When Pres. John F. Kennedy was running for office people asked who would run the country if he were elected: JFK or the Pope. People are asking some of the same kind of questions about Mitt Romney now that he is running for president.
WHO’S THE BOSS—RESPONSES TO FREQUENT COMMENTS
Is this a fair question?
Yes—the question is legitimate and needs to be addressed. Thomas S. Monson has already exerted his influence in civil affairs—for example, when he called on all Mormons to donate “means and time” to stopping gay marriage in California. Monson decided a group should lose their civil rights and because his organization is so well-organized, obedient, and well-financed, they obeyed his wish and were successful. (As per the NYT, as much as 90% of the early volunteers who walked door-to-door in election precincts were Mormon, and a whopping 50% of Prop-8 campaign funding came from Mormons.) If Romney is President, what other kinds of issues might Monson take on? His influence over Romney needs to be understood. We make no apologies about exposing this topic to daylight.
It’s just like when they said John F. Kennedy would answer to the Pope.
The Kennedy parallel is weak. 1) Kennedy was a not a high-ranking bishop in the Catholic church and his life did not revolve around his faith, 2) in modern times Catholics as a whole have never been anywhere near as tightly disciplined and cohesive as the Mormons, and 3) Kennedy took the time to directly address this issue (in his historic address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, when he assured Americans he does not take orders from the Pope). Romney hasn’t offered any such assurance.
The video attacks Mormons or attacks faith.
No. The ad does not criticize religion or Mormonism is any way. All the time, we seek to understand the influence of institutions/ideologies/people over politicians—for example, communism, corporations, labor, wealthy donors, etc. Why can’t we also seek to understand a religious institution’s influence over a candidate? Calling something a “religion” shouldn’t be a magical shield from questioning. It would be dangerous to suggest that any institution or person in our society is above questioning. That is not the American way.
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Bottom line: Despite using dramatic effects, the video is ethically solid and it asks a question that needs to be asked.
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