says will remain in effect until all Utah counties stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. KTVX Channel 4 was the first Utah media outlet with the story, but now the New York Daily News has picked it up and adds to it. The Daily Mail has given this story an international push.
But his personal blog and his Twitter site offer even more information. Meacham begun his fast on December 21st, 2013, and as of January 2nd, 2014, has lost 25 pounds. He only consumes water and an occasional vitamin. Meacham told KTVX he's fasting to convince Utah to exercise the option of nullification. According to his interpretation of states’ rights, Utah can nullify the recent federal court ruling by simply choosing not to follow it, and he cites the example of a number of states which are seeking to nullify Obamacare to support his case. Meacham says that if Utah simply nullifies Judge Shelby's decision, the state won't have to spend money challenging it; KSL Channel 5 estimates the price tag for challenging could be at least $2 million. Regarding the Supremacy Clause, Meacham acknowledges that while it gives power to the Federal Government to act within the confines of the Constitution, when they act outside of the limits placed by the Constitution, the states have the power to nullify. Read his full blog post entitled "Utah Must Nullify" for the full explanation. Meacham also recommends a tutorial about state nullification posted on LibertyClassroom.
But attorney Greg Skordas, who ran unsuccessfully for Salt Lake County District Attorney in 2010, doesn't agree with Meacham's definition of nullification. Skordas said nullification doesn't work with Utah’s case; when the federal government grants someone a constitutional right, states must recognize it. He added that when individual personal liberties are at stake, the state can't infringe on that, even if it's the will of the people. Of course, Skordas is assuming that marriage is a civil right, even though we ban siblings and polygamists from contracting marriages.
Already one hatemonger has published a post disagreeing with Meacham. But like most progressives, The Blerg can't resist the personal insult, referring to Meacham as having "cold, freakishly empty eyes". Why progressives insist on indulging in childish name-calling is beyond me; they will not persuade normal, stable human beings of their point of view. Progressives are nothing more than a cancer growing on the body politic of America, but unfortunately many conservatives fail to distinguish between responsible classical liberals like Jim Matheson whose patriotism to this country and love of the Lord are beyond question, vs. progressive extremists who are agents of Satan upon planet Earth.
To counter the progressive smears, Meacham wrote "This has nothing to do with hatred of a group of people. I have friends and relatives who practice a homosexual lifestyle and I treat them with the same respect and kindness that I would anyone. This is about religious freedom, and an out of control federal government."
RightWingWatch publishes more background on Trestin Meacham. They say he is a libertarian-leaning Navy veteran who ran for the Utah State Senate in 2012 as a Conservative Party candidate. The Cultural Hall Podcast has a 15-minute audio interview with him posted HERE.
As for the continuing court fight, on Tuesday December 31st, lawyers for the state of Utah filed an emergency application for a stay to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, saying same-sex marriages being performed in Utah are an affront to the will of the state and its residents. Sotomayor is the justice who oversees the 10th Circuit. It's unknown how soon she will make a decision or whether she'll decide to refer the matter to the full court. However, we need to remember that Sotomayor joined the 5-4 majority in striking down part of the Defense of Marriage Act and ruling against the proponents of California's Proposition 8 in 2012, so I would be surprised if she grants the stay.
37 comments:
I hope he does not gives up!
Even if he proves to be unsuccessful, he will have the personal satisfaction of taking a public stand for traditional cultural values. Like Samuel the Lamanite, his name will be celebrated in the courts of heaven.
I agree! :)
Thank you for this.
Wow... just... wow.
Emulating Gandhi?? Gandhi was protesting the oppression of Indian people under the rule of the British empire. Meacham is protesting against equal protection of american citizens. He is protesting in favor of oppression, not against it.
How, precicely, does the marriage of homosexuals affect ANYONE other than the two people getting married?
This is prejudice and oppression, plain and simple.
To conflate the religious institution of marriage with the civil institution is a fallacy, and to cry that your own personal religious beliefs are being violated by people outside of your religion, without affecting you or your life whatsoever is absurd.
