Quote:
Originally Posted by TripletDaddy
Unfunny? Surely you jest.
Actually, I have no idea. I am looking to you. You seem to be very charged about this issue, and how imperative it is for this message of racism to be disseminated to the masses, lest we suffer a rising tide of hostility and apostasy.
So I am basically asking you a few things--assuming you are correct about your hysteria:
1. What are YOU doing about it? other than post on an anonymous message board, what are you willing to do? You mentioned Juanita Brooks. Have you submitted anything for publishing...to Sunstone or the like? Or even to non-LDS publications? Using your real name? I would assume you have solid writing and research skills. Have you used them for the furthering of this cause?
2. What do you suggest OTHERS do about it? You claim you are banging a drum. Well, help others march along. What do you suggest we all do? What do you suggest, in an ideal world, that the Church do? Call a press conference? admit to mass racism? then what? What is the plan after that, if that is the plan at all?
3. Have you spoken with your Bishop and Stake President about this issue, in particular? Perhaps they are not as well-read as you. Would you be willing to disassociate yourself from the Church if it does not fall into line with your view of how this charged issue should be handled? And if not, then how strongly do you really believe in the cause?
The two people you have referenced, MLK and Juanita Brooks, ultimately paid a huge sacrifice for their beliefs. So like I said....do you have courage?
|
I have published my views in the Student Review newspaper at BYU, under my own name. Of course that paper is defunct, and the once archive on the internet went under and exists no more.
I don't think I *could* really publish anymore, because I'm not qualified to. And there are many people that are qualified. Best thing I can do is support the people who *are* publishing. Like, for example, Darron Smith, who edited a recent anthology on the subject, and was recently fired from BYU because he taught that the ban stemmed from racism (he was my teacher).
As far as me disassociating from the church, I think it's the other way around. Will the church choose to disassociate itself from me?
Best thing you can do is preach the gospel. Tell your friends and relatives. Don't let lies win the day. As I've said before, the truth is viral. When a person learns that JS ordained a black man and had a plan to free the slaves, and that all the reasons that they were told over the years about blacks being denies, is in the churchs own words "bullshit", their eyes light up. The message sells itself.
There will likely be many on the board that will be asked a question by a friend or colleague about the ban. Good opportunity to tell the truth. But the best thing you can do is tell your member friends, at the right time, when the topic arises.
Something as simple as emailing a scholar who is on the frontlines and saying, "look, I'm a member, I know you've taken flack, but I am 100% behind you. God bless you for your courage." That's something.