Posted on 02/18/2011 6:19:17 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
SALT LAKE CITY — The immigration controversy has reached the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with one Latino member of the Utah community's request that Mexico suspend all LDS missionary visas to the nation.
Raul Lopez-Vargas, former vice president of Centro Civico Mexicano, one of Utah's oldest Latino community centers, has sent a letter to Mexican Presdient Felipe Calderon seeking the temporary suspension of visas for LDS missionaries. He also delivered the letter in person Monday to the Mexican consulate in Utah.
Lopez-Vargas says the request is a response to his view that the LDS Church won't take a stand on immigration reform bills and that drastic times call for drastic measures.
"We feel like we are the community targets for these kinds of bills and we feel they are very racist against us," Lopez-Vargas said. "Maybe this can make them think a little more about the damage they're doing to our community."
But many members of the Latino community feel Lopez-Vargas' method is the wrong one to take. Tony Yapias with the Proyecto Utah Latino supports immigration reform and opposes stricter regulations, but doesn't agree with Lopez-Vargas' plan.
"I really don't like that. I don't think we should be using missionaries as hostages to negotiate an immigration matter we have," Yapias said. "That's not just the process here. "We shouldn't be mixing politics and missionaries. I have a son who just returned from a mission to the Dominican Republic and I know how rewarding it was for him."
Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, who proposed a controversial immigration bill, says the letter is little more than a political stunt.
"I think it's unfortunate they'd try to get the LDS to succumb to blackmail to oppose my bill," Sandstrom said.
The LDS Church isn't commenting on the letter. They referred the media to their position on the matter using a statement from last November that says in part, "We follow Jesus Christ by loving our neighbors. We also recognize a country's rights to enforce its laws and secure its borders."
Yapias notes that the issue of immigration is something that the LDS Church and the community shouldn't ignore.
"This is something we must take seriously," said Yapias. "From friends I have in Latin America, they're very frustrated with the fact there's a perception out there that Mormons are anti-immigrants."
So a church won't play politics and this POS reaches out to foreign government to apply pressure. I am beginning to hate democrats. I knew they were slimy, but this over the top.
Great point.
LOL
Big difference
Utah is over-run with illegal Mexicans - the kind that kill US citizens.
OTOH, Mexico is not exactly over-run with US citizens - let alone killing Mexicans.
How odd, eh?
This press release shows missions on six continents with Mormons in non Christian countries. You have proof otherwise?
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