Utah has actually gone forward and passed sensible immigration reform. Presiding LDS Bishop, Bishop Burton, spoke at the signing ceremony.
"Our presence here testifies to the fact that we are appreciative of what has happened in the Legislature this session...We feel the Legislature has done an incredible job on a very complex issue.” (Quoted from the Salt Lake Tribune).
LDS anti-immigration types who opposed the immigration reform weren't as happy, with statements ranging from full-blown denial to what looks like apostasy.
“I am shocked that the church would support a bill that literally sacrifices 50,000 Utah children, who are the victims of identity theft, for the benefit of illegal aliens...The church has sent so many conflicting messages, I just don’t know where they are coming from.” (Ron Mortenson, Center For Immigration Studies).
Actually, the church has not sent conflicting messages. If you believe they've been sending conflicting messages about immigration, you haven't been paying attention. They supported the Utah Compact, after all.
“David Burton has a right to be present or to be involved in any affairs concerning the faith, but he does not speak for the First Presidency.” (Morales-LLan, head of Legal Immigrants for Immigration Law Enforcement).
Actually, it sounds like he was there on behalf of the First Presidency, and so he does speak for them.
Wonder how Russell Pearce, the LDS Arizona state senator who was the leading force behind Arizona's extreme anti-immigrant laws, feels about this?
Don't get me wrong. Members of the church have a right to believe what they want to. It's just fun to see these people "shocked" by the actions of the church. They continue to get notice that the measures they support--measures such as driving all illegal immigrants from the country--don't conform with the church's stance on the matter.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
And here's the Deseret News article (yes, that is a picture of Bishop Burton shaking the Governor's hand):
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705368733/Utah-Gov-Gary-Herbert-signs-immigration-bills-into-law.html
Church on November 11th, 2010, which reads, in part:
"We acknowledge that every nation has the right to enforce its laws and secure its borders. All persons subject to a nations laws are accountable for their acts in relation to them."
"We consider the comprehensive package passed by lawmakers to be a responsible approach to a very complicated issue."
Church Newsroom
It is definitely very complicated. But I, for one, very much appreciate the Church's humane stance in trying to improve this difficult problem (and in a less extreme, less racist way than AZ).
Post a Comment