Islamic Community Center and Harry Reid's Mormonism

So, I found it interesting that Harry Reid came out against the Islamic Cultural Center in lower Manhattan.

Not surprising that he bowed down to his Republican challenger. He seems to run whenever an elephant says boo, but that's a different story, for a different time.

What's at issue here is the First Amendment. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." I love how we let politicians say "I respect the constitution, except when I disagree with letting others have the same rights as I do."

The Mormon Church (which our membership in is about the only thing it seems Sen Reid and I have in common) has had trouble for years building temples. Sometimes it's simply over things like building height. However, many times it's because people don't want The Mormons to be building a Temple there.

In 1842, Joseph Smith Jr, founder of the Church, wrote a letter to John Wentworth,which contained 13 fundamental doctrines of Mormonism. These were later cannonized as the "Articles of Faith." The 11th one reads (emphasis mine):

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

So, as an American who loves the Constitution and as a Mormon, I believe that the Islamic Community Center should be allowedto be built, evenif it is two blocks away from Ground Zero.

Glenn Beck: "Utah has played a really nasty role in the history of our country"

(h/t: Out of Context)

Glenn Beck was interviewing US Senate Candidate Mike Lee earlier this week. Beck said that "Utah has played a really nasty role in the history of our country...." The goes on to site the Smoot-Hawley Act, saying "SmootHawley" was from Utah. Then he says Utah is to blame for Harry Reid. When Mike Lee corrected him that it was Nevada that elected Harry Reid, Glenn says "but Harry Reid...."

The fun starts about 1:20 into this, if you want to minimze the amount you have to listen to the Hatemonger in Cheif:



Why, Glenn? Is it because Harry Reid is Mormon?

I guess Glenn Beck is Utah's fault, too.

For Some, Politics > Religiion

Several years ago, I was having a conversation with a couple of friends (S. and D.) in the parking lot of our LDS wardhouse after church one Sunday. D could not understand how S and I could vote for both Republicans and Democrats. S said "My political party is not my religion."

It offended D so much that I laughed at S's comment, I don't think he and I have talked much since.

(Incidentally, both are running for the Legislature this year. D as a Republican and S as a Libertarian.)

I was reminded of that conversation when I read this last week in the Tribune:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., was invited by a fellow Mormon to give a fireside talk at an LDS stake center in Las Vegas last weekend and readily agreed to speak about his conversion to the faith and his belief in its gospel.
But when word got out that Reid was speaking, the reaction was so nasty the fireside was canceled for fear the meeting would turn violent.

Organizers of the fireside reportedly received e-mails and phone messages threatening that if Reid spoke before the congregation, they would heckle him inside the chapel and harass him with demeaning signs and slogans.

Those familiar with the planned meeting say his talk was not intended to be political, but only about his spiritual awakening and connection to the LDS Church.

Maybe it would be more acceptable to some of the more vitriolic church members there if they got Glenn Beck to speak in his place -- or, perhaps, the other Nevada senator: John Ensign.

Harry Reid, Racism, and Hypocrisy

Politico:

Republican leaders on Sunday called on Harry Reid to step down as Senate majority leader, after the Nevada Democrat apologized for calling Barack Obama as a "light-skinned" African-American who lacked a "Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."

Texas Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told POLITICO that Reid should immediately step down as majority leader.

Cornyn said Reid's comments "were embarrassing to the Senate" and warrant his removal from leadership. He noted that Reid, then minority whip, had backed the ouster of Republican Leader Trent Lott after he made racially charged comments in 2002.

Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, also pointed to a "double standard" in how Democrats have treated Reid as compared with Lott.

"If he should resign, then Harry Reid should," Kyl said on "Fox News Sunday." "If they apologize and you know what is in their heart, my feeling is they shouldn't, but in this case he should."

"There is this standard where Democrats feel they can say these things and apologize as long as it comes from one of their own," said Republican National Chairman Michael Steele on the same program. "And if it comes from somebody else, it’s racism."

Sure, he apologized. However, had Rob Bishop (just throwing a name out there) said something similar, no amount of apologizing would be enough.

So, We see hypocrisy from both sides of the isle: Republicans for suddenly caring about racism, and Democrats for pretending it's OK to say something possibly racist, because if you have a track record of helping minorities......

-Bob

5.4% fo Senate Democrats to be Mormon

With the Udall cousins winning their races for the US Senate in Colorado (Mark) and New Mexico (Tom), they join Harry Reid as Mormon Democrats in the Senate.

