Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith tangles with a quirk of Arkansas history (Mountain Meadows card played)

Washington Post ^ | May 20, 2012 | Sandhya Somashekhar

[Seizethecarp]

CARROLLTON, Ark. — On the wildflower-studded slopes of the Ozarks, where memories run long and family ties run thick, a little-known and long-ago chapter of history still simmers.

On Sept. 11, 1857, a wagon train from this part of Arkansas met with a gruesome fate in Utah, where most of the travelers were slaughtered by a Mormon militia in an episode known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Hundreds of the victims’ descendants still populate these hills and commemorate the killings, which they have come to call “the first 9/11.”

Many of the locals grew up hearing denunciations of Mormonism from the pulpit on Sundays, and tales of the massacre from older relatives who considered Mormons “evil.”

“There have been Fancher family reunions for 150 years, and the massacre comes up at every one of them,” said Scott Fancher, 58, who traces his lineage back to 26 members of the wagon train, which was known as the Fancher-Baker party. “The more whiskey we drunk, the more resentful we got.”

[dirtboy]

How do you propose to stop it? Maybe if you appeal to WaPo or Newsweak, or Time they will run a picture of Romney with a halo.

I don't expect them to stop it.

What I DO expect is for FReepers to not give this crap any credence and to instead condemn it as a blatant partisan attack. I don't care what you think about Romney per se, I know I don't like him one bit. But that isn't the point (although some posters would rather call me a Romneybot for this stance, my posting history to the contrary). The next MSM attack may well be against a candidate or conservative figure that you like. We should fight this beast anywhere it tries to bite.

[dirtboy]

Please do try to keep up, Tennessee Nana raised Reid as an issue, not me.

[BO Stinkss]

“That was an un-called for ethnic slur worthy of Bill Maher. I hope you’re proud of yourself.”

Relax - I had the /sarc button on.

[Erik Latranyi]

"Govenor Romney, given that NO ONE one in your family for SEVEN generations has ever served in the U.S. Military ... and the the Mormon Cult activiely pursued Succession so that they could own Black Slaves and have their Men could have Multiple Wives ... what gives you the "moral authority" to either serve as Commander in Chief ... or defend the idea that "Marriage is between one Man and and (only) ONE Woman ...."

Here is how I would answer:

George, one's faith is a very personal choice. The last time I looked, this is still the United States of America where we respect each other's faith and do not attack the beliefs within that faith.

If you would like to have a debate over the merits of your faith versus mine, we can do that. But right now, I am interested in restoring jobs and energizing the economy after years of an administration that has been way over its head.

[Patton@Bastogne]

.


George Stephanopolus replies ...


"Of course, Govenor Romney ...

And no one here tonight (snicker) would ever question anyone's personal faith, albeit agnostic or the followers of Joseph Smith ...

However, America is founded on principals, and those principles led us to fight a long and bloody civil war to end slavery ...

Yet ... not only did Joseph Smith's followers choose NOT (snicker) to fight that war to end slavery ...

but Joseph Smith and those followers stauchly believed that not only was slavery acceptable, but also that Blacks were an inferior sub-human species, alarmingly close to the same beliefs held by Adolf Hitler and the NAZI Party ...

not to mention the Klu Klux Klan ...

So ... how could Womym and Minorities expect you to defend "freedom and justice for all" when the (snicker) alledgedly (snicker) lunatic racist founder of your religion taught for decades that Black were sub-humans, cursed by the ...

Angelic Messenger ... (snicker) ... "Mordecai from Planet Kolob" ?



Erik ... it's just like "shooting fish in barrel" ...


Fair ? Probably not.

Politically Effective ? "Priceless"



.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Relax - I had the /sarc button on.

Then I apologize. It's just that that particular ethnic slur/stereotype is so prominent and so accepted that I have a bit of a hair trigger.

[itsahoot]

What I DO expect is for FReepers to not give this crap any credence and to instead condemn it as a blatant partisan attack.

Sucks to be you then, because as Karen Carpenter said, It Has Only Just Begun

[BO Stinkss]

No problem. Being a native Alabamian I hear it all the time from my co-workers.

[Erik Latranyi]

Erik ... it's just like "shooting fish in barrel" ...

For you, me, Newt and Sarah, it is shooting fish in a barrel.

Whether Romney can take the pitch and hit it back is another story!

[Patton@Bastogne]

.


You nailed that PERFECTLY ...

"Well Stated !" .....


.

[dirtboy]

Better Karen Carpenter than your pointless points. Never thought I would see the day when so many FReepers were bending over backwards apologizing for a Wash Post hatchet job.

[svcw]

Why is stating correct information a hatchet job.
Romney is a mormon, this is mormon history, it is only a hatchet job if the information is incorrect or distorted.

[Deb]

Ha! Well said.

[jveritas]

If Liberals are going to play Romney Mormonism as an issue in these elections then they are opening the gates of hell against Obama and his religion or religions including the name that scare them to death “Reverend Wright” in addition to the muslim religion of his Kenyan father, the muslim religion of his Indonesian step father, and the muslim religion that Obama was raised with until he was a teenager. Please liberals, make religion an issue in this elections, it would be the best gift to our side.

[ansel12]

I never thought that I would see a day when Americans would vote for a man who truly believes and teaches, that he will one day be an actual God and have people worshiping him as we worship our God.

[Deb]

I like Mormons. I think they’re nice. And God loves them.

[Servant of the Cross]

Romneybot!

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[svcw]

Ye, my mormon family and friends are nice in general, and of course God loves them as He does us.
However, that has zero to do with mormonism and Romney running for president.

[ansel12]

Really, a radical black minister and a parishioner, versus a leader in a polytheistic cult?

A man who is destined to become a God?

[Tennessee Nana]

“George, one’s faith is a very personal choice. The last time I looked, this is still the United States of America where we respect each other’s faith and do not attack the beliefs within that faith.”
________________________________________

That would be strange way to answer even for weird Willard..

and then again no...

His breakaway sect of Mormons are constantly attacking the beliefs of the original group of Mormons in his “faith” as he calls it, the fLDS...

Meanwhile Willie Mitty does not respect the beliefs of other religions like Christianity, Judaism etc