The Election Makes it Clear: I Don’t Share Values With Most Mormons

Eight years ago, I thought for sure it would be the year that Utah flipped from red to blue. I couldn’t imagine people from my church voting for a man who did these things (to name only a few):

Bragged about sexually assaulting women

Referred to immigrants as criminals and rapists

Ran on a campaign based on building a giant wall between us and our southern neighbors

Wanted to create a database for tracking Muslims in the US

Wanted to ban Muslims from entering the US

Encouraged his supporters to use violence

 

I live in Oregon, but I remember being shocked when I noticed that Utah went red in full force. Didn’t the majority of Utahans go to my church? I thought my church taught things like, “Don’t assault women” or “Don’t be racist.” 

I remember scrolling through my facebook feed the day after the election and realizing that all my Oregon friends voted for Clinton EXCEPT my Mormon Oregon friends. Of course I had some Mormon Oregon friends who voted for Clinton, but there were lots who voted for Trump. Again, I thought my church taught things like, “Don’t assault women” or “Don’t be racist.” So why were the only Oregonians I knew who supported Trump Mormons?

This morning I woke up and felt less shocked than I did eight years ago. I had already learned eight years ago that I don’t share values with members of my church community. 

But I still feel sad. 

I feel sad that members of my church care more about strict (and arbitrary) gender norms than they care about youth suicide rates. 

I feel sad that members of my church care more about reducing abortion than they care about supporting women’s reproductive health.

I feel sad that members of my church care more about banning critical race theory or diversity/equity/inclusion than they care about eliminating racism.

I feel sad that members of my church care more about toting whatever kinds of guns they want than thinking logically about and relying on research to help us keep kids safe. 

I feel sad that members of my church support a man who brags about sexual assault and who is openly racist. 

I feel sad today.

 

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Featured blog photo by Kristina Tripkovic on Unsplash