You are making every LDS look like they piss on the views and life styles of others.
I admire your strength in your beliefs but this has gotten way off the point.
I think this is more for self than for religion.
Trestin -- You're quite welcome. The opposition you've attracted makes it necessary for some of us to proclaim our support. Satan has stirred up people to anger against you.
Anonymous 12:26 P.M. -- Only Satan could convince you that defending traditional marriage is "pissing on the views and lifestyles of others".
Remember......Satan is a master counterfeiter. He has been given the power to convince people that black is white and darkness is light. Don't fall for his spin.
Always have to redefined argument to hate? From that position there's nothing left to talk about. You cannot understand.
Trestin, Trestin, Trestin. What are we going to do with you? You must have realized how foolish you look to just about everyone that hears what you're sacrificing for God. To uphold God's Laws. To beat back the ugly head of non Belief. To slay Satan once and for all! Stick with it as long as you can. There's no good tv on and my dvd player is broken. I've been praying for something entertaining but to no avail. [Insert sad face] But then you showed up! My prayers were answered! I had something to laugh at once again. I wish I could put you in a bottle and then I could pull you out and laugh at you whenever I want...but...oh, you fifteen minutes of fame is up. Been nice thinking there is something wrong with your brain but I gotta go. Have a nice day :-)
Clearly the issue is about state rights.
I agree completely!!
I think he's "strayed from the path" so to speak.
I mean, seriously...
If you dont like how others choose to live then dont watch!
Its none of you business who's marrying who.
Unless of course your arogant enough to believe that EVERY same sex couple is getting married JUST to punish the church?
Im a LDS and im also in a same sex relationship.
SHOCKER!!!!
Im marrying my partner this year, I answer to the Lord,
Not some jumped up wanna be prophet.
What forum all of you coming from?
Actually not a shocker, everyone knows the LDS church is a corrupt institution.
I wish all those who agree with Trestin share his beliefs as strongly as he does and follow suit. I'll bet dollars to donuts Trestin gives up and eats food before starving to death. Probably he'll be eating chicken. By the way I thought the bible teaches that the physical body is a temple and that committing suicide is a sin.
Not the Biblical Way. Matthew 6 16 -New Living Translation "And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.
Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame.
I feel the most hate coming from the gays and those who support their agenda. Just a waste of time and energy anyway. My point of view is get the government out of the marriage business. Ultimately it is a states rights issue but the right thing to do is for government on every level is get out of the marriage business, along with a whole host of issues. The most important minority that gets cheated out of rights when we start talking about different groups of people is the smallest minority of them all, the individual. Every individual is worst off when laws applies to special groups of people.
Yes, it is those gays that are so hate filled. I just want to smash up their families, make sure their loved ones get hassled following the death of a spouse, and otherwise make sure gay people have no expectation of religious freedom/personal expression/right to form familial bonds. And I'm supposed to be the one that's hateful. That's crazy.
Sounds like you need help, I am not a therapist. God Bless
Not the Biblical Way. Matthew 6 16 -New Living Translation "And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.
Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame.
Repost....
My own input. Think about what you are doing. There are so many other people in the world who believe different things than yourself. They walk down a different path. You are trying to lie in front of their path. Making their life's miserable. While making yours miserable as well. Live and let live.
Your fighting for freedom of religion??? NO you are fighting for your religion to be upheld by the law. And these poor people to have to live by your own view point. Come on man grow a heart.
Ghandi would be spinning in his grave to hear that a nutjob like this is comparing himself to him.
That's not hate coming from the gays. Its outrage. There's a big difference and its a justified response considering what they've had to put up with.
Emulates Mahatma Ghandi? Are you serious? Ghandi fasted fighting for civil rights, Meacham is fasting to deny people civil rights. Additionally he is asking for the State of Utah to disregard federal law and "nullify" a federal court decision that he and the Mormon church disagree with.
This is utterly insane,let's be clear he is not a hero. He is fighting to deny people rights.
Feel better now?
