Yes, There Is A Group Called Mormons For Obama, And No, They Don't All Fit Inside A Phone Booth

The phone booth analogy was the first though that popped into my head when the Salt Lake Tribune's Political Cornflakes blog referred me to an ABC News story about a group called Mormons For Obama. They are a small group of Seattle-based bloggers who decided that Mitt Romney does not represent the average American or average Mormon, and they want to let the public know that he doesn’t even represent every Mormon in America. They've now spread to Provo, UT and Washington, DC. They want to represent the political diversity of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and provide a forum for people to share information about what’s going on in the election and how their faith really helps their support of President Obama. The Mormons For Obama blog has no official affiliation with the LDS Church. They also have a Facebook page accessible to the public.

The blog was actually created back in January of this year and the proprietors have sold about 500 “I’m voting for Obama and I’m a Mormon” bumper stickers. One of their political role models in Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), chosen perhaps just as much for his political prominence than for his religion. Although I consider Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) to be a better role model for Mormon Democrats, Sen. Reid is more powerful, being the Senate Majority Leader. Joseph Mills wrote “Just think of Harry Reid – the supreme example of Liberal Mormondom...and tell me if he doesn’t have a glow like a gleaming lighthouse? He fights the good fight, shines like a sunbeam, and literally comes from Searchlight, Nevada. I know what the Primary Hymn instructs, (Trying to be Like Jesus,) but in case that is too high of a bar for me right now, I’ve decided that at the very least I am trying to be like Harry… and we’ll call it good at that.”

This isn't the first time Mormons For Obama received national ink. Back in May 2012, Real Clear Politics published a story about BYU students who are campaigning for Obama. Hannah Wheelwright explained “The fact that I’m a Mormon is why I’m voting for President Obama instead of Mitt Romney. I’m a Democrat because I’m a Mormon. I think there’s so many things in my faith that do promote certain policies in the Democratic Party, and a lot of the reason I support President Obama is his dedication to social programs, equality, and those types of things.” According to an Obama spokesperson, the president’s campaign did not have a formal outreach program to Mormon voters at the time, but was planning to designate a faith-vote coordinator in the future.

The sentiment is that although it would be good to have a Mormon president, they don't feel Mitt Romney is the right Mormon. But it will take some effort to get past Obama's absolute pro-choice position on abortion and his support for gay marriage, both of which conflict with LDS doctrine. For my part, I'll be supporting Mitt Romney unless he picks an incapable running mate, in which case I might have to take a hard look at Merlin Miller of the American Third Position Party (A3P).

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to promote official political neutrality in regards to political candidates, saying that it does not attempt to direct its members as to which candidate or party they should give their votes to. This policy applies whether or not a candidate for office is a member of the LDS Church. Thus any stake president or bishop who harasses a member merely for supporting Obama outside the Church environment is out of harmony with Church leadership. One can be both a good Mormon and a Democrat.

Utah GOP Activist Gregory Nathan Peterson Accused Of Kidnapping And Raping Women Met Online, Charged With 23 Felonies

Note: All posts on this case can be displayed simultaneously HERE, with the most recent post appearing first.

Update October 19th: Greg Peterson released on $2 million bail in the Salt Lake case, and his next court hearing is scheduled for November 2nd.

A prominent Utah County GOP activist and fundraiser has been arrested and charged with 23 different felonies associated with the kidnapping and raping of four different women during a 13-month period. Prosecutors say Gregory Nathan Peterson kidnapped and raped women that he met online. He had profiles on at least two online dating sites, LDSSingles.com and LDSLinkup.com, but prosecutors have not disclosed which online services he used. This is a major story with reports published by the Salt Lake Tribune and KSL Channel 5 and KTVX Channel 4 and two stories by the Deseret News (the crime and his political ties). KSL news video embedded below:



The incidents took place on March 26th, July 2nd, and December 11th, all in 2011, and the most recent on April 21st, 2012, each one with a different victim. The July 2nd incident was the most serious. Prosecutors say Peterson arranged to go to a movie and dinner with a woman he met online. He allegedly drove the woman from Sandy to his cabin in Heber City against her will, displaying a handgun and threatening to have the woman deported because of an expired visa if she did not cooperate. Peterson the allegedly held the woman hostage at his cabin overnight and sexually assaulted her. The next day, he took her to his mother's house in Lewiston, Cache County, where she was held hostage for two days and repeatedly assaulted. Then Peterson followed the same woman to her Salt Lake County home and sexually assaulted her again.

