Ezra Taft Benson in 2015: Stand up for the right, especially when it is unpopular
A short quote from the 2015 Priesthood and Relief Society manual will be of particular interest to those who are old enough to remember the early 1960s. "It is good strategy to stand up for the right, even when it is unpopular. Perhaps I should say, especially when it is unpopular." (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson, 23.) This post will examine some of the background and context for the above statement.
Impeach Earl Warren and Get US Out of the United Nations are two campaigns that were launched by The John Birch Society in the early 1960s.
For those who don't remember him, Earl Warren was Chief Justice of the United States from 1953 to 1969. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Warren presided over the Supreme Court "during a period of sweeping changes in U.S. constitutional law." The John Birch Society campaign to Impeach Earl Warren was a protest against the idea that the United States Constitution means whatever the Supreme Court says it means.
The campaign to Get US Out of the United Nations opposes the idea that the United States Constitution should be abandoned and United States sovereignty surrendered to the United Nations.
"It is good strategy to stand up for the right, even when it is unpopular. Perhaps I should say, especially when it is unpopular." (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson, 23.) In order to find out where and when Ezra Taft Benson originally made this statement, we can look in the footnotes where the source is given as:
Ezra Taft Benson, in Sheri Dew, "President Ezra Taft Benson: Confidence in the Lord," New Era, Aug. 1989, 36. But the New Era article doesn't list any of its sources. So we still don't know where and when Ezra Taft Benson originally made this statement.
Fortunately, in addition to being the author of the New Era article, Sheri L. Dew is also the author of Ezra Taft Benson: A Biography, published by Deseret Book. And the statement we are looking for is quoted at the end of the following paragraph on page 373 in that book:
"During the early 1960s several books were published by Elder Benson, containing some of his hardest-hitting addresses on freedom and values essential to protecting the American way of life. These included, among others, So Shall Ye Reap, Title of Liberty, and A Nation Asleep. Further, he was delighted when Prophets, Principles and National Survival, a collection of Church leaders' warnings on freedom, was published. More than once he recommended it to the Saints during his general conference addresses. Though some apparently disagreed with his repeated attempts to speak on freedom, Elder Benson explained, 'I feel it is always good strategy to stand up for the right, even when it is unpopular. Perhaps I should say, especially when it is unpopular.'" This time the footnote refers us to the book Prophets, Principles and National Survival, pages 291, 293, and 294. The short statement quoted in the new manual is found on the last of those three pages. The more complete quotation is as follows:
"Now, in the light of what I have just related, you will understand my feelings when people would ask how I felt about the John Birch Society. Because of the amazingly effective propaganda against them, it has been very unpopular to defend this group. I can remember when it was unpopular to defend my own church....
"When my son, Reed, was invited to be a state coordinator for The John Birch Society, he asked me if he should accept it. I had read the Blue Book and other basic materials of the Society. I had met Mr. Welch and other leaders and members. I had read Mr. Welch’s famous letter which has since been published in book form entitled The Politician. I knew Reed would be enrolling in an unpopular cause. I also knew he would receive a certain amount of vilification if he took this job. Nevertheless, I told him to go ahead if he thought this was a most effective way to defend the Constitution and fight the Socialist-Communist menace. I would have given him equal encouragement if he had been considering the FBI or any of our national patriotic organizations dedicated to the fight against the Godless Conspiracy which threatens all we hold dear.
"When he joined I expressed my opinion that I was convinced that The John Birch Society was the most effective non-Church organization in our fight against creeping socialism and Godless communism. I also stated that I admired Reed’s courage and applauded his decision.
"Some people have told me this was not good strategy, but I disagree. I feel it is always good strategy to stand up for the right, even when it is unpopular. Perhaps I should say, ESPECIALLY when it is unpopular."
(From an address given at Boise, Idaho, Dec. 19, 1963, as quoted in Prophets, Principles, and National Survival, 291, 293-4; emphasis in the original.) Standing up for the right is always good strategy. It is good strategy for us today and it was good strategy for Ezra Taft Benson in 1963.
The John Birch Society
Especially when it is unpopular
posted by R. Gary on 9/28/2014 08:22:00 PM
4 Comments:
I agree. In the 1960's and 70's I had many opportunities to stand for the right. I opposed racial discrimination, anti-feminine laws and practices, free speech and the Viet Nam War. I was willing to engage in civil disobedience and risk the consequences for these causes.
I am not sure that this is what Ezra Taft Benson meant by his comment.
If you really believe you can equate the John Birch Society with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then I must say, with all due respect, you are nuts. The church never accepted Pres. Benson's views, never endorsed them, and, in fact, went to great lengths to remove itself from partisan politics, which, in retrospect, proved to be a wise and inspired decision.
The problem with Elder Benson's views regarding the John Birch Society (and it was Elder Benson, and not President Benson, at that time) wasn't just that those views were unpopular--it was that they were unpopular among the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve.
Tim: This post gives background and context for a short statement made by Ezra Taft Benson that is quoted in the new Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society manual, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson on page 23.
If you've read the post, you know that various footnotes and references were followed until it was discovered where and when Ezra Taft Benson had originally made the statement. The source, as given in Sheri L. Dew, Ezra Taft Benson: A Biography, is the book Prophets, Principles and National Survival, pages 291, 293, and 294.
The quote from Prophets, Principles and National Survival ends with these words: "I feel it is always good strategy to stand up for the right, even when it is unpopular. Perhaps I should say, ESPECIALLY when it is unpopular."
The next four paragraphs on page 294 in Prophets, Principles and National Survival are as follows:
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"I had to make this same decision all over again just recently. President David O. McKay received an invitation from former Congressmen John Rousselot, asking that I be authorized to give a patriotic speech at a testimonial dinner for Robert Welch. President McKay after careful consideration told me I should take the talk and that I had his permission and blessing. And so the invitation was accepted.
"This talk was given at the Hollywood Paladium, September 23 of this year [1963]. Nearly 2,000 heard my talk that night and 4,000 Kiwanians heard a similar message the following day when I spoke at their annual convention.
"Both talks dealt with the preservation of the Constitution and the need to resist the Communist threat. At the Welch Testimonial dinner I commended the John Birch Society and encouraged them to protect the principles of liberty throughout our land.
"Of course, as all of you know, this talk brought an immediate outcry from some liberal elements in Washington. These voices said that I, as a Church official, had no business speaking at the Robert Welch dinner. They said it was making me 'controversial.' Patrick Henry and the Founding Fathers were 'controversial,' as true patriots have ever been. Perhaps they did not realize that I had filled this assignment with the full approval of President McKay. And perhaps they did not realize that President McKay has not hesitated to speak out for freedom even if some people have considered such patriotism as 'controversial.' And neither will I hesitate."
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David O. McKay was the Living Prophet and the President of the Church. No living person or group of persons had authority from God to question David O. McKay's decision to approve Benson's talk at the Robert Welch testimonial dinner. Therefore, regardless of who his critics were, Ezra Taft Benson was NOT the one in error.
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