Mormons and AZ's new immigration law

[Solon]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88125098

Russell Pearce

Opponents say Pearce is a racist — a charge he vehemently denies. A devout Mormon, he says he is simply committed to the church's command for obedience to the law.

Bill Konopnicki, another Morman Republican state representative in Arizona, says that Pearce is sincere.

"I think Rep. Pearce really genuinely believes what he's doing is the correct thing ... and it's hard to argue against that position," he says.

He disagrees with his colleague's position, however. There's little evidence that illegal immigrants commit more crime than the rest of the population, he says, adding that the Mormon Church calls for compassion toward the stranger.

[LA Ute]

Acording to my LDS relatives in AZ (who support the law), Mormons are all over the map as to whether it's a good idea. Not surprisingly, the more Hispanic the family, the less thrilled they are with it. IMO, citing the 12th Article of Faith in support of such a law is cringe-inducing and sanctimonious.

[Solon]

Acording to my LDS relatives in AZ (who support the law), Mormons are all over the map as to whether it's a good idea. Not surprisingly, the more Hispanic the family, the less thrilled they are with it. IMO, citing the 12th Article of Faith in support of such a law is cringe-inducing and sanctimonious.

At least the story included two differing viewpoints from LDS.

[Commando]

I will punch anyone in the cock who invokes the 12th article of faith in defense of this law.

[falafel]

I will punch anyone in the cock who invokes the 12th article of faith in defense of this law.

Babs, we need you in here stat!

[Solon]

I will punch anyone in the cock who invokes the 12th article of faith in defense of this law.

I'll help buy your ticket to Arizona to do that to Pearce.

[COUGALICIOUS]

I will punch anyone in the cock who invokes the 12th article of faith in defense of this law.

Tough-guy routine on an anonymous message board? Okay.

In your view, how do you (or don't you) reconcile the 12th Article of Faith with the AZ law?

(I've got my own opinions which, in full disclosure, probably wouldn't get me punched south of the border. However, I'd like to hear your take.)

[Commando]

Tough-guy routine on an anonymous message board? Okay.

In your view, how do you (or don't you) reconcile the 12th Article of Faith with the AZ law?

(I've got my own opinions which, in full disclosure, probably wouldn't get me punched south of the border. However, I'd like to hear your take.)

How do you reconcile unconstitutional laws with the 12th article of faith?

(btw, this message board is hardly anonymous, so you can cut the indignant act that I'm doing the tuff guy routine)

[LA Ute]

How do you reconcile unconstitutional laws with the 12th article of faith?

(btw, this message board is hardly anonymous, so you can cut the indignant act that I'm doing the tuff guy routine)

It doesn't look unconsitutional on its face. It makes me uneasy because it will likely be unconstitutional as applied, unless the police are very, very careful - and there's too much room for human error for them not to blow it at some point.

I am sympathetic to the argument that this law would not exist if the federal government would do its job. Borders need to mean something.

[pellegrino]

I'm not seeing the relevance of his religion to the story. They slipped it in at the end of the article, for what purpose I know not. To their credit they did cite a Mormon as an opposition viewpoint.

[Slim]

The obeying the law for law's sake thing is silly. When people (even Mormons) disagree with a law they often either break it or work to change it. Take, for example, the speed trap cameras that Arizona is now doing away with.

People didn't like those speeding cameras catching them on their way to work so they decided to get rid of them (I think some contract expired and they decided not to renew it).

It is the same thing with immigration in my opinion. If the only problem that people had with it was that they were doing things illegally then they would work to change the laws to make it easier to allow migrant laborers to come here and to be tracked/counted/taxed more easily. Instead they legally mandate racial profiling all in the name of "upholding the law".

Why haven't they also renewed the traffic camera contracts and legislated stricter consequences for those who are caught on camera violating traffic laws?

And yes I'm Mormon, I live in AZ, and I oppose this law.

[venkman]

It doesn't look unconsitutional on its face. It makes me uneasy because it will likely be unconstitutional as applied, unless the police are very, very careful - and there's too much room for human error for them not to blow it at some point.

I am sympathetic to the argument that this law would not exist if the federal government would do its job. Borders need to mean something.

Everything can be unconstitutional as applied. This is nothing new as far as the police and racial profiling go.

Here's an interesting view from a LAPD officer.

http://article.nationalreview.com/434023/illegal-immigrants-and-the-arizona-law/jack-dunphy

[frank ryan]

I'm not seeing the relevance of his religion to the story. They slipped it in at the end of the article, for what purpose I know not. To their credit they did cite a Mormon as an opposition viewpoint.

It wasn't cited, but Pearse has previously cited his religion as one of the reasons for his stance. So I think mentioning it in a profile article is just fine. There was little context there and did just seemed tacted on.

[COUGALICIOUS]

(btw, this message board is hardly anonymous, so you can cut the indignant act that I'm doing the tuff guy routine)

Grrrr.....If anyone accuses me of acting indignant, I'm going to punch them in the cock!

[Solon]

Grrrr.....If anyone accuses me of acting indignant, I'm going to punch them in the cock!

Commando knows immigration stuff.

Historically, there are plenty of examples where the LDS church has acted in violation of the law. Judging by the number of lawyers on CUF and in the LDS church as a whole, I imagine there are few, if any present-day examples.