One sure has to tie themselves up in knots to defend mormon leaders approval of Reid and tacit approval of his actions.
Your comment "We either believe in the Freedom of Speech and the Constitution or we don’t is hilarious, given the mormon practice of excommunicating those whose opinion on doctrinal matters differs from the church dogma. Just ask the September Six.
"Although Doctrine and Covenants Section 93 states that “the Glory of God is Intelligence,” the recent history of the Mormon church has been one of suppressing intellectuals who use their intelligence to write truthfully about the history of the church.
Elder Boyd K. Packer, a former member of the First Presidency, led the effort to ex-comunicate six scholars who were members of the Mormon church in September of 1993.
The six academics ex-communicated for telling the truth about church history would become known as the September Six. Critics of the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints point to this and the more recent dis-fellowshipping of Grant Palmer, author of An Insider's View of the Mormon Origins, as proof that the Mormon church is anti-intellectual.
The early Mormon church valued knowledge and went to great lengths to set up Brigham Young University after the Mormons settled in Utah. The Web has made information available freely, making it easier to discover aspects of the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that are not faith promoting.
Elder Boyd K. Packer stated that feminists, homosexuals, and so-called intellectuals were a danger to the church a year after the scholars and authors that comprised the September Six were ex-communicated."
Read more at Suite101: The September Six: This Event Started Boyd K. Packer's War on Mormon Intellectuals http://mormonism.suite101.com/article.cfm/mormon_intellectual_decline#ixzz0k2wkfHOU
In conclusion let us summarize this grand key, these “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet”, for our salvation depends on them.
1. The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.
2. The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
3. The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.
4. The prophet will never lead the church astray.
5. The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.
6. The prophet does not have to say “Thus Saith the Lord,” to give us scripture.
7. The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
8. The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.
9. The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.
10. The prophet may advise on civic matters.
11. The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.
12. The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
13. The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—the highest quorum in the Church.
14. The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed—reject them and suffer.
I testify that these fourteen fundamentals in following the living prophet are true. If we want to know how well we stand with the Lord then let us ask ourselves how well we stand with His mortal captain—how close do our lives harmonize with the Lord’s anointed—the living Prophet—President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency.
Ezra Taft Benson
(Address given Tuesday, February 26, 1980 at Brigham Young University)