What Is Wrong With Mormons In Mesa Arizona?

The current bill SB1070, drafted and promoted by Russell Pearce–a Mormon  from Mesa, epitomizes what happens when one group acquires too much power in governmental affairs. The Mormon population in Mesa Arizona used to be a persecuted group and now they seem to be among the perpetrators of state persecution. Mormons experience of state oppression and persecution on one specific group was to be an on example of what not to do. Yet, the Mormon community in Mesa seems to have forgotten that state can be a terrorizing democratic legitimate force against Constitutional Civil Rights.

The new bill in Arizona, not only violates constitutional Civil Rights and will tear families apart, but also may destroy any hopes of building a bond between the increasing Hispanic-American community in Mesa AZ and the dominant  Mormon community. Surprisingly, Mormons are not alien to state persecution. The inherent intent of Arizona SB1070 aimed to Hispanics (if we can be frank) does exactly what states like Missouri and Illinois did to the Mormons, forced people out of their properties, separated families, and persecutes innocents against their Constitutional Rights.

In the early days, Mormons were driven out of Missouri and Illinois and had to make a perilous journey. In the 1860, In Missouri, state legislator claimed Mormons were invaders, consequently,  Mormons were unjustly hated because of religious beliefs by nativists. Nativists used the power of state government to force Mormons out of their communities, took their property and lands; they had to migrate to another states in search of freedom. So persecution, both identify Mormons as special people and seared on them the pain of what being a peculiar people means. Also, in the 1860, US president make their inaugural addresses to decry the Mormon experience. President Buchanan even sent 1/5 of the U.S. army to Utah accusing Mormons of subversion. the Mormon Church has transformed itself from a fringe sect into a thriving religion that embraces mainstream American values by inviting new groups into its churches

Currently, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of America’s fastest-growing religions now at over 12 million and growing. Coincidently, the Mormon faith is successfully spreading throughout  Latin America. Latin America is host to the largest Mormon population outside the U.S. According to a church spokeswoman in Utah, the largest growth in membership from 1995 to 2006 occurred in South America. Membership there has soared to more than 3 million, making the continent’s membership the second highest in the world after the United States.

However, Currently, all eyes from Latin America are on Arizona owning  to SB1070. For instance, it was during a visit to Latin America when Sec. of State Hilary Clinton announced that the U.S. government will challenge in court the Constitutionality of SB1070. As result, the message is spreading in Latin America and among Hispanic-Americans in which they , correctly, make the Mormon leadership the chief promoters and responsible for this bill. Moreover, this will tarnish the reputation of Mormons in Latin America and generation of Hispanic-Americas in the U.S.

Mesa is a population of nearly half a million people. It also has the highest population of Mormons than any city in the world, even Salt Lake City. Mesa’s Mormon founding, economic and political roots remain fused to the colossal Mormon financial and political structure of Salt Lake City, Utah. While it is true that Mormons leaders claim that they do not get involve in politics, it is also true that is not merely by chance that Mesa government has been influenced by Mormons since its inception.  Undoubtedly, Mormonism is part of the political landscape of Meza Arizona .Mesa was founded in January 1878 by Mormon (LDS) pioneers and its population is still roughly one-quarter Mormon.

Furthermore, while claiming that the church does not get involved in politics, In California, the LDS church’s support for the referendum went all but unnoticed — for a time – until Mormons’ significant deployment of moral and financial capital was discovered. Earlier this month, the LDS church agreed to pay a $5,500 fine for not reporting all of its non-monetary contributions in support of Prop. 8. Televised advertisements endorsed by the church urged the public to preserve traditional families. Church leaders warned that same-sex marriages ruin society and endanger souls and mobilized their congregations accordingly. Mormon youth were taught how to persuade their friends and families to vote on Proposition 8, according to 8. Elder Quentin L. Cook, a Mormon leader, called on devotees to donate their “means and time” to the cause.

Among one of the sacred services for Mormons is the Mission. The Mormons put their future in the hands of the young missionaries, “God’s Army”, to spread their faith, and it has always been the engine that has driven the churches’ success. But, according to the U.S. census, Mesa has 60% white and 30 % Hispanic population. About 50 % of the population is under 19. 40 % are older white 55% and 25% of the population is Mormons over 55 years old. Therefore, if the future belongs to the young. With Arizona filled with oldest population in America, is not far when the Hispanic American will be the potential convert in Arizona and Mesa. Conversely, how will church reply to the fact, why their members supported this laws. What would they tell members of the families who had their families torn apart by this law.

Understandably, the LDS’s mantra of not getting involved in politics to avoid intra group feuds does sound reasonable.  However, when the Mormons 25% of Mesa are older than 55 and control so much of the business community and the political environment, it is unrealistic to pretend that Mormons community does not have any say regarding SB1070. More importantly, how will “God’s Army” missionary response, in Hispanic neighborhood and asked why is the Mormon majority in Mesa is supporting a law the adversely contradicts the righteousness  preached by the LDS’s  missionaries

Ironically, in the Mormon stronghold of Mesa, Spanish-speaking LDS congregations had grown from five to 13 between 2002 and 2007  Last fall, official LDS printing presses in Salt Lake City ran off an approved Spanish-language edition of the Mormon. So when Mormon political leaders campaign for agendas of states’ rights according to Patrick Henry rhetoric’s of “liberty or death,” perhaps their Spanish-speaking LDS brethren can remind them that there are millions of people of goodwill in need of actual freedom-loving legislators in whatever state they have freely chosen to congregate and build up.

Additionally, But those in Spanish-speaking congregations say it’s likely there are many illegal immigrant members. Pablo Felix, bishop of the Liahona Second Ward in Mesa, said he cannot be sure about his congregation, but he suspects between 60% to 70 % of the members could be here illegally. Also, about 14 Spanish-speaking missionaries travel into often Hispanics neighborhoods Mormons have put their hopes in the hands for the young missionaries to spread the goodness of their faith. However, this attitude by the leadership of the Mormons population in Mesa makes it difficult for Hispanics to find  spiritual comfort with the LDS walls, because, the Mormons leadership is among the chiefs supporter of this unconstitutional laws that, if implemented, will terrorized and break families apart.

The growth in Spanish-speaking membership is growing at home and in Latin America. However, Arizona SB1070 has become the focused of media and Latin American governments and the overall societies because they all ardently perceived this law to be directed toward Hispanics, both citizens and non-citizens. Thus, the future of this law will greatly reflects on the perception of Arizona, and its Mormon population, all throughout Latin America. In Arizona, 30% of the population is Hispanic, 85% of this percentage are under 18. According to the national polls, 83 % of Hispanic overwhelmingly opposed this law because they know this law will, specifically, lead to discrimination, tearing families apart, and state persecution of innocent families. This sudden notoriety on Arizona, and Mesa due to Pearce, will not go unnoticed by Hispanics here in Mesa, Arizona, the Country, and Latin America.

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