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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMitt Romney's great grandfather fled (self-deported?) to Mexico to practice polygamy
http://web1.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120131/mitt-romneys-great-grandfather-fled-mexico-practMitt Romney's great grandfather fled to Mexico to practice polygamy
Former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney's ancestors fled to Mexico to practice polygamy after it was banned in the United States.
Mariya KarimjeeJanuary 31, 2012 12:19
Former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney's ancestors reportedly fled to Mexico in the 19th century to practice polygamy after it was banned in the United States, the Associated Press reported.
Romney's great grandfather, Miles Park Romney, fled to Mexico after the 1882 passing of the Edmund Act, which banned polygamy in the US. He married his fifth wife after the Mormon church formally banned the practice in 1890.
The Romneys were some of the first Mormons to settle in the border state of Chihuahua, according to the AP. But, when the Mexican Revolution hit Chihuahua in 1912, the Romneys, including Mitt's father, who was 5, fled back into the US, losing their homes, farms and most of their belongings, the Boston Globe reported.
After the revolution, Mitt's grandfather, Gaskell Romney, remained in the US with his five children, but his brother, Miles Archibold Romney, returned to Mexico.
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MADem
(135,425 posts)They used to call Romney's father "Chihuahua George" when he was running (briefly) for President. He was one of the first candidates in modern American history to be subjected to the whole "natural born citizen" argument as a consequence. Of course, then he made that "brainwashed by the generals" remark, and that was the end of his Presidential aspirations.
MadHound
(34,179 posts)After all, everybody has a few family skeletons and scandals in their closet, you can't help it, it is what you are born with.
There is plenty to damn Romney with, things that he has actually done. Damning him for what his ancestor did is simply wrong.
Bluerthanblue
(13,669 posts)account for their less than positive aspects as well.
His stand on 'illegal immigration' is particularly vile when you look at the way his family USED Mexico and crossed the boarders to their advantage.
His father's words about having to leave Mexico when he was five and move to the US were :
"We were the first displaced persons of the 20th century"
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/george-w-romney#ixzz1l3zkGXtc
Tell that to Native Americans.
Lurks Often
(5,455 posts)If you want hate Mitt, hate him for who HE is, not for something that occured when he wasn't even born yet.
Bluerthanblue
(13,669 posts)he will play any side to his advantage.
He can't avoid the negatives if he's going to try and use his ancestors to further his agenda.