Pride and/or Prejudice?

Note: How quickly news becomes old. Since the writing of this post our token Mormon has dropped out of the race. The observations are still relevant.

As the old line goes, “it’s a fine mess you’ve got us in now Ollie.” After Super Tuesday I can only conclude that the pride and arrogance of politicians and the barely hidden prejudices of the American voters has risen to the top.

Obviously I am disappointed that the Democrat race has turned into a contest of victims. The choice is between Hillary, the helpless, abused wife who wears her emotions on her sleeve versus the poor downtrodden black, Obama, with grandiose schemes and little experience. This picture could not be farther from the truth. These two are both cunning politicos in their own right and perfectly capable of processing an acceptable campaign. The aides and advisors in both camps are running into themselves with polls, demographic charts and new ads to entice the ignorant voters. For the "great unwashed” at least they only present a choice of two so that in depth knowledge of candidates and policy is unnecessary. The greatest advantage of having half the states in some sort of state of declaration is that they have winnowed the field to the apparent finalists. Now the choice can be made on the basis of individual voter prejudice.

The Republicans can now sit back and watch the donkeys self-destruct over a victim oriented struggle and reap the rewards. Not so fast! On the contrary, their struggle has an even deeper meaning. In the lead is a bona-fide military hero with an assertive attitude toward the Middle-East and in possession of very little else outlined in the party platform. Following close behind are two guys who want to re-visit Nauvoo, an overlap of faith and politics of classic proportions. Both profess to be Christians and question the motives of each.

As a Book of Mormon believer, I view all of these folks with a measure of disgust – both Democrat and Republican. On the one hand, the Democrats reach into the depth of the souls of the voters to reawaken old grudges and raw prejudice. Neither candidate should accurately be seen as typical of the “class” they represent. Obama is in no way representative of the oppressed black which is popularly paraded as disadvantaged. Born in Hawaii and raised a Muslim in a foreign country, he enjoyed a privileged education here and, for his age, a measure of success in Illinois and national politics. No one in his background picked cotton or felt the sting of a lash. As an example of an oppressed minority he is sadly lacking.

His counterpart, the woman from Illinois—or is it Arkansas?— or possibly New York?— is not coming at you, shyly wiping her hands on an apron and brushing away the tears which are a result of a lifetime of toil raising kids and meeting a household budget. Quite the contrary, she started as a socialist activist Yale graduate who helped to engineer the defeat of the West in Viet Nam. She later participated in the duplicitous Watergate prosecution and the rest is all too well known to those who care to admit knowledge of it.

For both, I guarantee their every action will have an undercurrent of race and gender which will permeate the ensuing campaign. For those of us who know and understand them, it will be a sickening performance.

Ah, you say, he’s obviously a Republican. You are sadly mistaken if you think I would ignore the elephant in the room. With the Democrats, it’s a misdirected struggle for raw power. With the Republicans, it’s worse. At the second tier level (McCain appears to have far more votes) Romney and Huckabee are concentrating on convincing the electorate that they alone have the “ear of God.” The abject hatred of everything “Mormon” is more than evident in a quick glance at the polling results. Granted, the Brighamites have supplied plenty of ammunition for the opposition. They offer a wealth of “cheap shot” opportunities. Interestingly, I have attempted to determine which priesthood office Romney holds with no success. Could an elder afford to take the time to run for president?

This conflict between Mormons and "gentiles" is not anything new. Although publicly denied, it is ever present. An attitude of distrust and disdain lurks barely below the surface when ever the two come in close contact. Having been involved with both, I can assure you that although my choice is clear, there is no measure of perfection in either group. I’ll not be casting the first stone and neither should my brothers. If both groups would place the interests of Jesus Christ at the forefront, they could form an unstoppable coalition. Old prides die hard and I predict that this will not (never?) happen.

My only comment about the alleged top of the Republican ticket is an accusation of hypocrisy. To claim affiliation with the likes of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Reagan and have socially liberal views on a par with John McCain defines the word. I will admit his activities during the Viet Nam conflict and his behavior was exemplary. However, is it more valid than experience as a “hell, fire and brimstone governor”, a “poor black child” and an “I’m not running for Pope,” or any of the other flimsy excuses being proffered for support?

So what do we do, stay home on Election Day? Absolutely not. We pray, and pray some more and do not listen to what is being said and reported. We investigate for ourselves. When we read some tidbit that excites us we then check and recheck and verify the source and make reasoned decisions based on personally acquired knowledge rather than accepting that which is being spoon fed. As in so many issues we face daily, we are only benefited by informed decisions. If we fail to do that we will fail to contribute to the condition of our society and reap the rewards we deserve. We may find ourselves backing the “lesser of evils” and if that is God’s will, then so be it.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon