A supporter of Rick Santorum has issued a press release about Mitt Romney’s faith. Romney is a Mormon and Reverend O’Neal Dozier of Florida has taken issue with this. I left the comment below on the article about it at the Salt Lake Tribune and share it here for your consideration.

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I’ve been supporting Rick Santorum since May and I don’t believe Reverend Dozier understands what Rick is about. Rick’s message for America includes frequent references to E Pluribus Unum, that we are a country made up of people of a wide variety of beliefs but that we come together on the basics. I have campaigned for Mormons for office before and have seen this sort of thing happen before and have never understood why people think it’s important to point out their disagreements with Mormonism in political debate. As a Catholic, I certainly disagree with other faith traditions, including Rev. Dozier’s faith and Mitt Romney’s faith, but I also understand that individuals in America, no matter their faith or lack of it, should agree on the basic values that unite us all, and let freedom ring in all other matters. I have no doubt that there are many Mormons, perhaps most, who agree wholeheartedly with me and with Rick Santorum and the Reverend Dozier that our rights come from God and that they are very BASIC rights (see the Bill of Rights) and that no government may take them away. I am not convinced that Mitt Romney as an individual holds strongly to those principles, and that should be the issue, not his Mormon faith. I do hope people will pay closer attention to Rick Santorum’s speeches and what he says about E Pluribus Unum. Reverend Dozier has the right to believe whatever he wants to about Mormonism, but Mormons can and do make fine public servants and their faith should not be reason to question their qualification for office. Mitt Romney’s failure to stand up for freedom should be the issue, not his faith. I’m certain Rick Santorum would say the same thing.