Readers' forum: Politics and prejudice

Published: Monday, June 6 2011 12:00 a.m. MDT

In "America and the meaning of a Mormon president," (Deseret News, June 3), Hal Boyd suggests that Mitt Romney's presidential bid could lessen Mormon prejudices in the same way Barack Obama's campaign did for African-Americans.

Boyd recounts a history of Mormon prejudices, including the U.S. House of Representatives's decision to not seat B.H. Roberts on account of his Mormon religion. This is not accurate. Roberts' religion was, in fact, never in question. He was a polygamist, which was not only outlawed in the United States, but it was also not practiced within the LDS Church.

In 1900, Utah held a special election and another Mormon was elected, William H. King. Unlike Roberts, he was not a polygamist, and he was welcomed by the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served for two more terms. Although Mormon prejudice certainly existed in legislation, linking Roberts' religion with the House's decision to not seat him should not have been used as evidence towards Mormon prejudice of the day.

Brian D. King

Orem

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Esquire

Springville, UT

You may or may not be completely accurate on the events, but I do take issue with one statement. You say polygamy "was also not practiced within the LDS Church" after 1900. This is actually not true. Historians tell us that polygamy was More..

7:01 a.m. June 6, 2011
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Irony Guy

Bountiful, Utah

King was actually Utah's first congressman, elected in '96 when Utah first became a state. He later served many years in the Senate. A proud Democrat and faithful LDS member.

9:29 a.m. June 6, 2011
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Herman Finklemeiyer

Orem, UT

Your key point in the opinion piece is spot on. Although there are for sure prejudice against Mormons it was not the issue that caused to uproar with Roberts.

William H King went on to serve in the US senate and represent Utah for 24

10:33 a.m. June 6, 2011
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