AP uncritically reports Romney's speech; Quinn: "obliteration of separation of church and state"

[DeepModem Mom]

Media Matters for America: AP report on Romney's "Faith in America" speech uncritically reported Romney's decrying "religious test" for office

A December 6 Associated Press article by reporter Glen Johnson uncritically reported Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's complaint that a "religious test" to become president was "prohibited in the Constitution," without noting that Romney himself has repeatedly stated that Americans want a person of faith to lead them.

The AP report -- which previewed Romney's then-upcoming December 6 "Faith in America" speech, in which Romney discussed how, in his words, his "own faith would inform his Presidency if he were elected" -- stated that "Romney, confronting voters' skepticism about his Mormon faith, declared Thursday that as president he would 'serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause,' and said calls for him to explain and justify his religious beliefs go against the profound wishes of the nation's founders." The article went on to quote Romney saying: "There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines ... To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution."

But Romney has repeatedly said that he believes Americans "want a person of faith to lead them."...

***

By contrast, after Romney gave his speech, during the 10 a.m. ET hour of MSNBC Live, journalist Sally Quinn said of the speech: "I'm really stunned because I think it was an obliteration of the idea of the separation of church and state. He eliminated anybody who was a doubter, an atheist, an agnostic, a seeker. It's like, if you believe in God or Christ, you're on my side. If not, you're not."

From Johnson's December 6 AP report:

"Republican Mitt Romney, confronting voters' skepticism about his Mormon faith, declared Thursday that as president he would 'serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause,' and said calls for him to explain and justify his religious beliefs go against the profound wishes of the nation's founders. At the same time, he decried those who would remove from public life 'any acknowledgment of God,' and he said that 'during the holiday season, nativity scenes and menorahs should be welcome in our public places.' In a speech prepared for delivery less than a month before the first nomination primaries, Romney said he shares 'moral convictions' with Americans of all faiths, though surveys suggest up to half of likely voters have qualms about electing the first Mormon president."...

http://www.mediamatters.org/items/200712060003?f=h_latest

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[bigscott]

1. Damn this is some scary shit

attempting to turn the USA into a theocracy - how long do we have to fight this?? Probably until we get someone in the WH that respects the Constitution

[kestrel91316]

2. The Mormons LOVED their theocracy back when UT was not yet a state.

My g-g-g-grandfather, as Chief of the Danites, was head of the enforcement arm of the church and made SURE that everybody did what Joe Smith and Brigham Young wanted, and no questions asked.

UT tried to create another theocracy in the early 70s with passage of the Sunday Closing Law that requires all businesses to close up shop on Sunday (because that's when EVERYONE was expected to be in church) except gas stations and hospitals. It was found unconstitutional, but I will neither forget nor forgive that it happened in the first place.

The Mormon church is greedy and power-hungry and actively seeks a fascist theocracy. NEVER doubt it. Never trust them.

(Note: I know plenty of individual Mormons who are great people. I just don't approve of the church's policies.)

[hansberrym]

3. More scary shit - according to this guy we are all subjects of the

governor of the uniiverse.


"It is the duty of every man to render to the Creator such homage and such only as he believes to be acceptable to him. This duty is precedent, both in order of time and in degree of obligation, to the claims of Civil Society. Before any man can be considerd as a member of Civil Society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governour of the Universe: And if a member of Civil Society, do it with a saving of his allegiance to the Universal Sovereign. We maintain therefore that in matters of Religion, no man's right is abridged by the institution of Civil Society and that Religion is wholly exempt from its cognizance. True it is, that no other rule exists, by which any question which may divide a Society, can be ultimately determined, but the will of the majority; but it is also true that the majority may trespass on the rights of the minority. "

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Just noting that Chris Matthews is also reporting it "uncritically" -- he is ECSTATIC...

over this speech, comparing it to Martin Luther. And sounds like he thinks it will make Romney the nominee, if not President.

[magellan]

5. "if you believe in God or Christ, you're on my side. If not, you're not."

This is nothing new. BushCo have been pushing the same message since 2001. I remember very well sitting in front of my tv listening to their speeches and feeling more and more excluded with each one. That's when I REALLY started hating them and fearing what they were up to.

Seems like Mitt is the golden-haired boy who'll carry the theo-fascist torch for them.