Keskustelu:Mormonism and racial issues/Racial statements by Church leaders

Quick comments

First, the link from the template to FAIR site doesn't seem to work for me (missing the www prefix I think).

Second, I think the discussion about the views of McKay and Benson regarding Civil Rights and Communism should be improved. Mainly, I'd drop the word "grossly" since I think it's conceding a bit too much to say that these statements were grossly racist (racist from today's perspective, yes, but not grossly so and not racist from their perspectives...).

Third, I came across this pro-black statement by Joseph Smith and was wondering if it'd be worth incorporating or linking to in the article (perhaps a simple statement to the effect, "to be fair, many Church leaders also made several progressive racial statements"):

"At five went to Mr. Sollars' with Elders Hyde and Richards. Elder Hyde inquired the situation of the negro. I replied, they came into the world slaves mentally and physically. Change their situation with the whites, and they would be like them. They have souls, and are subjects of salvation. Go into Cincinnati or any city, and find an educated negro, who rides in his carriage, and you will see a man who has risen by the powers of his own mind to his exalted state of respectability. The slaves in Washington are more refined than many in high places, and the black boys will take the shine of many of those they brush and wait on. "Elder Hyde remarked, 'Put them on the level, and they will rise above me.' I replied, if I raised you to be my equal, and then attempted to oppress you, would you not be indignant and try to rise above me, as did Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer, and many others, who said I was a fallen Prophet, and they were capable of leading the people, although I never attempted to oppress them, but had always been lifting them up? Had I anything to do with the negro, I would confine them by strict law to their own species, and put them on a national equalization." (History of the Church, 5:217-218, copied from here.)

Since I'm so new here and still getting a sense of the way articles should be written, I'm a bit shy about making any of these changes myself, at least without at getting some feedback first.... --RobertCouch 19:36, 29 Jun 2006 (MDT)