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Does Romney's Evangelical Dilemma Matter?

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Does Romney's Evangelical Dilemma Matter? Western News | September 20, 2012 5 Commentary FOLLOW @WesternEditor Does Romney’s evangelical dilemma matter? BY JACOB SKINNER what Romney has done and more to do with views expressed by President Barack Obama MITT ROMNEY IS a Mormon, and in the concerning same-sex unions. Republican Party where evangelical Christians In May, Obama, who until then remained neu- make up a large portion of the party’s base, tral on the topic, endorsed gay marriage. This they are not necessarily comfortable with hav- erased any voter apathy evangelicals may have ing a Mormon as their candidate for the U.S. had toward Romney where theological differ- presidency. A substantial number of evangeli- ences have taken a secondary position in favour cals do not see Mormonism as a legitimate of working together to preserve traditional mar- religion, going so far as to label the faith a cult riage. This has helped Romney to raise more and discount their Christian credentials, even if money than Obama. the official name of the Church is The Church of Except for the month of August, where Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Obama raised slightly more ($114 million to The lack of enthusiasm evangelicals displayed $111.6 million), Romney has tallied more money for Mitt Romney in the GOP Primary raised con- three months in a row and by a significant differ- cerns they may refuse to support the nominee ence ($78 million total). This is an impressive feat whole-heartedly in the general election. considering the fundraising display Obama put In 2008, during Romney’s first presidential run, on in 2008; he raised $750 million mostly by small anti-Mormonism contributed to his loss. donations ($250 or less). A month prior to the Republican Iowa Caucus, As a Mormon, Romney does not fit the usual Romney held a sizeable lead in the polls, when faith criteria of a Republican nominee, but this a strong anti-Mormon message promoted by a problem is not just a Republican one. couple of local radio stations began criticizing Historically, this has been a problem shared by him for being a Mormon, suggesting his religion both major parties. rendered him “unfit” for the job.F ormer Arkan- Of all U.S. presidents, John F. Kennedy (Cath- sas Gov. Mike Huckabee, seeing opportunity, olic) was the only non-Protestant. Romney is only took advantage of the anti-Mormon sentiment. the third non-Protestant nominee, the other one When asked what he thought about Romney’s was Al Smith in 1928 (Catholic). religion, he slyly replied: The good news for Romney in that he and “Don’t Mormons believe Jesus and the Devil Kennedy share some commonalities when it are brothers?” comes to religious bias. In 1960, 25 per cent of He was capitalizing on a main theological voters said they would not vote for a Catholic difference between Mormons and evangelicals. nominee even if he were well qualified. In 2011, Huckabee won the Iowa Caucus by nine points. 22 per cent of voters said the same thing about In 2012, the argument has been made that Romney. By winning the presidency in 1960, Ken- anti-Mormonism has been less pronounced and nedy showed that negative bias toward one’s dampened to the point where it has not been a religion can be overcome, and within the GOP, factor. This view is misleading. it seems evangelicals are in a forgiving mood Romney failed to appeal to evangelicals in this as they have strongly supported the Romney year’s presidential run even though he won the campaign so far. nomination. Those states with evangelical voting not Christian.” Mormon Church fails to qualify as such. Plus, the populations greater than 50 per cent all voted This sparked a national conversation over Mormon Church has become too mainstream to for a candidate other than Romney, suggesting whether Mormons are Christians and whether give the notion serious credence. he would be in real trouble if every state shared Jeffress’ views were bigoted. In another instance, In the United States, there are as many Mor- this demographic. Fortunately for him, most pastor Warren Smith, explained his reason for mons as there are Jews, and Mormons occupy states do not. Romney succeeded in winning opposing Mitt Romney in an op-ed piece: key positions of authority in academics, politics, the primary by not talking about his faith and “A vote for Romney is a vote for the Mormon the military, sports and popular culture. In 2011, by campaigning more rigorously in areas with Church.” the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon smaller evangelical populations. This won him He viewed voting for Romney as