Today is July 24th, the state holiday which commemorates the Mormon pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley.
I have fond childhood memories of this day. My parents instilled a great love in me for America and the pioneers. For us Mormons, we celebrated the 4th of July and the 24th of July nearly identically, with parades, barbecues, patriotic songs, the stars-and-stripes, and fireworks.
That was when I was a child.
That childhood love and naive admiration has been replaced with a more cynical love, but a love none the less. Now, it is mixed with a fair dose of indignation. The state which still celebrates our pioneers makes war with the lifestyle that those heroes defended to the death. Let me introduce you to a couple of Mormon lions: John Taylor and George Q. Cannon. Do you remember these men, UTAH? Do you? They were two of the leading pioneers.
And what great crime did they commit? Loving, caring for, and defending women and children! John Taylor was the third president of the church, and George Q. Cannon was his counselor. There was actually a higher reward offered for George Q. Cannon because of how active he was in perpetuating the principle of plural marriage. John Taylor was an aged man who died in hiding. The strain of constantly running from the law, being transported in hay carts and dry-goods crates, sleeping in barns etc., significantly shortened his life. He couldn’t even attend his wife’s funeral.
George Q. Cannon was apprehended and served a sentence in prison, as depicted above (sitting center).
Well, Utah, I didn’t pick this fight. Congress, I didn’t pick this fight. You did, but I’m not afraid of it. Your choice to wage war with families is a stench in my nostrils. On this day, I will salute freedom, my country, and my pioneer heritage which was delivered to me on a silver platter. To those who feel it their privilege to step on my neck, you will not win! Tyranny will not win! God bless America, I love you. Cheers, this beer’s for you.