I have not yet decided who I will vote for in the Republican Presidential Primary here in Oregon. It will be between Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. I have almost ruled out Fred Thompson due to his "lack of energy" The fact that Mitt Romney is a Mormon (Later Day Saint) will not influence my vote and I hope it will not influence others. He is a good man and would be a good President.The Republicans are lucky to have substantial men, such as these, running for president.
In my life I have known many Mormons and as in all religions there are good and bad people in any faith.I was actually born in Utah and as a baby was adopted by a Lutheran couple and was raised in the Lutheran religion. My adopted parents moved to Utah during World War II to work at a Navy Supply Depot in Ogden. My uncles on my mom's side also moved to Utah, as well, and married Mormon girls and as a result most of my relatives on my mom's side, who are still alive, are Mormons. My parents while living in Utah experience some discrimination because they were not Mormon. Mormon's tend to be somewhat "clubbish." However, it was not much different than the discrimination others have suffered who lived in other areas of the United States dominated by one religion or another.
When I was in the U.S. Army many of my friends were Mormon. While I occasionally have a drink of alcohol I do not smoke and lead a fairly conservative lifestyle which caused the Mormon guys and I to be very compatible. When my kids were in high school they ran around with a number of Mormon kids because at that age my kids did not drink or smoke. They still don't smoke. For a while I shared office space with a Mormon attorney. One of my best friends in Medford is a fairly recent convert to the Mormon Religion. I can never get a coke at her house unless I bring my own when I go over to watch the Super Bowl! While I can quibble with the doctrine of the Mormon Church I love their emphasis on family and on hard work! I do have a hard time understanding why non members can't go into their temples. I have always disliked private clubs.I am generally an "Optimistic Agnostic" as Winston Churchill described himself. I don't know if there is a God, or not, but I would hope there is. Even though I am not religious, I love religious culture. I love seeing manger scenes and listening to religious music at Christmas. The Christmas story if it isn't true should be true.... it's a wonderful story and I love the Christmas season. There is a place for all religions in America and for those who are not religious!
A few years ago I had a prospective client ask me if I was a "Christian" and said he would not hire me as his attorney if I wasn't. I told him I was an Agnostic and he said he only wanted to hire a Christian attorney and went some place else. The man was a bigot! There may be reasons to pick another candidate over Mitt Romney but his religion is not one of those reasons. He gave a wonderful speech today that all Americans should read and take to heart.
PS if Mitt Romney is elected to the White House I hope he invites the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to sing the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" at his inauguration.... it brings tears to my eyes.
