Opponents of the anti-immigrant laws that Pearce fathered (until he was thrown out of office) believe they unfairly target Latinos and foster racial profiling.
Senator Jerry Lewis, a Republican Mormon from Mesa who unseated Pearce, tells New Times that Mormons understand persecution.
"As far as immigration, we believe we are all children of God, and we take very seriously the tenets of our faith, to love all of his children, to learn to get along with all people," he says.
Bob Grossfeld, a longtime Democrat political strategist based in Phoenix, says that the Pearce-Lewis race pitted Mormon against Mormon and served as a good example of the gradations within the religious yet political individual.
"There's no uniformity, even if it appears so from the outside," he says. "You've got Russell Pearce and crew working on immigration insanity, and up in Salt Lake City, you have them signing the Utah Compact and laying out a very humanitarian and principled approach."
Lewis' near-miraculous win — beating one of the most politically intimidating and influential elected officials in Arizona — leaves him unable to dismiss the thought that perhaps there is a chance that the state will flip from Republican red to Democratic blue and help re-elect the nation's first black president.
"When you look at President Obama, historically, at the essence of his rising to the most powerful position in the world, you can't ignore the fact that anything is possible," he says.
But is it possible in Arizona?
The origins of the Mormon Church — a religion that emerged through a divine revelation to a man named Joseph Smith living in New York during the 1800s — embrace the idea that anything is possible.
Smith established the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about a decade after God, Jesus Christ, and various angels first appeared to him in visions in 1820, according to Mormon teachings. An angel instructed Smith to translate the present-day Book of Mormon from ancient golden tablets buried in a hill in upstate New York.
Unlike Catholics who believe that divine revelation ended with Jesus' apostles, Mormons believe that God looks like a human and still is revealing new truths, the Book of Mormon teaches.
Mormons also hold that God created many worlds with people on them, that there have been many Adams, that everyone has a heavenly existence before arriving on Earth, and that a child born provides a physical body for each of those heavenly beings.
Those living the most righteous lives here on Earth can, after they die, attain a place in the Celestial Kingdom, the highest of Heaven's three levels, according to Mormon beliefs.
For them, marriage is an eternal commitment that continues when they rejoin their Father in Heaven. And there, the men, with their heavenly wives at their side, also can become gods, to create and populate their own planets.
The earthly Mormons, who first populated the East Coast, moved west over the years, partly to escape the persecution they faced because their church's rapid growth, political power, and unconventional beliefs — including polygamy — often threatened an area's established political or religious system.
They fled Ohio after failed attempts to establish a Mormon community with a thriving economy. They moved to Jackson County, Missouri, and "had to be moved out before they dominated the county politically," wrote Roger Thompson, a longtime Mormon, in his book The Mormon Church.
Church members were attacked by mobs and militia groups and received no protection from the government. The governor of Missouri issued orders to exterminate the Mormons.
Smith decided that he would run for president of the United States, sending his saints to promote his candidacy. For trying to shut down an anti-Mormon newspaper, government officials sought Smith to stand trial. He eventually turned himself in and was killed by a mob while in jail.
Brigham Young, one of Smith's early converts, took the reins of the church and led its members. Life for Mormons remained tumultuous in the West, including in Arizona, where they engaged in bloody battles over land and water rights.
There were political factions comprising Jewish merchants, ranchers, and New Mexican sheep herders who worked tirelessly against the polygamous newcomers, observed Arizona native Daniel J. Herman, a professor of History at Central Washington University who is the author of a 2012 essay titled "Arizona's Secret History."
In those days, there was frustration about Mormons' anti-Mexican sentiment, prompting a newspaper editor, New Mexicans, and cowboys to form the Equal Rights Party, which ran on a platform of racial tolerance.
By contrast, the Mormons, thirsty for righting the wrongs against them, formed the People Party, which put up a successful candidate for sheriff who, historians report, orchestrated the deaths of at least 38 Mormon enemies.
Daniel Herman's account details the political history of four families: "The Romneys, the Udalls, the Flakes, and the Pearces — all prominent in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) — have produced dynamos for both major parties."
George Romney was governor of Michigan and once ran for president. Now, his son, Mitt, is running for president.
Just because someone is "latino" doesn't mean they are automatically in favor of open-borders or amnesty. I happen to know many "latinos" who are also registered republicans and who are just as disgusted by the democrat immigrant-pandering as anyone else. Why is it that these liberals can make such sweeping, unsubstantiated assumptions about a massive group of people yet no one recognizes them as the racists and hate-mongers that the so obviously are?
Wow! sheeba that sounds hypocritical even from a mormon perspective. The bible I read teaches Christ loves everyone and as far as breakin gth elaw is concern, doesn't the book of mormon also teach the forgiveness of sin?? I'm confused because i read in the King James bible where Christ was crucified so ALL men might be saved. If Christ died for everyone then I don't understand how you can say illegals can;t be mormon (personally, I don't understand why anyone would want to be)? The Church is about love not descrimination-which by definition translates to hate.
@Kubrick-Davis Romans 13:1-7 states, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. "
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lol.. Mormons Believe in God, Jesus, and the holy spirit that resides with in you.. get it right.. There are two bible we study.. The Holy Bible and the Book of Mormon.. We are sworn follow all laws of the land. We are made to kept are bodies pure of chemicals no alcohol, caffeine, junk food, sugar, and no processed foods. It a simple life.. You dress modest... Most off you can have only one wife and yes.. you must follow all ten commandments.. never mark your body, treat your body good.. this is the temple we worship in.. is what we are taught... ok... if you are not a citizen of the uSA and you came here illegally you can't be a Mormon..... Simple.. Your breaking the law!