LDS Republican Senator Gordon Smith is in a nailbiter up in Oregon, one of four races still too close to call.

-Bob

Harry Reid: The Straight Talk Express is in bad shape

On Harry Reid and Polygamy

Over the weekend, Paul Mero over at the Amicus wrote a piece asking why liberals are not up in arms about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's investigation into polygamy.

First, Paul, to compare Reid's investigation into polygamy to Joe McCarthy's look into communism is absurd. It's like comparing this blog to the New York Times.

Unless Rob Miller's hit piece against me last year was done in conjunction with Senator Reid's office. Then maybe Paul has an idea....

But, in all seriousness, I really think Paul has the right idea.

With all of the other crap going on in this country, should Congress really be spending it's time on this?

Personally, I don't care what consenting adults do behind closed doors. To lump all polygamists into a boat with those who marry 12 year olds is like lumping all Mormons into the same boat as Gayle Ruzika.

And to think, he did this on Pioneer Day, the day Utahns (and Mormons in other parts of the country) celebrate Brigham Young's arrival in the Salt Lake Valley, hoping to come to a place where they could practice their religion as they saw fit, including the practice of polygamy.

-Bob

Senator Reid's Anti-polygamy hearing more biased than Utah Legislature

So, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is set to hold a hearing conducted by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid about polygamy.

The thing is, this hearing is going to be decidedly one-sided. The guest list, according to the Deseret News:

• U.S. Attorney for Utah Brett Tolman.

• U.S. Attorney for Nevada Gregory Brower.

• Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard.

• Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott.

• Stephen Singular, author of the book "When Men Become Gods."

• Dr. Dan Fischer, an ex-FLDS member.

• Carolyn Jessop, an ex-wife of YFZ Ranch leader Merril Jessop and the author of the book "Escape."

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff was among those invited to testify, but he was unable to do so because of his medical condition after injuring a leg in a motorcycle crash. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., will lead the panel.

Senator Harry Reid, being Mormon and a Democrat

The highest-ranking Mormon elected official in the history of the country is Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. (Previous to Sen Reid's assent to Majority Leader, the record was held by Orrin Hatch when he headed the Judiciary Committee.) Sen Reid spoke down at BYU a couple of week ago. The Officially Unofficial blog of the BYU Democrats has the complete transcript.

The story he tells of his life growing up and eventually moving to Lagan and joining the LDS Church is amazing and well worth a read. But, that's not the focus of this post.

et’s talk politics.

It is not uncommon for members of the Church to ask how I can be a Mormon and a Democrat.

Some say my party affiliation puts me in the minority of our Church members.

But my answer is that if you look at the Church membership over the years, Democrats have not always been the minority, and I believe we won’t be for long.

I also say that my faith and political beliefs are deeply intertwined. I am a Democrat because I am a Mormon, not in spite of it.

Growing up in Searchlight, my mother always had on our wall a small pillow case – royal blue with gold fringe, with the words, we can, we will, we must.

And the name on the bottom in large gold letters – Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

President Roosevelt was the closest we had to a worshipful figure as I grew up.

For my economically challenged parents, even though a man of great wealth and privilege, Roosevelt represented them.

He fought for the workers of America. President Roosevelt is the basis of my political direction.

Social security is the most successful social program in the history of the world.

A government program that helps the old, the handicapped, widows and orphans.

The Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps programs that put hundreds of thousands of unemployed people to work.

Not handouts, but jobs.

Roosevelt tackled our greatest economic crisis with the 3 R’s: relief, recovery and reform.

And let’s not forget — he was commander-in-chief of the greatest military ever assembled at a time of great crisis in the world.

As we learned in the man-made tragedy of September 11th, 2001.

During a crisis people have only 3 places to look for help… family, government and God.

I say government can be our friend. Some say it is never our friend.

I say working people are the cornerstone of our economy. Some say that if you help the wealthy, they will create jobs and it will trickle down and help all.

I say unions are responsible for the forty hour work week, decent wages and safe working conditions. Some say unions are unnecessary, that employers in an open market will take good care of their employees.

I say global warming is here and is an environmental emergency. Some say it is only nature’s cycle and our free enterprise system will deal with it.

I say our country using 21 million barrels’ of oil each day and millions of tons of coal must stop. Some say it is too costly to switch to solar, wind and geothermal energy.

I say the invasion of Iraq was the worst foreign policy blunder in our country’s history. Some say this war of choice was our only reasonable alternative.

