Bigotry Anyone?

Over the past year I have closely followed the 2008 Presidential nomination race. I guess I was naive, but I believed in objectiveness in journalism and thought that bigotry was just something that ended when the baby boom generation was introduced to desegregation of the public school system. How wrong was I? The first clue that my Pollyanna bubble was about to pop was Mitt Romney. For months I watched religious zealots from almost every denomination come forth spewing hate and prejudice. It took me down several notches and the proud honor I felt to be an American dwindled beneath the shame. Polls showed that over half of America would refuse to vote for Gov. Romney simply because he was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (AKA: LDS or Mormon.) Still, I cant fathom why this country would subject any religion to any persecution when the very rights and freedoms we have were vigorously fought for in part to gain religious freedom.

The blogs are filled with false information posted by misinformed and/or slanderous posters. If you blogged on a political site while Romney was in the race, then I am sure you too saw many of these posts. My favorites were “Mormons were magic underwear.” “Mormons are a cult.” “Mormons are not Christians.” Mormon women have no rights and live in servitude.” All of these can easily be disproved, but it is kind of like calling someone a rapist. Even if he is proven innocent, the damage has been done & his reputation is ruined. The media played up the bigotry , of course everything is about ratings and what is better for ratings than controversy. It was often not distinguished that the LDS church is not akin or part of the polygamy groups that refer to themselves as “Mormons” or Reorginized Mormons.” When falsehoods were stated on network programs, the networks nor hosts would correct the guests. I guarantee you if I went on Hardball and stated that all Catholics jump around naked in the confessional booth…….every network on the tube would be discrediting, defaming, and correcting my false statement. However, they failed to do the same for the LDS.

Bigotry anyone?