Tresitn, your Prophet, Joseph SMith ( the snake oil salesman with magic underwear) is calling you. Will you answer?? You are no different than those crazy fanatics in the midEast?? Is this what Utah is all about? KKKrazies???
Not much point in talking with people who can not control themselves. Even when you can talk with some dignity your argument is a false one, you refuse understand, so continue to act the way you do, it's your own hell to deal with. I can see you are hurting, but you are in pain because you are making choices that brings pain. It is all your fault you are in pain, that's the reality. Awake up, grow up and accept reality and you will find the peace and happiness you desire.
He has made it to the international press! Good luck with the translation of the article. http://frontpage.fok.nl/nieuws/632800/1/1/100/relikneus-verhongert-zich-tegen-homohuwelijk.html
D&C 134:9
"We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied."
Trestin Meacham is a Mormon, so according to him, it at least seems that:
A) A *civil* license held by two men = very, very bad.
B) A religious ceremony held for a man claiming to be a "man of God" who is marrying over two dozen women (some under the age of 16)? Very, very good!
If someone can make sense out of this, please explain it to me ... because I don't get it.
- James
Wow. Looks like a vigorous discussion has broken out since I was here yesterday. I had to delete two comments that I thought were excessively abusive, and one other that was a duplicate, but I appreciate the interest in this post.
Alaskanwonder -- How would you feel if an unelected Federal judge invalidated Alaska's constititutional definition of marriage which was also freely decided by the electorate?
If this is about religious freedom, and my religion accepts same sex marriage, wouldn't that make any state that forbids same sex marriage restrictive of religious freedom? No on is forcing Mr Trestin to participate or acknowledge a same sex marriage. I do not agree with him, but I do wish him the best and hopes he does not harm himself from the fast. Also, Ghandi was protesting mistreatment by the British government. Wanting to stop loving couples from marrying is hardly synonymous. Thnak you
Flanoggin -- forbidding officially state-recognized same sex marriage does not forbid two people of the same sex from moving in together and starting a full relationship. It also does not forbid passage of laws facilitating hospital visitation or probate for such couples without legally recognizing the relationship as marriage.
Furthermore, if you sanction official same-sex marriage, what's the rationale for not sanctioning official polygamy?
You are going at this all wrong Jack Mormon. You say the progressives are a bunch of satan worshipping slanderers? "Already one Hatemonger?" "The Blerg can't resist the personal insult?" "they will not persuade normal, stable human beings of their point of view." Really? You say they are the ones to bring out personal insults as you call them abnormal and instable? The majority of your point of view is slander. Clean up your act sir, you represent the LDS church and people negatively. I do not care how wrong or right your point of view is, but you are pointedly straying from your argument to insult the other group, and that is not the right way to do things. Whether you speak only for yourself, it still puts a negative image on the LDS church as you are a member, and people still take your perspective and label it as the churches. You cannot stop people from thinking so by saying this is my point of view, so make sure your point of view is about the argument, not about attacking the "opposing" group.
There is nothing wrong with polyamorous relationships either, so long as they are consensual. You say you are protecting traditional beliefs, yet in the bible "traditional" marriages upheld polygamous relationships, you could often find multiple wives. So by saying you sanction traditional marriage, and not polygamy you are selecting what you think traditional marriage should be, and not what it actually is. So you ask what is the rationale for not sanctioning polygamy? Well there isn't one, that is the point. This is considered a marriage equality issue, not a same-sex marriage issue. I think any people who are in love should be able to marry whomever they choose, whether the other persons are the same sex, opposite sex, somewhere in between, or somewhere outside of. The whole point of this issue is fighting for love, for being happy, for being with that/those special somebody(s). Not to attack traditional marriage values, not to attack religion, or god. To create happiness and unity.
Trestin, what if a stranger decided they did not like the person that you had a legal right to marry, and that stranger went on TV and said that they were going to commit suicide to prevent you from being with the person that you love? Sounds kinda crazy, doesn't it?
#christianlove
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