unethical; (although unaffiliated with the faith) won best the larger urban centres but also meant losing suggesting he would use the presidential bully musical. The Mormon lifestyle, which prohibits in the South and Iowa. pulpit to make converts to the Mormon Church drinking alcohol, doing drugs, smoking or even At the 2011 Values Voters Summit, pastor – an institution which Smith considers a purveyor drinking tea/coffee, is suggestive of a religion Jacob Skinner is a PhD candidate in the Depart- Robert Jeffress explained why he and other of lies. more likely to conform to normative behaviour ment of Political Science, specializing in Local evangelicals are unwilling to vote for a Mor- While evangelicals may disagree with the than to engage in extremism. Government. He completed the MA program in mon Presidential candidate, even if he is well- theological tenets of Mormonism, it is unrea- Although Romney’s religion was a problem for American Cultural Studies at Western, research- qualified: sonable to call the faith a cult. By accepted evangelicals in the primary, it is less of a problem ing the effects of Mormonism on the electability “The Mormon Church is a cult and definitely sociological and psychological definitions the in the General Election. This has little to do with of Mitt Romney. Joanne the lecturers are not confined to that. has also been a great supporter. former academic and United Nations Goodman The speakers are also encouraged to The style of the lectures was estab- official and author of many books on Goodman was a sec- address a more extensive audience by lished in the ones delivered in 1976 British political history. ond-year his- publishing their lectures. by C. P. Stacey, a University of Toronto As this well-launched tour of the tory student In the early years of the series, professor emeritus, outstanding mili- Atlantic triangle began, so it has con- Lectures who died in Edwin invited historians from nearby tary and diplomatic historian and ora- tinued. an automo- universities, members of his law firm tor, who spoke on Mackenzie King Most of the Goodman lectures create a bile accident and friends to the lectures and a sym- and the Atlantic Triangle. The series have been published, either in the GOODMAN on the way posium dinner for further discussion was introduced by John Robarts, then form they were delivered, or as part of from her home and exchange. Although the annual chancellor, a former premier of the larger books, which stand as an endur- legacy from in Toronto to the university in April event was one of mixed emotions, province, law classmate of Goodman ing tribute to the effect and impor- 1975. In their grief, her parents, Edwin he continued to attend and enjoy the and a good friend. tance of the series not just at Western, and Suzanne Goodman, decided to lectures until 2006, the last year before Among the large audience were but for scholars and students in the tragedy establish a living memorial at the uni- his death. several press reporters, since Stacey’s wider world of letters and learning. versity and in the subject their daugh- Suzanne, who died in 1992, came forthcoming book on King’s spiritu- ter loved. for as long as she could. Their younger alism and relations with women, A BY NEVILLE THOMPSON Each year, a notable historian with daughter, Diane, also attended while Very Double Life, was under a strict AND SHELLEY MCKELLAR the reputation as a good speaker is she was a student at Western in the embargo until publication. Newspa- IF YOU GO invited to give three lectures on a late 1970s; now a human rights lawyer pers as far away as Singapore carried The 2012 Joanne Goodman Lectures, presented THE JOANNE GOODMAN Lec- major topic designed to appeal to a working with the United Nations Relief accounts of the lectures. tures, which have been a notable by the Department of History, will be delivered by wide range of students, faculty and and Rehabilitation Administration and In 1977, the speaker was Robin professor Ian K. Steele on Setting all the Captives event at Western and the broader the public. The theme of the series presently in Nepal, she returns when Winks of Yale University, a prominent community well beyond London for Free: Captivity, Adaptation and Remembrance in is the history of the countries of the she can. historian of Canada, the British Empire Mid-18th Century North America on Oct. 2-4 at three and a half decades, began in Atlantic triangle – Canada, United Edwin’s widow, Joan Thompson, and the United States. In 1978, it was 4:30 p.m. in the McKellar Room, University Com- tragedy. Kingdom and United States – though who he married after Suzanne’s death, Robert Rhodes James, a British MP, a munity Centre..
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