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Date: April 05, 2021 07:02PM
https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2021/04/05/jana-riess-lds-leader/Some highlights, but I recommend reading the entire piece
Oaks • “Sovereign power of the people does not mean that mobs and other groups of people can intervene to intimidate or force government action … The people exercise their power through their elected representatives.”
This was for right-wing Latter-day Saints. Oaks was referring to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, in which Trump supporters sought to disrupt the legitimate functioning of government through violence.
Oaks • “We are to be governed by law and not by individuals, and our loyalty is to the Constitution and its principles and processes, not to any officeholder … These principles block the autocratic ambitions that have corrupted democracy in some countries.”
This was also for right-wing members. The context for this is Trump tried to overturn a legitimate and peaceful election, which is the bedrock of good government. Because Trump seemed to view government primarily as a tool for furthering his own ambitions, he considered it a personal betrayal when his vice president and attorney general would not overturn the Constitution and two centuries of political precedent just to keep him in office.
To someone like Oaks, this kind of behavior is exceptionally dangerous. Democracies are more fragile than we think. To survive, they need to be greater than one leader’s desire for power.
Oaks • “Despite the divinely inspired principles of the U.S. Constitution, when exercised by imperfect mortals, their intended effects have not always been achieved. Important subjects of lawmaking, such as some laws governing family relationships, have been taken from the states by the federal government.”
This was for liberal and moderate Latter-day Saints. Oaks here was reminding listeners of his view that individual states should never be forced to allow same-sex marriage if that is not the will of the people in those states.
Oaks • “Being subject to presidents or rulers, of course, poses no obstacle to our opposing individual laws or policies. It does require that we exercise our influence civilly and peacefully … On contested issues, we should seek to moderate and unify.”
This was for everyone.
Oaks suggests that, while we can have strong views about politics, we cross a line when we claim church members who voted differently are somehow deficient in faith.
Oaks • “We should never assert that a faithful Latter-day Saint cannot belong to a particular party or vote for a particular candidate.”
This was also primarily for the right wing. This was the money quote, which the church immediately tweeted from its official account almost as soon as the words were out of Oaks’ mouth.