In the middle of France is a small village called Oradour-sur-Glane. It’s where the Nazis massacred the entire town of more than 600 civilians, and then destroyed the town, on June 10, 1944. Instead of rebuilding the town, it has been left as a memorial — with the word REMEMBER in stone on gates outside the town. Everything is still there. The dentist, the doctor, the boulangerie.
SS officers first shot the 190 men execution style and burned the bodies. Five men escaped. They then burned the 247 women and 205 children inside the church after trying smoke and asphyxiation. One woman escaped. The next day they burned all the bodies to prevent identification. And, of course, they looted everything.
The town sits now as it did on that terrible day. Except empty. Quiet. Haunted. At peace? No. Never.
REMEMBER.
Neighboring the once vibrant, innocent town is a museum that tells its story, and the larger story of World War II, including Vichy France. From July 10, 1940, to Aug. 9, 1944, under terms of armistice with Nazi Germany, Vichy France operated as a sort of rump state. Officially independent, it attempted to appease or collaborate with Nazi Germany.
I was struck by a display teaching about Nazi-occupied Vichy France: in July 1940, they changed the state motto from “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” to “Work, Family, Motherland.”
The newly adopted motto felt strangely familiar to me, and it didn’t sit right.
Fast forward a few weeks and I’m home again in Utah, feeling that same icky feeling. Except this time the icky feeling is coming from my own church’s newspaper, which felt the need to publish an opinion piece from Moms for Liberty — an extremist organization, cleverly titled, but notable for its own Hitler-quoting trash newsletters to its membership hoping to radicalize the youth. Yuck. But whatever, just ignore them.
But shortly thereafter, regional leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah decided that certain politics belonged in church.
This was after efforts had been made by top leaders in the church to make sure members knew people of all political ideologies are welcome at church, and in fact, members should make “careful study of candidates and their positions on important issues” and not merely vote straight ticket. Indeed, the church issued an updated statement on political neutrality on June 1, 2023.
But then, regional leaders issued a letter “endors[ing] an organization that includes at least one 2020 election denier and no known Democrats to teach members how to love the U.S. Constitution.” Yikes. Some members of the committee have some far-right connections. And there doesn’t seem to be any liberal members? I don’t understand.
The “Founder’s (sic) and Constitution Month Committee” definitely includes some notable people, and even a few friends. So this is a bit uncomfortable. Regardless, this letter could have been crafted with the information and ideas for activities without even mentioning the government committee. More importantly, the committee could have included some more diversity! Why is that so hard in this state?
(Weird that the letter should quote scripture that refers to the fact that “not any man should be in bondage one to another. And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, …” and wholly skip over the fact that the Constitution declared that any person who was not free be counted as three-fifths of a free individual, but I digress.)
Even more, the letter encourages families to “study and gain a greater appreciation for the Founding Fathers.” You know why they don’t encourage families to study the Founding Mothers? Because they don’t recognize any. Oh, that’s right, the Constitution didn’t even recognize women as citizens. But let’s keep studying the men. The scriptures just aren’t enough.
So now church will be My Country Tis of Thee in July AND September? I hope we don’t have international visitors that month. I was one of the few houses on my street flying an American flag on the Fourth of July this year. I also flew a pride flag in June. And my wonderfully conservative neighbor came over and helped me stake it into the ground better when he noticed it leaning precariously sideways — and told me to take more pride in my pride flag.
I ran from the crumbling towers on hallowed ground on 9/11. I don’t need help from some committee in September to remember who I am, what it means to be American, or what it means to know God. Nor do my neighbors. I know by their actions that they know God. Isn’t that what the regional leaders should care about?
I have a more apt scripture to remember in July, September, and every other month:
John 11:35.
Jesus wept.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Michelle Quist.
Michelle Quist is an attorney practicing in Salt Lake City.
