But, I think it can be explained by people resorting to knee-jerk reactions and simplification rather than contemplation of facts. When issues become emotional issues then very little thinking takes place.This is unfortunate because illegal immigration is complex.
In a recent New York Times article that made it's Most E-Mailed List for a while entitled "Mormon-Owned Paper Stands With Immigrants," Jeremy W. Peters does some simplifying of his own. The title is hardly accurate given the article's content. But, it does have some crucial points:
He [Mark Willes, head of Deseret Media] has consulted lawyers to advise him on the technicalities of immigration law and convened a committee of Deseret Media editors and executives that meets to brainstorm ideas on immigration coverage. “Everywhere we looked, the problem just seemed substantially more complicated than the dialogue,” he said.[KSL, the Church-owned station broadcast Willes editorial. It can be found here.]
It IS more complicated than the dialogue. In addition, the dialogue is downright nasty AND Un-Christlike. Unfortunately, I agree with Joe Cannon and I don't even like Cannon:
Mr. Cannon acknowledged that changing minds would be difficult, but he said he hoped at the very least to challenge readers to reflect on immigration through the teachings of their religion.
“What are the two commandments? Love God and love your neighbor,” he said. “These people are our neighbors — incontestably, by any definition, they are our neighbors.”Sandstrom, the Utah copycat of Arizona's controversial legislation exhibits this dialogue:
“Obviously, they’re [Deseret Media companies] trying to sway public opinion in a big way,” said Stephen Sandstrom . . . a Mormon, said he was not deterred. “I do have people in e-mails saying, ‘You’d better not back down or I’ll know the church got to you.’ And I just assure them that the L.D.S. church is not directing me one way or another on this.”This is emotionalism, not reason.
*The New York Times article fails to sufficiently point out that the Deseret News just got massively revamped and downsized. Joe Cannon is no longer Editor and will only have an advisory role. In addition, Mark Willes is former President Gordon B. Hinkley's nephew.
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