- Christopher Smith, Editor-in-Chief
The Eagle Forum Makes It Seem Mormons Have Lost Their Way
On occasion, a headline makes us slap our heads in disbelief. At other times we want to hide them in shame.
The latter is the case for this headline:
"Utah Group Says Medical Marijuana Ballot Violates
Freedom of Religion"
Dear Readers, I understand this might make you want to call me names such as "intolerant" or worse. When name calling is a presidential sport, it affects us all. But please read the next headline, that brings the whole picture into focus:
"LDS Family in Need of Medical Marijuana for Severely Ill Son,
Leaving Utah After Fighting for Ballot Initiative"
The "Utah group" in question is called Drug Safe Utah, which is "a registered political lobby fronting for the conservative organization the Eagle Forum and the Utah Medical Association. The DEA’s Salt Lake City Metro Narcotics Task Force is also affiliated with the organization, according to the group’s registration papers.
Here's where it gets gross: according to a story in the Salt Lake Tribune: "The group says the measure would violate the religious beliefs of Walter J. Plumb, an attorney and active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who is the primary financier of the opposition campaign.
Its lawsuit takes issue with a provision of the ballot measure that would prevent landlords from not renting to a medical marijuana cardholder, saying that could create an issue of Mormon property owners being forced into renting to people who use cannabis.
As quoted in the SLC Tribune, “In the United States of America, members of all religions, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have a constitutional right to exercise their religious beliefs,” the complaint reads. “This includes the right not to consort with, be around, or do business with people engaging in activities which their religion finds repugnant.”
Dear Readers, below are some of the people that Utah Drug Safe and the Eagle Forum find repugnant.
The boy with the arrow is Holden Cromar, who is featured in the video in this article.
PS, we wrote about earlier activities of this group here: