Mormon News in the Wake of Proposition 8

The Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons) played a headliner role in the ballot-question campaign for Proposition 8, the proposition on the California electoral ballot that proposed to overturn the state Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage. Proposition 8 passed, launching a flurry of protests, targeting evangelical Christian churches (and the LDS Church in particular), and straining relations between the gay community and the black community in California.

Well, now the backlash is threatening to strike into the heart (and the economy) of Utah. The Salt Lake Tribune reports.

"We were thinking of coming to Utah, but not now" was the general message
delivered repeatedly to Utah Office of Tourism managing director Leigh von der Esch.

Some callers and e-mail writers were angry, others indignant. Almost all were appalled at the LDS Church's perceived leadership role in pushing for Proposition 8, the California constitutional measure banning same-sex marriages. Gay and lesbian protesters, and others, were rallying behind scattered calls to boycott everything Utah -- from its ski resorts to national parks, even the open-minded forum of the Sundance Film Festival.

However, with the beginning of ski season, and great snow conditions, the threat does not yet appear to be anything but a threat.

A month after the election, with tardy snowstorms finally allowing ski resorts to crank up and final preparations for this year's film festival moving toward high gear, there is little tangible evidence that the boycott talk had mass
appeal.

Meanwhile, a pro-gay rights groups in Brooklyn has taken out full-page ads in both the New York Times and the Salt Lake Tribute decrying the protests and scattered acts of violence, intimidation and vandalism that have happened across the country in reaction to the Proposition 8 vote. "No Mob Veto" the ad trumpets, as it "condemned any attacks on people of faith, especially members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who have taken the brunt of the hostility."

*Nearly Related* --

Chesapeake, Va. » Jurors have started deliberating the fate of a Virginia man accused in the slaying of a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the wounding of another.

[...]

The missionaries were shot while knocking on doors in the southeast Virginia city.

Usually I just don't answer the door.