What's Up, Rachel?

Dear Madame L,

I used to watch the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC, but I've been watching it less and less lately. She appears to think her audience has an I.Q. of about 45, or we're all Kindergartners, because she lectures and talks down to us, repeats herself over and over again, and talks louder and louder as she runs through her argument....

So that's why I was watching her less. I would turn on the TV expecting to learn something about the political state of our nation, and would hear her saying the same sentence about 5 different ways, see a bunch of idiotic graphs, etc. (Sometimes I think she's just filling up time on a slow news day or a day when she can't get enough "guests" to fill in with their opinions.)

But now I don't know if I'm going to watch her any more at all. And here's why: 

She has gone from making veiled references to the fact that the two major Republican presidential candidates right now (former Mass. governor Mitt Romney and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman) are Mormons to poking fun at them because of their religion.

I think it's one thing to acknowledge, as several other, less sarcastic and catty commentators have, that the Mormon candidates have very little chance of winning votes in the South because of the prejudice against Mormons there. But to join in that kind of prejudicial talk about them, that's just not reasonable. And I think viewers of political talk shows want to be reasoned with, not talked down to, and shouldn't be bombarded with mean-spirited prejudice. 

Madame L, I think you've said you're a Mormon, and I'm wondering what you think about this.

Sincerely,

Not Watching MSNBC Very Much Lately

Dear Not Watching MSNBC,

Madame L is indeed a "Mormon" (or as she prefers to say, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), and is familiar with the problem you mention.

Madame L doesn't know what to make of Rachel Maddow's apparent animosity toward "Mormons." She has noticed that Rachel Maddow's colleague Lawrence O'Donnell has been poking fun of Romney and Huntsman because they're Mormons, too.

Perhaps it's because Rachel Maddow is aware of the LDS Church's opposition to marriages between persons of the same sex.

Perhaps Maddow is UN-aware of the LDS Church's opposition to ALL kinds of relationships outside of the realm of those approved by God Himself.

Perhaps she's UN-aware of the LDS Church's Proclamation on the Family, which states, among other things:

"The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife." 

Perhaps she's UN-aware of the fact that all this ties in with the LDS Church's beliefs about our eternal god-like nature, God's plan of happiness for all of us, and the way that God has determined that we can return to His presence:

"The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally."

Perhaps she's unaware that some recent efforts to gain equal rights and protection for gays and gay marriages include provisions that would cause harm to the constitutional rights of other people and institutions, including churches. In an official statement from the church a few years ago, leaders wrote:

"The church does not object to rights (already established in California) regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights, so long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the family or the constitutional rights of churches and their adherents to administer and practice their religion free from government interference..."

Perhaps she's unaware that the LDS Church has suffered persecution in the past because of its beliefs and teachings, including efforts to limit its own teachings on marriage.

Perhaps she just doesn't care about the feelings of anyone else besides herself and the gay community. Otherwise, why would she say such cruel and tasteless things about other people? Why would she ridicule politicians just because they're Mormons?

Madame L is aware she has been ranting a bit here. But Madame L is deeply offended by people who want to be treated as equals and who rightly object to being made fun of---when those same people turn around and pour ridicule and vitriol on people whose political opinions and religious beliefs they don't agree with.

Madame L has stated before that she cannot imagine a scenario in which she would vote for Mitt Romney; ditto for Jon Huntsman. But to make fun of them for their religion, for mistakes in their campaigns, for the fact that they look "presidential"---that's unacceptable, Rachel Maddow. What's up, Rachel?

Madame L has also noted that the last groups left in America whom everyone feels safe making fun of are fat people and Mormons. Nobody Madame L knows would make fun of Rachel Maddow because she's a lesbian. Why does Rachel Maddow want to be treated differently than she is willing to treat other people?

What's Up, Rachel, Indeed!

Sincerely Steamed,

Madame L