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11/11/2009
Video: One small step for Mormon church, countless many more to go
The LDS Church supports a Salt Lake City anti-discrimination ordinance:
LDS (Mormon) church strongly supports pro-LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance [YT]
Honestly, we're actually not all that surprised by this. Sure, the Mormon spokesperson spoke in favor of the ordinance. But in doing so, he still used the words "violence to marriage," implying that pro-LGBT progress that went beyond this simple ordinance (which contains religious exemptions) would be an "attack." So while it's an undeniably welcome move that apparently came out of secret meetings with local LGBT leaders, we certainly don't see it as any sort of amends for the hurt the LDS church caused us with the Prop 8 vote (and support for marriage inequality in general). To suggest that it is would be giving the LDS church WAAAAAAY too much of a pass for their considerable efforts in dividing this nation with homo-hostile bias!
The reality is that we in the LGBT community deserve nothing less than an apology. We will gladly and openly work with the LDS church, as they take incremental steps to realizing the hurt they caused in our lives. And we will applaud steps in the right direction (which again, this certainly is). But until they stop painting gay and lesbian couples as militants who are even capable of doing "violence to marriage," we can't afford to give this highly influential body too many back-pats. Ours are still smarting from the crushing blow that they dealt us in '08.
Your thoughts
I have a feeling that the next time LDS members pump money against a same sex marriage campaign, they'll talk about this and how tolerant they are! "We don't hate you, we just refuse to recognize your relationship and give you any rights to protect it. But, we will let you have the basics like housing and a job!"
So nice of them!
Posted by: Bearchewtoy75 | Nov 11, 2009 10:39:45 AM
You are more generous and understanding than I am, Jeremy. I see this as a calculated move on the part of the LDS church. Throw out a teeny-tiny little bone that costs nothing that they can point to forevermore as an example of their "tolerance." I'm not buying it, not today, at least, one week after Election Day. It is going to take a whole lot more to sway me on this one.
L
Posted by: Leslie | Nov 11, 2009 11:05:33 AM
Well, I think it's important to look at the timing of this newfound "tolerance". The Mor(m)ons "come to god" on an issue of fairness just days after the US Congress takes up ENDA, and on the heals of the passage of an inclusive hate-crimes bill, and knowing full well that not only will ENDA become law, but also that the federal government will probably also put an end to any discrimination against LGBTs in housing at some point in the future.
Not only does it not cost them anything, it's also pretty certain that there is nothing at all that they could do to stop it from happening. So they hold out a meager little carrot and slap us in the face with it. Just to head off the feds, who are lining up to dole out gigantic, Mor(m)on indifferent, genetically engineered with sharp teeth, and gay friendly carrots.
Posted by: Dick Mills | Nov 11, 2009 1:22:30 PM
I'm betting NOM's donors are about to be released very soon, and they're trying to preempt the backlash.
Posted by: RainbowPhoenix | Nov 11, 2009 4:38:19 PM
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