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The truth is that there are some Americans who do not wish to accept that they are not racially superior. The election of President Obama flies in the face of what they have always been taught about White being superior. Barack Obama is seen as not knowing his "place" and this has caused a stir amongst those who believe that they should always be the ones sitting at the top of the totem pole.
Many of these types of people are afraid of educated, successful Black people. They are afraid of the growing Hispanic and Asian populations in America. They are afraid that people of color will do to them what they have done to others.
Actually, Mormons believed that Black people were the sons and daughters of Cain and were therefore a cursed people.
Racial restriction policy under Brigham Young:
An early statement by Young about a priesthood ban in the LDS Church was made on February 13, 1849. The statement — which refers to the Curse of Cain as the reason for the policy — was given in response to the question, "What chance is there for the redemption of the Negro?" Young responded, "The Lord had cursed Cain's seed with blackness and prohibited them the Priesthood." In 1852, while addressing the Utah Territorial Legislature, Young stated, "Any man having one drop of the seed of [Cain] ... in him cannot hold the Priesthood and if no other Prophet ever spoke it before I will say it now in the name of Jesus Christ I know it is true and others know it."[
There is a difference between believing that Black people a "cursed people" and believing that they were sub-human. I have read statements from other Christian Churches that have described Blacks as being without a human soul. The LDS Church has never taught anything like that.
That said, I would be the first to agree with you that Brigham Young instituted a clearly racist policy. However, the statement you posted does not represent official Church doctrine, but Brigham Young's own opinion. It is a sad fact that, for many, many years, a great many LDS people shared this opinion.
However, as a later Church president, David O. McKay, stated in 1954 (24 years prior to the ban being lifted), “There is not now, and there never has been a doctrine in this Church that the Negroes are under a divine curse. There is no doctrine in the Church of any kind pertaining to the Negro. ‘We believe’ that we have a scriptural precedent for withholding the Priesthood from the Negro. It is a practice, not a doctrine, and the practice someday will be changed. And that’s all there is to it."
I don't know to what extent you, as a non-Mormon, are able to (or even care to) distinguish between doctrine and policy (or practice). We believe that "doctrine" are eternal truths revealed by God. Policies (i.e. practices), on the other hand, are determined by the Church's leadership. They are subject to change, and they can most definitely be the result of human biases -- such as racial bigotry. We have absolutely no record of any revelation given to Brigham Young pertaining to a ban against Black men holding the priesthood. We can safely assume that he, as well as the next nine men who succeeded him let himself be directed by his own opinions -- opinion, I might add, that were quite commonly held by a great many non-Mormons (not that this excuses them).
Fortunately, that kind of thinking came to a rather abrupt halt in June of 1978, when, under the direction of the twelfth President of the Church, the ban was lifted. I am old enough to remember that day very, very well, and I can tell you that it was a wonderful day here in Salt Lake City (LDS Church headquarters).
Ten years later (perhaps in comemoration of that day, though I'm not really sure), LDS Apostle Dallin H. Oaks (who is now fourth in line to someday be President of the Church) said the following:
"Some people put reason to [the ban] and they turned out to be spectacularly wrong. There is a lesson in that… “I’m referring to reasons given by General Authorities and elaborated upon by others."
There is no question but that there was a time when a great many Mormons had feelings of superiority to Blacks. In my opinion, that's nothing short of tragic. Those same feelings do not exist today, however, and -- to reiterate my original point -- there was never a time when Blacks were considered "less than human."
The truth is that there are some Americans who do not wish to accept that they are not racially superior. The election of President Obama flies in the face of what they have always been taught about White being superior. Barack Obama is seen as not knowing his "place" and this has caused a stir amongst those who believe that they should always be the ones sitting at the top of the totem pole.
Many of these types of people are afraid of educated, successful Black people. They are afraid of the growing Hispanic and Asian populations in America. They are afraid that people of color will do to them what they have done to others.
