The American Spectator

br> Royal Oak, Michigan /p>

I’m not a Latter Day Saint, but the prejudice shown towards Mitt Romney, because of his faith was disgusting. What is more revolting it that some of it was done in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for political reasons. Tragically, the Republican Party was dragged into the gutter of religious intolerance inhabited by Democrats thanks to a few small minded hypocrites and a sleazy politician. I’d vote for an atheist or Muslim if his or her politics were acceptable. One’s faith is a personal matter and while it will undoubtedly influence their political decisions it is not a harbinger of how they will govern. Jimmy Carter was a Baptist, but he governed like a typical intolerant, small-minded, and anti-religious Democrat.

Sadly, this is what happens when we fail to understand there is a conservative side to separation of church and state. The wall of separation of church and state (as envisioned by Thomas Jefferson) should not and does not exclude people of faith from participating in our Democratic system or faith-based groups impacting government or society. Simply, it should keep the state from subjugating religion or religion from usurping power and creating a theocracy. As our founders recognized one cannot separate a person from their faith nor is it wise to separate our faith from decision making even in elected officials. But it can be healthy in a republican government to have a bit of tension between these two institutions to preserve freedom.

Mitt Romney was not on the way to creating a “Mormon” Mecca. They have that in Salt Lake City. He wasn’t demanding that the Book of Mormon become the Constitution of the United States. Nor was he asking that any of us ascribe to his system of worship. Would LDS values of hard work, thrift and family have influenced his Presidency? Had there been a Romney Presidency I hope they would. Who can castigate these simple all American values?

p>There is no religious test to serve as an elected official in the United States. Unfortunately, some people on the left and now apparently the right believe there should be. That is not the American or Republican way and it never should be. Those who have brought this garbage into the Republican Party should leave the GOP and join the Democrat party where they can happily vote for the “public theologian” Barack Obama or the lazier faire Methodist Hillary Rodham Clinton. br> — Michael Tomlinson br> Jacksonville, North Carolina /p>

I believe Mr. Orlet is right in his analysis of Mitt Romney, but I would take it one step further. I suspect for many voters, their vote against Romney wasn’t so much because they were anti-Mormon but because their perception — largely due to the mainstream media fanning the flames — that too many others would be anti-Mormon therefore rendering Romney “unelectable” in the general election.

If the mainstream media were consistent (a fantasy to be sure), they would continually hound our liberal Senate Leader Harry Reid for his Mormonism. Why don’t they? Though Reid does not condone abortion (Google it), the MSM prefers his liberalism in all other respects.

But a true conservative like Romney comes along, and he’s accused of flip-flopping on the abortion issue. The MSM in their “objectivity” is merely reporting anti-Mormon statements. This makes it so much easier for people like Huckabee to make a snide comment about Mormons, knowing the MSM will pick it up and do all the dirty work.

p>The conservative talk show hosts, who were openly pro-Romney leading up to Super Tuesday, should have spoken up sooner. However, I doubt it would have made any difference. With the MSM amplifying the anti-Mormon rhetoric, Romney never had a chance. br> —