Monday, October 19, 2009

Mormons In the Front

I have no love for religion and that is vividly obvious to anyone that knows me. That said, I can honestly say some more than other religions I find more reprehensible than others. Contrary to what might be inferred by the title of this piece, Mormon's are not out in front on my overall list of loathsome religions,but they are on this issue.
I've pretty much ignored LDS unless it knocks on my door or approaches me in any other way. I worked for a Mormon once, we had issues. I don't think it was because he was Mormon, he was a prick of the natural order, so it came naturally. He was a little pinched face guy with facial features I'd get caught up in instead of listening. He'd open his mouth to speak, but nothing came out for a good 10-15 seconds. His mouth and eye brows would do these contortions. It was almost like watching really fast time lapse photography. Odd. I remember my mother always taking out of state visitors up to see the Mormon church in the hills. I never understood why that was an attraction since we could never go inside, and our church was Baptist. I look up there occasionally now and I still hate the place, high above the flat lands on a hill it stands. A beacon to,...what?
Elder Oaks’ is attempting to draw an analogy between those that suffered during the civil rights movement, and those supporting prop 8. According to Oaks, those supporting prop 8 were fired, intimidated and boycotted because they were opponents of prop 8. He does say that the intimidation received by Blacks was worse. By inference I'm assuming he meant "comparable" as in lynchings, rapes, bombed churches, fire hoses, dogs, and locked up in prison suffered by Blacks and supporters. Needless to say, I disagree. One of us misses the point.
I believe the right to marry who you choose is a civil right. I do not believe the two issues can be compared. The movements, the emotion, the ingrained humanity, the foundation for the opposition and resulting impact can not be compared.
Oaks' limits his supposition to the alleged "intimidation" received by opponents of prop 8. Again, I totally disagree. "Intimidated" with boycott, a business has a choice. "Intimidated with being fired, there is a choice and legal avenues. Intimidation did not kill 4 little girls in that church. Intimidation did not lynch thousands of Blacks, or drag them to their death, or burn their homes, or sic 90 pound dogs on women and children, or hose them with fire hoses. That is not intimidation, that is death by racism. Blacks had no choice, no rights, no safety net, no protection or no where to turn. Backlash from this issue can not be compared to the back lashes whipped Blacks suffered. Perhaps Oaks is saying the intimidation is born of homophobia? Blacks had no choice, they were Black and would remain Black regardless of ANY law.
Oaks' comments still does not put the Mormon church at the top of my all time list, but it goes to the front of the line on this issue. As with most religious zealots, Oaks missed the point. I will say in deference to the front runner on my list, the Catholic church was very active during the civil rights movement but they are also confused over prop 8. I've never seen an LDS member on a civil rights picket line. Maybe I missed it.

No comments:

Post a Comment