They end up being slaves to their own fear and paranoia, there is no need for outsiders to come infiltrate america since white americans are already the ones that cause the divisions from within. What it's done to colonise others long ago (divide & conquer) are doing unto themselves. Karma sux.
I'd rep you even though i'm a moderate conservative but says i needs to spread it round more. I know what it is your trying to say, i think minorities and the likes can only understand.
Only the other day, some white bigots thought i should go back to Mexico and stay there, only thing is, i am not from there or any part of my ethnic background.
If anything, Obama has been an eye opener for america just how far we have to go. With a black man in the highest office and mexicans (legal or illegal) breeding like minks is amplifying the distaste for minorities has been too much of a shock to the system. For the sake of balance and harmony amongst all the skin tones, i say. BRING IT ON!!
You truly don't understand where the bigotry is coming from? Were you getting those kind of remarks 4 years ago?
Obama has done more to hurt the hispanic community with his pandering to illegals. You or your children - being American hispanic - will never enjoy the benefits that are and will be handed out to illegals. You, like many hispanics who are not Mexican or from South America, are feeling the fallout of his pandering to illegals. Americans of hispanic background who are generational are getting the backlash. This IMO is very sad, very unfair and unjust, and you need to understand that this is a creation of the Obama administration and has made American hispanics targets for MORE bigotry, and you only have him to thank for it.
If Obama gets his way giving illegals amnesty and more freebies, expect more bigotry. By virtue of you being an American hispanic you nor your children will not qualify as a beneficiary of the handouts. What you are qualified to do as a taxpayer will have the privilege to pay for those handouts, as you have been for years.
By virtue of you being an American hispanic do you get free medical care? Do you get food stamps, housing assistance for your children? If you lose your job or your home can you return to your country? Can you easily pack up your belongings and move to another state where someone will take you in until you get back on your feet?
The irony is that you live in California, a state with one of the largest population of illegals, a state where hospitals have closed and will continue to close down because the state doesn't have the funds to sustain them because of the medical costs incurred by illegals. A state that has a budget deficit of $16 billion, much of which can be contributed to funding illegals. Three cities filed for bankruptcy.
If you can't get you head wrapped around why American hispanics are unjustly feeling the bigotry, you must live in a bubble.
I wish I could say relations improved, even for a while. I feel like no sooner did Obama take office, any and every criticism of his policies were deemed racially motivated.
If we only superimposed the Carter administration's mistakes, leveling only the same accusations at Obama, we'd be 100% correct. He is following the same party policies (rather than what's best for the country) and failing as miserably (if not worse) as Carter.
The difference between this and a prior administration is; he can and does play the race card. No administration prior had that ace in the hole. The people that were racists before Obama are still racists now. The more he plays that card the more he'll be a target for the racists among us, both black and white. He needs to run on his record, rather than blame and deflection, but can't.
He's running on his agenda. You can't run on a record when you don't have one. He did nothing notable and had no hard experience in government prior to becoming president.
You truly don't understand where the bigotry is coming from? Were you getting those kind of remarks 4 years ago?
Obama has done more to hurt the hispanic community with his pandering to illegals. You or your children - being American hispanic - will never enjoy the benefits that are and will be handed out to illegals. You, like many hispanics who are not Mexican or from South America, are feeling the fallout of his pandering to illegals. Americans of hispanic background who are generational are getting the backlash. This IMO is very sad, very unfair and unjust, and you need to understand that this is a creation of the Obama administration and has made American hispanics targets for MORE bigotry, and you only have him to thank for it.
If Obama gets his way giving illegals amnesty and more freebies, expect more bigotry. By virtue of you being an American hispanic you nor your children will not qualify as a beneficiary of the handouts. What you are qualified to do as a taxpayer will have the privilege to pay for those handouts, as you have been for years.
By virtue of you being an American hispanic do you get free medical care? Do you get food stamps, housing assistance for your children? If you lose your job or your home can you return to your country? Can you easily pack up your belongings and move to another state where someone will take you in until you get back on your feet?
