IMHO, it's a pitch-perfect response to this outrageous situation, and ought to be re-posted far and wide, at official sites such as the LDS Newsroom Blog as well as on every member's Facebook page and family blog.
Mitt Romney thinks health care reform is frightening. Fred Karger thinks Romney is scary, too.
More Mitt:
And more folks talking about Mitt:
Man, it used to drive me nuts when kids would copy over my shoulder during tests, so I think I know how Mitt's feeling right about now. I mean, it looks like Barack stole all of Romney's best ideas for this HCR deal. So, to be fair, I think we should repeal the HCR that just passed, and then pass the same package again in 2012, but this time make sure Mitt gets the credit, OK?
Ask Mitt Romney to help stop the Mormon Church’s campaign against gay marriage!
As a national political leader and influential member of the Mormon Church, Mitt Romney could persuade Church leaders to end their 15 years of active involvement and massive financial support to oppose equal rights for Gay and Lesbian Americans.
The Mormon Church and its members have spent tens of millions of dollars in 31 states to ban gay marriage and hurt so many people.
Mormon Church Leaders should take a vow of political neutrality on gay rights, similar to their stated practice in partisan elections.
WHAT: Demonstration at Mitt Romney’s Book Signing
WHEN: Monday, March 22nd at 6:00 pm
WHERE: Deseret Bookstore (meet at S.E. Corner of Nobel Dr. and Villa La Jolla Dr.)
La Jolla Village Sq. Shopping Center 8657 Villa La Jolla Dr., La Jolla, CA 92037 (Exit 28 off I-5 south -- Exit 28A off I-5 north)
P.S. Take a moment and catch up with Mitt's 1994 incarnation:
Notice how committed Mitt seemed back then to the principle of not using political power to impose personal (i.e., religious) beliefs on others. Also, found the question about Boy Scouts of America interesting, and how Mitt avoided answering the question regarding his own responsibility as a member of the BSA board.
Come to think of it, that's going to be my contribution to sign ideas for this protest: "We're here because our ally, the Mitt Romney of 1994, would gladly join us in protesting Mitt Romney version 2010. Google 'The Real Romney?' and watch and judge for yourself."
That said, brevity has never been my forte ;-) ... plus a fresh link:
OK, this next bit is apropos of nothing, except that I just opened Brian Brown's latest NOM email blast, and he's trying to spin the defeat of Bennett's obnoxious anti-DC-SSM entry in the vote-o-rama with a little tough talk: "59 U.S. Senators are now on record allowing same-sex marriage in DC."
Hey, Brian, it was a meaningless party line vote that provides zero insight into anything. Well, maybe not zero insight. As you yourself note: "Ironically, the only two Republicans to join with the Democrats in opposing the amendment were Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins ... of Maine."
Yes, after all the money NOM pumped into Maine, that's some delicious irony right there, Brian. You've really put Maine on notice, haven't you? Way to go!
Kevin Garn, the Republican majority leader in the Utah House of Representatives resigned Saturday, not because it was the right thing to do but because it was the only thing he could do.
Mirroring Sheldon Killpack, his counterpart in Senate leadership who was forced to resign at the beginning of the 2010 session, Rep. Kevin Garn of Layton was caught in a web of his own making.
This Killpack ... Utah Senate Majority Leader Sheldon Killpack arrested for DUI:
As The Daily Herald notes (shades of William Blake?):
[Garn's] departure wraps things up [i.e., Utah's 2010 legislative session] with sickening symmetry.
In addition to booting this clap happy mutual admiration society from office, with a new census on the way, Utahns ought to be insisting on a fix for their gerrymandered state.
Some have pondered the potential "Vaticanization" of downtown SLC, but the way things are being run over at the Capitol and COB, Utah's apparently already got its own Vatican-on-the-brine. It's déjà vu:
Cardinal Sean Brady, the Primate of All Ireland, admitted that he attended meetings in 1975 when two teenage boys signed oaths of silence while testifying in a Church inquiry against Father Brendan Smyth ... [Cardinal Brady] said the responsibility for Smyth’s behaviour as a priest rested with his religious superior in Kilnacrott and not with him.
Pursuant to our usual procedures, the 2008 letter sent by Ms. Maher to Church headquarters was referred to local ecclesiastical leaders to be addressed. Church disciplinary matters are handled at a local level and not at Church headquarters.
But once the locals have gotten it wrong and the "usual procedures" have proven inadequate, isn't it time for the leadership to stop playing innocent bystander? If not, as Stephen Fry might ask, "what are you for?" Frankly, considering its role in this story, the LDS leadership looks to be for a practice discontinued by the Catholics since 1567, the year that Pope Pius V did away with the selling of indulgences.
