Comments about ‘We can all make a better effort in bringing an end to racism’

Lets not forget 'World peace' too.

Very well put, Mr. Cannon. I agree that defining a person by race is an unChristian act and not worthy behavior from anyone, let alone from a member of the LDS church.

Members of the LDS church, or any church work towards an ideal - love of God, love of neighbor, truth, purity, and so forth are all ideals. We aren't perfect. We never have been perfect. All we can do is keep trying to be better.

Perhaps in a perfect world we can all make a better effort in bringing an end to racism Joe Cannon, and I feel Joseph A. Cannon knows, we don't live in that perfect world. Does he even know, with his feels good sounds good touchy feeling in need of a tissue story that racism will always be here to stay, because that's human nature, and not even Joseph A. Cannon can change that. As soon as a child is born, the Parent or/and Parent's starts planting the racism seed into their brain. In return, they grow up and do the same with their kid's. It's a never ending cycle. It keeps going around like a broken 33 1/3 record. You'll never see in your life time, all standing in a line, holding hands, and, singing "we are the world", so live with it, racism is here to stay. That's my view.

I believe that the comment @ 9:57 is over simplified and doesn't promote a positive attitude. As a school teacher in CA, where I have worked in recent years, I have noticed a "Change" in attitude concerning racial attitudes. High School students of today do still refer to others by "color and or race" but it's more of an "identifier" or decription rather than the creating a "them and us" situation. I'm not saying all all is perfect, but it's A LOT different than just a few decades ago. It is more inclusive now.

Being that the LDS population, at least here in the USA, is basically a sub-culture of American thought and behavior, Racism is Fading among the LDS youth of today too.

It's now OK to be Black, White, Asian, Mexican, etc.

There are still the gang problems for sure, but the groupings there are not along "racial lines" very much. The gang groupings are along different criteria for the most part.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "DREAM" has happened to a significant degree.

There's still work to be done, however, especially in areas where "diversity" isn't as prevalent.

The most blatant racism is "affirmative action".

@ 9:27,

There is a point in every person's life when he has to take responsibility for his own thoughts and his own feelings. He can blame his parents as the reason that he "never turned out properly", or he can admit that he was just too self-centered to make the effort to rise above it all.

If you want to be racist, you'll end up a bitter, disappointed person. At some point in your life, you will be thought of as you thought of others. You will be treated as you treated others. You will be judged as you judged others. That is perfect justice.

It's all up to you.

Racism is kept alive by those who continue to bring it up over and over and over again. Most races, for what ever reason, seem to feel more comfortable with their own race and therefore seem to perpetuate the attitudes that keep racism alive. But those who step out of those tightly knit groups seem to have no problem making friends with any and all races which breaks down the barriers that keep it alive.

There will always be a minority of those who simply believe they are superior, but a superiority complex (which is the foundation of racism) can be influenced by a multitude of other reasons like religion, economic background, education, etc..

@True | 11:35 a.m. says,

"The most blatant racism is "affirmative action"."

Please elaborate.

You see, that statement is easy to make if you are benefitting, in general, from your skin color, i.e. Caucasion. I suspect you are white.

At least affirmative action is acknowledging there is a problem and is a remedy, perhaps flawed, but a "targeted" remedy all the same.

How would you propose "leveling the playing field?" Do you even see the playing field as uneven?

But hey, I'll grant you the issue, and its solution, are difficult.

I believe it is a false assumption:

1. To believe, as Mr Canon seems to, that before the Kimball revelation latter-day saints were racists.

2. To believe, as Mr Canon seems to, that all racism has to do with superior attitudes of people based on being "white" rather than black. He does not acknowledge any racism of blacks against whites.

I have never heard (yes really!) any white make any racist statement about blacks in forty years, although I have heard complaints about "affirmative action" creating an unfair situation for whites.

I have sometimes heard the derogatory term "Whitey" and "Honky", terms which I beieve I am meant to find amusing; I don't! they are offensive terms.