The irony is that you live in California, a state with one of the largest population of illegals, a state where hospitals have closed and will continue to close down because the state doesn't have the funds to sustain them because of the medical costs incurred by illegals. A state that has a budget deficit of $16 billion, much of which can be contributed to funding illegals. Three cities filed for bankruptcy.
If you can't get you head wrapped around why American hispanics are unjustly feeling the bigotry, you must live in a bubble.
Give it a rest and grow some balls whilst your at it and not be some passive mindless baffoon. Throughout history, americans have always given what they saw as foreign invaders a hard time, whether they be legit or NOT, they basically lump them together.
As a Filipino (not mexican) as you pointed out, the first limited number of us many years ago were given some freedoms after been colonised for 48 years and fought alongside american forces against the japanese, after the successes the first migrant Filipinos had here as business people made locals jealous and envious of them, what topped it off was when Filipino men were seen hanging out with caucasian females, it was alright for whitemen to go with a Filipina (woman) but not vice versa, they were then sent packing home. Wheres the justice in that?
Morale of this story is, Filipinos came here in a legit manner, we opened up our borders to supposed american liberators against the spanish occupiers only to be misled, fought and sided with america to prove our worthyness and be granted and be respected as an independant sovereign nation. What do we get for it? be treated like some second class citizen despite respecting and abiding by the rules.
So i say, fukc the rules!! why is it that everytime i have a row with a white person do they try give me a dirty look and say ***** like i need to go back accross the border??
So like, right now, im right in the middle, my values and beliefs are more in line with conservatism, im a great believer in order. I believe things and rights have to be earned not just randomly given and yet struggle to get my head around the idea that even after all that, if certain people of certain color in america feels that i and my ancestors have'nt earned respect, then fukc them and their rules.
old america is tired and weary, it's time for a New America!. One that really goes beyond the color of ones skin, one that has rules to serve all shades of Americans, ones that have earned and bled for America and not by the highest paying bidder!
To tell you the truth, since we've had a taster of what obama and his administration has done for America for the past (almost) 4 years, i see it's pissed some people off, if it continues to **** the same people off (rednecks) for another 4 years? then so be it. old america seems a little confused who its friends are from its foes.
I wish I could say relations improved, even for a while. I feel like no sooner did Obama take office, any and every criticism of his policies were deemed racially motivated.
If we only superimposed the Carter administration's mistakes, leveling only the same accusations at Obama, we'd be 100% correct. He is following the same party policies (rather than what's best for the country) and failing as miserably (if not worse) as Carter.
The difference between this and a prior administration is; he can and does play the race card. No administration prior had that ace in the hole. The people that were racists before Obama are still racists now. The more he plays that card the more he'll be a target for the racists among us, both black and white. He needs to run on his record, rather than blame and deflection, but can't.
ROFLMFAO....
Cracks me up all the time coming from white folks like you who could'nt give a RATTS A$$ about racism when it was projected onto minorities but ***** yer pants from the paranoia about racism when you feel its projected onto you. Thats when you care about racism, but not before.
We the minorities have had our fair share of racism and id say our RECORD on that goes beyond the 4 years that Black man has been in the office, and I SAY "NAY" to your "Cry wolf"
Obama himself was to blame for its detioration and should be condemned for actively pursuing it for political reasons as well through blundering. But it will go back to improving once he's kicked out of office and thrown back into obscurity.
Cracks me up all the time coming from white folks like you who could'nt give a RATTS A$$ about racism when it was projected onto minorities but ***** yer pants from the paranoia about racism when you feel its projected onto you. Thats when you care about racism, but not before.
The gravest sin you can commit in the eyes of a white person is to accuse them of racism. Plow their 16 year old daughter right in front of them and never call her back; it's all water under the bridge compared to the merest whiff of a hint of a notion of considering them the slightest bit racist. It's funny because it never fails to reduce them to a whiny, blubbering, incoherent mess of recrimination and undeserved anger.
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