Here's the list of charges:

-- Seven counts of rape, a first-degree felony
-- Three counts of object rape, a first degree felony
-- Two counts of aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony
-- One count forcible sodomy, a first-degree felony
-- Nine counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony
-- One count burglary, a second-degree felony
-- One count assault, a class B misdemeanor
-- One count sexual battery, a class A misdemeanor.

The rape and kidnapping charges are first-degree felonies that carry sentences of up to life in prison. He's currently being held in Salt Lake County Jail in lieu of $750,000 bail.

Senator Harry Reid Disregards Gordon Hinckley's Counsel Againt Racism, Engages In Inflammatory Race-Baiting Against Whites On Senate Floor

An image from the infamous Un-Fair campaign in Duluth

During the Saturday evening Priesthood Session of the 176th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in April 2006, then-President Gordon B. Hinckley made a strong statement about racism within LDS ranks. In part, President Hinckley said "I remind you that no man who makes disparaging remarks concerning those of another race can consider himself a true disciple of Christ. How can any man holding the Melchizedek Priesthood arrogantly assume that he is eligible for the priesthood whereas another who lives a righteous life but whose skin is of a different color, is ineligible?" The full address is entitled "The Need for Greater Kindness".

Apparently Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), a member of the LDS Church, either didn't get that memo or, in the heat of rhetorical battle, temporarily forgot about it, because on July 16th, 2012, he delivered some anti-White race-baiting comments on the floor of the U.S. Senate. During a floor speech in which he was denouncing the flood of outside money in politics after the Citizens United SCOTUS decision and defending Democratic-backed campaign-finance legislation known as the DISCLOSE Act, Sen. Reid made his inflammatory remark, recorded by NPR:

"Perhaps Republicans want to shield a handful of billionaires willing to contribute nine figures to sway a close presidential election. ... If this flood of outside money continues, the day after the election 17 angry old white men will wake up and realize they just bought the country. That's a sad commentary.

"About 60 percent, or more, of these outside dollars are coming from these 17 people ..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICi6pHlzQFo



Senator Reid also denounced Mitt Romney for not releasing his taxes and said Romney's penchant for secrecy make Americans wonder what’s he hiding. Of course, Harry Reid has never publicly asked why Barack Obama initially attached such secrecy to his birth certificate.

Since there is no evidence that race is pertinent to the discussion about the flood of outside money in politics or the proposed DISCLOSE Act, Senator Reid's remarks about "17 angry old white men" can only be interpreted as race-baiting. The effect will be to exacerbate the growing racial tensions within the United States and to empower irresponsible black leaders like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton at the expense of responsible black leaders like Congressman Allen West. It seems like President Hinckley's denunciation of racism would cover race-baiting as well. Reid's worthiness has previously been called into question on the LDS Freedom Forum.

Unfortunately, anti-White race-baiting is part and parcel of the Democratic strategy. Fueled by the false doctrine of "white privilege", the elite in Duluth, Minnesota launched an anti-racist campaign called the "Un-fair Campaign", which targets only Whites with anti-racist propaganda. They presume that only Whites can ever be guilty of racism; they give non-Whites a free pass. The campaign became so divisive and unpopular that the University of Minnesota-Duluth, one of the original partners, pulled out of the campaign, saying that "its focus on white privilege are divisive and have alienated some UMD alumni, supporters and others in the broader community". Some Mormon feminists also use the same divisive tactics in promoting feminism, employing artificial constructs such as "male privilege" and "male gaze".

LDS members who serve in elective political office are not expected to be microphones or rubber stamps for the LDS Church; one can be both a good Mormon AND a Democrat (Utah Congressman Jim Matheson is proof). However, their rhetoric and actions should not flagrantly contravene LDS values. By spewing inflammatory racial rhetoric, Sen. Reid is clearly contravening President Hinckley's counsel on race. While it may not necessarily detract from his Church worthiness, which is between him and his bishop, it certainly detracts from his worthiness to serve in elective office.