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Harry Reid is LDS. I support none of his political stances. There is no conundrum for Mormons. Alonzo is attempting to make hay where there is none.
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this plagiarist should be fired immediately! the new times is already fighting the stigma of being a sleazy, yellow pile of shit and this will not help their cause.
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The DreamAct was only passed as an in-your-face effort to promote partisan bickering and division. Clearly the bastion and credo of the Left. Immigration policy must be clearly defined to promote the interest of our country. We need immigration to promote the skills, intellect and labor need to enhance a most favored nation. The unregulated influx of humanity, from all borders, not just south and north, vexes and stresses the resources required to maintain our country. The church's purpose on earth is to promote faith and salvation of all... regardless of border. The church must abide the law of the land. Laws, good and bad, reflect the people that impose them. Not the church's opinion one way or the other. "And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him." (New Testament | Mark 12:17) Churches should not mettle in government. Churches should only work to perfect the morality of people to make their own decisions.
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I have no religious affiliation with any organized religion but, after living in Arizona since 1974 & having dealt with many in the LDS community, I can say that Mitt Romney, no doubt, has more ethics & integrity in his little finger than the entire "Demon-cratic" party. These 2 words aren't even in Obama's vocabulary!!
WOW GOING TO TVOTE FOR A MORMAN HUH?DO RESEARCH ..THEY DO BELIEVE IN JESUS WHICH I S GREAT, BUT THEN THEY BELIEVE IN A MAN WHO AT FOURTEEN SAW A VISION???IN MY BIBLE IT SAYS THAT JESUS HIMSELF IS THE ONLY WAY...CMON PEOPLE DONT ABANDON THE TRUTH FOR A RELIGION THATS NOT EVEN 200 YEARS OLD..WHY?READ THE BIBLE...SO MANY LOST PEOPLE.UNREAL.OUR COUNTRY IS GOING DOWNHILL BECAUSE OF IT..SO MANY THAT ARE BLIND..I FEEL FOR YOU ALL..HOW MANY DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS ARE THERE? ARE YOU GOING TO FALL FOR THEM ALL?READ YOUR BIBLE,PRAY TO JESUS,THE ONE WHO GOT BEATIN AND SHED HIS BLOOD ON THE CROSS FOR US...ONLY A FEW WILL ENTER..ARE YOU IN THAT NUMBER?I PRAY THAT YOU WILL COME TO SEE THE TRUTH,FORGET POLITICS,AND STUDY FOR YOURSELF,THE TRUTH CANT BE HIDDEN...HES JESUS AND BY HIM ONLY WILL YOU BE SAVED,HE LOVES YOU AND WILL ALWAYS BE WAITING FOR YOU...
@wastelandwarr Mormons believe in Jesus Christ and they believe in prophets...not sure there was ever an age restriction on prophets (please read about Samuel). Remember, Mormons were murdered and driven out of Illinois by mobs without any government protection of their freedom of religion, and yet they have consistently been active in their civic duties to uphold the very constitution containing the rights they were denied. I wouldn't vote against a candidate because of their religion but rather for the candidate that best represents what you personally believe will lead the country in the direction you think best. Regardless of party affiliation.
Anti immigrant huh? So he's against immigration? You guys are so full of shit! NO AMERICAN IS ANTI IMMIGRATION! AT LEAST NONE I KNOW OF AND CERTAINLY NOT ROMNEY! Every American I know is filled with pride at the sight of any swearing in ceremony when immigrants get their citizenship!!! And what does immigration have to do with "Latinos" (which btw is a communist term)? We allow immigration from every country in the world. Your bias and ignorance is played bare for all the world to see and frankly it's sickening.
From the article:
"Mormon church officials state publicly they do not get involved in partisan politics, nor do they give members a list of church-sanctioned candidates". This is false! they have participated in and donated money to help fight a prop! Guess this is what happens when you don’t keep State and Church separate. Next Lie!
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If you read the first 6 paragraphs of Daniel Herman's essay (http://www.common-place.org/vol-12/no-03/herman/) and compare it to this article, you will see that even though Monica Alonzo references & quotes him in this article...she has clearly plagiarized both partial and full passages of Herman's essay!!! See below:
Lines from Moniza Alonzo's article which have no quotations or direct attribution of Herman:
George Romney was governor of Michigan and once ran for president. Now, his son, Mitt, is running for president.
Levi Udall was the liberal chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court. One of Levi's sons, Morris, became a U.S. congressman and ran for president. Another son, Stewart, served as Secretary of Interior. Morris' son Mark, in turn, is a U.S. senator from Colorado. Stewart's son Tom is a U.S. senator from New Mexico.
Jeff Flake, a U.S. congressman, is running for a U.S. Senate seat in Arizona. His uncle Jake, who died in 2008, was speaker of the Arizona House and a powerful state senator.
Russell Pearce is former president of the Arizona Senate (he was recalled in 2011) and author of Senate Bill 1070, the anti-immigrant measure that sparked national outrage by making Hispanics targets for racial profiling. His great-grandfather James Pearce is founder of the Mormon town of Taylor, Arizona.
Pearce's brother, Lester, also served in the state Legislature, and resigned as justice of the peace to pursue a failed bid for a spot on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
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@bdickus2001 Notice the retraction after you pointed out the plagiarism. It makes you wonder if they'd let Alonso's obvious theft of another's work go without comment had you not pointed it out to them.
Alonso should be fired for this breach of public trust.
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@bdickus2001 Had George won the nomination back in 1968; he could've been disallowed since he was technically a Mexican. His mother and father were residents of Chihuahua for many years.
@MesaMan Yeah, but he is not brown so he doesn't count in the eyes of racists like Monica Alonzo.
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