Truly, Truly, Truly Outrageous

Where's the outrage?

Where are the scores of political pundits dissecting this exchange?

How can this be okay in an America that embraces inclusion, lauds diversity, is founded on religious freedom?

Last night I got a phone call from a former supervisor asking me about the current presidential race. To start with, he said, "I'm calling you because you're a Mormon and because I'm Black." He started off talking about Mitt Romney's candidacy and how he didn't like Mitt's speech from last week. He brought up the fact that there is a Black man running for president and the controversy is over the LDS candidate. We then proceded to discuss how this fit into many previous discussions he and I had while working together on the University of South Carolina Housing diversity committee.

I credit many, if not most, of the thoughts in this blog to Demetrius. What follows is an amalgam of issues he brought up last night and my thoughts and perspectives as a member of the LDS faith.

Six months ago, Mitt Romney was campaigning in a diner in small-town New Hampshire. As he made his rounds, he ran into a patron who stated "I'm one person who will not vote for a Mormon" But, this wasn't all, Romney asked the gentleman (later identified as Al Michaud) if he would at least shake his hand, anyway.

Michaud refused.

But, not only did he refuse, he boldly, vehemently refused. He refused Romney's handshake the same way a 2 year old refuses vegetables at the dinner table. Arms folded, body turning away from Romney, and emphatically stating, "no."

What?

Why was this okay? Sure Michaud is an elderly gentleman who might not be so keen on the feel-good political correctness that has come into vogue over the past few decades, but, the response is what is more interesting.

Let's switch this up a bit. Let's just change two things about this scenario and see if the reaction is the same. Let's say that Barack Obama is in New Hampshire at the same Diner and he hears an old White man say, "I am one person who will not vote for a Black." Senator Obama responds, "Well, can I shake your hand anyway?" Then Michaud folds his arms and responds with the same "No." I'll bet most people out there would expect Michaud's next comment to be, "And make sure you sit at the back of the bus."

Why does the first scenario warrant a smile and a simple walk away from Romney with only a relatively little fanfare, while the second one would get Michaud fired from his radio talk show (if he had one)?

I think that racial tensions and struggles are complex. Our country has been willing to fight, even go to war, over tensions based on race relations. Religious tensions, however, are incredibly personal and complex, maybe moreso than race. History has taught us that wars have been fought over religion time and time again. People have been willing to kill their neighbor in the name of religions that espouse the dual ethics of thou shalt not kill and thou shalt love thy neighbor.

Our country keeps the religious conflict in balance by choosing to fight our wars with words and jokes and selective intolerance in lieu of picking up the gun. This, I am sure, is also due to increased secularism.

Regardless of why this is, the facts of the situation revolve around the observable that would tell you that religious diversity does not enjoy the same societal protection as our pet projects of racial, ableist, or sexual diversity.

It's unfortunate that Mitt Romney felt compelled to address faith in America. Not that the topic isn't germane or that his points weren't valid. It's unfortunate that he feels that our country hasn't conquered the bigotry that was evidenced when a Catholic was elected for the first time.

I'm not about to be militant, but, I will continue to be assertive. As a Christian, as a Mormon, as an individual, I will continue to fight for my right to worship my God as I please. I will continue to fight for the right of my neighbor to do the same. I believe in the fundamental tenets of the diversity movement, from a religious standpoint, that all men and women are spiritual sons and daughters of God who have been endowed with the most sacred gift of freedom of choice.

I reminisced with Demetrius last night about a request I made to him while he was my supervisor that I would like to request that we not schedule mandatory meetings or plan for work on Sunday, as this was in conflict with the way that I wished to practice my religion. When he took this up the chain, the message that came back was less than accommodating. Departmental meetings were still scheduled for Sundays. I was still expected to attend.

I wonder how this would have been different had I been any other religion than Latter-Day Saint.

I'm not okay with the "Christian Mainstream" telling me that I'm not a Christian any more than I'm okay with the all-White jury making decisions about racially-motivated crimes.

And, I hope that Mitt finds a way to define himself as a candidate based on his ability to lead the nation, and not as the "Mormon candidate" the same way Obama is not the "Black candidate" - just simply a candidate who is Black.