And So It Begins

This morning around 7am Pacific Time the Mormon Temple in Oakland was the scene for a heated rally calling for the conviction of LDS Bishop Ronald Stevens and for a state mandate forcing the church to marry same sex couple in the temples. Homosexual rights movement has brought enormous amounts of pressure on the LDS Church for reform and acceptance of gays and gay rights. The Church has continued to deny the same sex couples the same priviliges afforded to heterosexual couples within the church, such as marrying in their temples, even after the federal Unity Bill was passed last spring. One protester had this to say. “The Mormons are discriminating against us, we are legal now and they need to respect our rights. If we want to get married they need to let us do it wherever and whenever we want. That’s America; God Bless America! I don’t know why they hate us; maybe after Stevens goes down they will start listening and get with the times.”

Discrimination cases have been filed against the Mormon church in 5 states so far, the most famous being that of Bishop Ronald Stevens. Stevens refused to marry a same sex couple that had been attending his congregation for 6 months. After citing religious reasons for his decision the couple filed a discrimination lawsuit to the courts against both Stevens and the LDS Church. Stevens was arrested and charged with Hate Speech Crimes; he is still being held in custody for his own protection. That case is to go before the courts in just one week. More rallies are scheduled to be held at LDS temples around the world prior to and during the hearing.

This story traces back to the spring of this year after the Unity Bill was passed, overturning several states’ constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. Shortly afterward the President gave an address, speaking of the great freedom this brings to our country and the need for Americans to come together and unite as one. The LDS church released this statement: “It is regrettable that the federal government has taken the voice of the people away. This bill is overturning the votes of millions of Americans all over the country. We hope an appeal to the supreme court will follow. The LDS church will continue to practice our religion as we always have and is our Constitutional right.” A conservative talk radio host based out of New York city had this to say. “When your right to vote on a topic and have a voice is stolen for the sake of ‘coming together’ it is not Unity, it is oppression. Mark my words America; this is not going to go well!”