"I hope the people of Utah understand that our [clapping, cheering, crying, hugging, whooping and hollering display of] support of Representative Garn and his family does not in any way signal support for illegal, unethical or ill-advised action by any member of the House."
Personally, Dave, I hope the people of Utah decide they've had enough of being taken for fools by the likes of you:
Few in the body knew the [March 12] admission was coming, although Clark had learned of it four days earlier ... In hindsight, Clark said, another venue may have been more appropriate for the announcement.
Dave, you talk about "hindsight" with regards to a bit of political theater that you yourself orchestrated less than a week ago?
How about a nice big round of applause for your comedy performance?
The Washington, D.C. Chapter of the BYU Management Society (BYUMS-DC) announced today that it would honor best-selling author and columnist Orson Scott Card at its annual Gala Dinner on April 24, 2010. Card will receive the chapter's Distinguished Public Service Award and will deliver keynote remarks about his views on ethical leadership today and his experiences as a prominent member of the literary and academic communities.
"We are proud to be honoring Orson Scott Card during this year's Gala Dinner," said Sen. Gordon Smith, Chairman of the Advisory Board. "His words and his example have reached millions of people, and his spirit of mentorship and service have much to offer our community."
"Part of what I fear, as you start defining marriage — we have a long history of doing that in this country, and my Mormon pioneer ancestors were the victims of that. They were literally driven from the United States in the dead of winter for following their religious beliefs. I don’t want that coming back, but there are some on the front pages of your newspapers who are trying to now." -- Gordon H. Smith
That was June of 2008. Smith was trying to strike a moderate tone in a tough battle for his seat and I was dashing off glib diaries about Mormon involvement in a sure loser for the LDS (the Yes on 8 campaign).
Both approaches wound up paying off equally brilliantly.
Live and learn.
What Smith apparently learned from his loss is that "moderation in all things" is truly overrated. Otherwise, two years on, what else to make of his latest brilliant move: assembling a gaggle of high-flying Mormons to publicly honor National Organization for Marriage board member Orson Scott Card for distinguished service to ... the public.
The same public that is already aware (and aghast) that OSC has lately swapped the novel form for writing whackadoodle newspaper columns and blog posts?
No, obviously not that public (2008 taught me a thing or two as well: I've yet to affect the outcome in a single Mormon-inflected political contest, and I've long since owned up to the inadequacy of my online derision as a means of influencing a public that I now admit to hardly knowing). To demonstrate how grown up I've become, what follows is some exceedingly dispassionate and mature speculation regarding how on earth the BYU Management Society could possibly deem OSC deserving of this honor (with bonus Executive Summary gravitas courtesy of the outline format).
I completely bought into the "not a dime's worth of difference" slogan and yes, on my college campus I took part in the Wallace campaign ... if you look at what I was doing in college, there's no denying it, I was a Wallace supporter in September and October of 1968. -- Orson Scott Card
II. Or perhaps a more modern Mormon sensibility is what produced the BYUMS-DC decision, and it's meant to signal an overdue recognition of OSC's subsequent apology for supporting the Wallace campaign:
Within a couple of years I had learned a little more and was deeply embarrassed at my naivete and stupid enthusiasm. I changed my mind completely. Now I have a deep aversion to bigotry-centered populist demagogues -- one thinks, for instance, of the leaders of the anti-amnesty movement. (I'm thinking of Pat Buchanan and, to my disgust, my fellow-Mormon Mitt Romney.) -- Orson Scott Card
Laws against homosexual behavior should remain on the books...to be used when necessary to send a clear message that those who flagrantly violate society's regulation of sexual behavior cannot be permitted to remain as acceptable, equal citizens. -- Orson Scott Card
IV. Or perhaps it's OSC's penchant for government overthrow if the gays are allowed to marry?
How long before married people answer the dictators thus: Regardless of law, marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down, so it can be replaced with a government that will respect and support marriage, and help me raise my children in a society where they will expect to marry in their turn.
Biological imperatives trump laws. American government cannot fight against marriage and hope to endure. If the Constitution is defined in such a way as to destroy the privileged position of marriage, it is that insane Constitution, not marriage, that will die. -- Orson Scott Card
V. Or maybe it's simply BYUMS-DC's way of finally congratulating OSC on his ascension to the NOM board (and of assuring him that Maggie Gallagher was not the only one enthused by his appointment):
"We’re extremely honored that Orson Scott Card has joined with NOM in our shared mission to protect marriage and the faith communities that sustain it," said Maggie Gallagher, president of NOM, "He is one of the great science fiction writers of our time and a real voice of courage and intellect on behalf of marriage." -- Margaret Srivastav
VI. Whatever the reason, it certainly had nothing to do with this.
Pax et bonum!
And a P.S. link just in case next month (April 24th, 6:00 - 9:00 PM, to be exact) will be your first time visiting the Crystal Gateway Marriott.
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