I say our diplomatic army should be stronger than our military army. Some say the war on terror must be won militarily.

On the topic of abortion, let me say I am pro-life and for the 25 years I have been in Congress have always been pro-life.

Some say Democrats can’t be pro-life, but I am proof that we can. During my first year in the Senate, there was an abortion issue that came up for a vote.

It was a very close vote. My vote mattered; it could well have been the difference.

In the well of the Senate, Senators were explaining the importance of my vote and how important it was.

Senator Barbara Mikulski, at that time the only woman in the Senate and one of the nation’s feminist leaders, told everyone to leave me alone, my vote was a matter of character.

I have been left alone for more than two decades, but there are other Democratic Senators who share my pro-life position.

I’m not getting involved in the Democratic primary for President, because there are four Democratic Senators running and many other friends.

But regarding the Republican primary, let me say in passing, I hope that Mitt Romney’s presidential bid is determined by his political stands, and not his religion.

Sen Harry Reid on Rush Limbaugh

Sen Reid will be speaking at next week's BYU Devotional.''-Bob

Sen Reid, Ashdown on Marriage

Mawage.....mawage is da weeson we our gatered hero today......

First, Utah's future Senator:

After vigorous debate and much public outcry, the United States Senate has finally found a solution to the hot topic of illegal immigration. Ban gay marriage and flag burning.

Maybe its my genetic memory calling, but governmental involvement in marriage doesn’t rest easy with me. Imagine by some miracle this grandstanding on gay marriage actually takes hold and it becomes the 28th amendment to the constitution. Then what will stop government from going further in defining marriage? Say for example, that in order to stop all marriages of convenience, or marriages for citizenship, the government must now be allowed to verify the ceremony with a representative. In Utah, where LDS marriages are performed in temples where only active members are permitted, this legislation would go over like a lead balloon.

And now, Utah's most effective Senator, Harry Reid of Nevada, from the floor of the Senate:

I believe marriage should be between a man and a woman. I believe in our federal system of government, described to me in college as a central whole divided among self governing parts. Those self governing parts -- the 50 states -- have already decided this on their own in state after state. For example, in Nevada the constitution was amended to prevent same sex marriage. Congress and President Clinton passed a law that gave the states the guarantee that their individual laws regarding marriage would be respected. The Defense of Marriage Act creates an exception to the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution so that no state can force its laws of marriage on another.

So why are we being directed by the President and this Republican majority to debate an Amendment to the Constitution, a document inspired more than two centuries ago? Why would we be asked to change this American masterpiece?

Will it next be to constitutionally dictate the cause of divorce, or military service, or even what America's religion must be?

So for me it is clear the reason for this debate is to divide our society, to pit one against another. This is another one of the President's efforts to frighten, to distort, to distract, and to confuse America. It is this Administration's way of avoiding the tough, real problems that American citizens are confronted with each and every day:

High Gas Prices.

The War in Iraq.

The National Debt.

Health Care.

Senior Citizens.

Education.

Crime.

Trade Policy.

Stem Cell Research.

Each issue begging the President's attention, each issue being ignored -- valuable time in the Senate spent on an issue that today is without hope of passing.

These issues are not Democratic issues. These issues are not Republican issues. There must be bipartisan efforts to address America's ills.

I will vote no on the Motion to Proceed, as it is not a measure meant to bring America together. Rather, it is an effort to cover and conceal the issues necessary to make America more competitive, caring, considerate and stronger.

Together, America Can Do Better.

Reid in Utah Wednesday

The most powerful elected Mormon in history will be in Utah on Wednesday.

According to the Washington Post, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid will be in Utah on Wednesday. No details are availiable.

In each state Reid will conduct events seeking to highlight the need to "restore honest leadership in Washington, D.C.," said his spokesman Jim Manley.
[snip]
"Americans everywhere want elected officials who will fight for them," Reid said. "We're ready to clean up Washington, and we're going to make our case across this country."

Oh, and the Republicans are just asking for a can of something (and I don't mean silly string) to be opened on them. Their Counter-spin:

Republican National Committee spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt drew a different conclusion when informed of Reid's travels.

"You can take Harry Reid out of Washington, but you can't take the Washington out of Harry Reid," Schmitt said. "Does he plan to brag about killing the Patriot Act or shutting down the United States Senate?"

I hope he does. If Repblicans were in favor of resposible government for, of, and by the people, these actions would not have been necessary.

-Bob