Latino backlash against Mormons over Arizona immigration law

[Ed Barrow]

José Corral was seriously considering joining the Mormon Church. For weeks, Corral, 45, a fourth-grade teacher, met with Mormon missionaries at his home in Laveen to read the Book of Mormon and prepare for his baptism. Corral, a Catholic and the father of two preteen daughters, was especially drawn to the church's commitment to family values.

"I was really interested. I thought, you know, it is going to be really good for the kids," said Corral, a legal permanent resident from Mexico. Then, Corral said, he found out that state Sen. Russell Pearce, a Republican from Mesa and sponsor of Arizona's tough new immigration law, is a member of the church. Corral said he told the missionaries to stop coming because he considers the law to be anti-immigrant and anti-Hispanic.

"I decided I did not want to expose my kids to a religion that has members that hate other people because they are different," Corral said.

.....

Kenneth Patrick Smith, a Mesa lawyer and president of the Valencia Branch, a Spanish-speaking LDS congregation in Mesa, said missionaries from his church have had doors slammed in their faces since Arizona's new law was signed by Gov. Jan Brewer in April. "They say, 'Why would we want to hear anything from a religion that would do this to the Hispanic community?' " said Smith, who emphasized that he was speaking for himself, not the church. "It's a great disconnect because on one hand the missionaries are out there preaching brotherly love, kindness, charity, tolerance, faith, hope, etc., and then they see on TV a quote-unquote Mormon pushing this legislation that makes them not only . . . terrified but terrorized."

Pearce has repeatedly said his efforts to drive illegal immigrants out of Arizona and keep them from coming here is based on the Mormon Church's 13 Articles of Faith, which includes obeying the law.



http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2010/05/18/20100518arizona-immigration-law-mormon-church.html#ixzz0oJiMIdXD

[AsahinaKimi]

1. Why does this sound familiar...??

Oh yeah, Prop. 8 in California. Guess now we know where they (the Mormons) stand.

[BR_Parkway]

4. That was the first thing that came to mind too - when you support someone

who hates another group, it's a pretty safe bet they hate your group too - they're just keeping that hidden so they can use you for votes and money.

The only way to hate an entire group of people is to convince yourself that you are superior to them. It's not a far stretch to thinking that must make you superior to everyone else who isn't part of your same group

[nichomachus]

2. Mormons: Hate group and cult nt

[Better Today]

3. So none of those that voted for it were Catholic? I find that impossible to believe.

Is he planning on quitting his own church if a Catholic did in fact vote for the bill? As much as I dislike the Mormon experience, it seems disingenuous to damn an entire religion because one guy out of many representing at least a few religions, voted yes on the AZ immigration reform law, which I find appalling.