It's Okay to Make Fun of Mormons, Right?

Dear and Gentle Readers,

Madame L realizes that the anti-Mormon atmosphere will be growing worse now because of Mitt Romney's presidential campaign. Madame L has seen TV commentators who are proud of their Catholicism, for instance, and proud that JFK was a Catholic, blast Romney for being a Mormon---and appear to get away with it.

Mean-spirited pundits are preparing already to outflank those who object to their meanness by claiming that any unfavorable response to anti-Mormon "jokes" must be classified as unfair accusations of "bigotry." 

Madame L, as you recall, wrote last week about MSNBC "The Last Word" host Lawrence O'Donnell's bigotry. O'Donnell claimed that Joseph Smith started the Mormon church "when he got caught having sex with the maid and explained to his wife that God told him to do it..." O'Donnell went on to claim that the whole religion was invented to "sanctify" Joseph Smith's polygamy.  

Madame L was appalled that O'Donnell could get away with saying such a thing on the air and is relieved to read that someone else, apparently not a member of the LDS church, agrees with her, calling O'Donnell a "bigot," which is the appropriate term. Kevin D. Williamson, in National Review Online, has announced that O'Donnell is receiving the first Golden Ass Award, "to be presented to those who resort to anti-Mormon bigotry in their campaign against Mitt Romney."

While Madame L disagrees with almost everything ever published in The National Review (online or in print), she's happy to agree with Williamson on this issue.

Madame L is also fascinated---yes, fascinated, but not edified---to read in Williamson's column that "Wikipedia informs us that Lawrence O’Donnell has half as many ex-wives as Newt Gingrich." Madame L doesn't hold this against O'Donnell but holds it up as an example of the level to which our political discourse has fallen.

Madame L would  like to see and hear all of us reflect on the political issues at hand, not the personal and religious beliefs, of all the candidates---and even the commentators, whether they deserve it or not.

Madame L hopes that when any of you, Dear Readers, no matter your religious and moral beliefs, or your political inclinations and affiliations, will make your views known. When falsehoods are spoken, correct them. When attitudes of hatred and bigotry are evidenced, point it out. 

Sincerely,

Madame L