I am aware of the perpetuation of racist and white-supremacist organisiations, though my own circle of association doesn't include or make me aware of any of these in my daily life. I am also aware of anti-white groups among some of the black population.

Seen in creation: "From one man he made every nation(ethnos)* of men,that they should inhabit the whole earth;and he determined the times set for them,and the exact places where they should live."(Acts 17:26 NIV)
Seen in Salvation: For God so love the WORLD(Kosmos)
that He gave his one and only Son..."(John 3:16 NIV)
*Greek root for ethnicity

Thanks Mike. You are so right. Each of us will stand individually in front of that God who created us all and be judged by OUR thoughts, actions, and deeds. And there will come a day in which all of us will be united......a day many yearn for even now.

As one writer pointed out, racism is declining among some youth. As another writer pointed out, racism is alive and well as children model what they are taught at home. Not all critics of Obama are racist, but most certainly some are motivated by racism. I myself, as a caucasian, have experienced racism while living in Los Angeles. But I have the "luxury" of being the race which holds most of the power in the U.S., so complain I won't. Others struggle against racism every day of their lives.

I think Mr. Cannon provided a thoughtful column. Unfortunately, he doesn't, and probably can't (or risk his social standing), go deeper into what the real problem actually is.

The LDS Church will always have problems with race, because racism is inextricably laced within its doctrine. I mean goodness, they believe dark skin is a result of being “cursed.” How else can one interpret that?

The following statements, by various Church leaders, provide further evidence:

“the Devil is gray haired, wrinkled and black.”

“Cain slew his brother . . . and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin. . . .”

“Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so…”

“Not only was Cain called upon to suffer [for killing Abel], but because of his wickedness he became the father of an inferior race.”

And now we have a Black President… Are the actions, comments, fears from the Mormon community really that surprising?

You said,

"I have never heard (yes really!) any white make any racist statement about blacks in forty years, although I have heard complaints about "affirmative action" creating an unfair situation for whites."

And it's rather hard to unbelieve. I would love for it to be true though.

As for your first point, well does "white and delightsome" mean anything to you? How about Brigham Young saying “the Devil is gray haired, wrinkled and black.” Curse of Cain? None of that is racist? If people buy into a group with such beliefs, what are they exactly... ignorant, gullible...racist?

As for your second point, it explains why you never hear racist comments towards Blacks - you are ethnocentric.

I seriously doubt that racism is human nature. After all, a child must be taught to hate. And let's all remember the fine counsel we got from President Hinkley just a few years ago during the Priesthood Session of one General Conference. He condemned racism handily.

That is rich, given the LDS church's historic embedded racist doctrine.

I agree with the Mormon dilemma at 5:40 PM. Until the LDS leadership repudiates past leaders' racist doctrines--ie., blacks are of the seed of cain, blacks were less valiant in the preexistence--the church will always be saddled with racist members.

PS: In addition to describing the color of the devil, Brigham Young also taught that slavery was ordained of God and that blacks were destined to always be the servants of whites.

Until a little old white man from Utah is not always the prophet then I think the church is racist. But on the other hand if the Prophet were a Mexican with no Utah ties then the 'white' mormons would leave in droves. This alone tells me the church has some real race issues.

Isn't it interesting that those who have no membership in a church can dictate to that church what its doctrines should be and what its history should be.

They choose to ignore that that church was driven from the United States. They choose to ignore that one of those States issued an extermination order against anyone who was a member of that church.

Those religious bigots would dredge up a few comments made by someone who died in 1877 without bothering to quote other people from that era. In fact, they are so blind to the racism of leaders in Government, people like Senator Byrd, that they only try to smear religious leaders who are long gone.

Each of us will be held accountable for how WE lived our lives, not for how someone else lived. We will answer to God for what WE did, not for what others did. I will not be judged for the views or actions of Brigham Young, but I will be judged for the actions of Mike Richards.

Get over your religious bigotry and face live squarely. Be accountable for who YOU are and what YOU do.

The mormon church racist? Where is your proof people? You idiots have no idea what you are talking about! If you have issue take it up with Heavenly Father!