|
| Affiliation | Libertarian |
|
| Name | Ken Larsen |
| Address |
Provo, Utah , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
March 20, 1942
(82 years)
|
| Contributor | 411 Name Removed |
| Last Modifed | RBH
Oct 01, 2012 09:09pm |
| Tags |
Latter Day Saints (Mormon) -
|
| Info | Born in Provo, Utah, on March 20, 1942. Divorced, 5 children, 8 Grandchildren. Graduated from Provo High in 1960, LDS mission to France, Ph.D. from BYU in 1974. My field was Zoology, with a specialty in Herpetology (reptiles). (I was an expert on rattlesnakes, Communists, and other venomous critters.) I did my thesis on the evolution of a common lizard (genus Sceloporus, commonly called blue-bellies) that ranges all over the West and as far south as Panama. I compared skull measurements on over a hundred subspecies of Sceloporus. So, you can see I've been involved in skullduggery a long time. Postdoctorate at the University of Colorado in Boulder using electron microscopy to compare ultramicroscopic patterns on lizard scales -- ultradermatoglyphics. Currently, I do research on chronobiology -- biological clocks -- and my official title is "Adjunct Research Associate Professor of Medicine" at the University of Utah School of Medicine.
Growing up as a devout Mormon, I sincerely believed the Constitution was inspired of God. Thus, I studied it and it's history with the same fervor as the holy scriptures. I also believed the Mormon doctrine that before the creation of the physical Earth, there was a great council in Heaven. Lucifer (the Devil) proposed to come down to Earth and force everyone to be good. Jehovah (Christ) proposed that men be free to do evil and he would sacrifice himself to pay the debts of those who accept him. Thus, I believed and still strongly believe that using government to force people to be good is following the plan of the Devil. In fact, I call it Devil worship. I have taken upon myself the mission of doing what I can to promote the plan of Christ.
America was founded by Pilgrims seeking refuge from religious persecution. The number one purpose of the Constitution, in my mind, is to prevent government from establishing religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
Utah was founded by Pioneers seeking refuge from religious persecution. The number one political principle of Mormonism, in my mind, is to protect each individual's freedom to worship in any way they want as long as they aren't harming others.
The right to life includes the right to defend that life, either individually, or in groups. Thus, government must not infringe on the right of citizens to arm and organize themselves as they see fit. I sued the State of Utah for requiring a background check before buying a hand gun. I did it for the benefit of those who desire to own guns. Personally, I am a pacifist and refuse to own a gun. I think gun ownership offends the higher power in which I trust. It refutes the slogan, "In God We Trust" on our money. But, civilization is based on trust and I trust those who desire to arm themselves.
I think the state ban on same-sex marriages enforces the morals of the majority on an oppressed minority. It violates the State Constitution, which guarantees equal rights to male and female inhabitants of this state. Therefore, although personally I find homosexuality repulsive and disgusting, I sued the County Clerk and the State of Utah for refusing to grant a marriage license to me and another man. Like the right to bear arms, I wanted to force Utah to obey its own constitution.
When Salt Lake City announced its ban on State Street cruising, I was appalled. I got the first ticket for cruising and appealed it to the State Supreme Court. When the trial judge refused me a jury trial, I sued him in Federal Court for violating my civil right to a jury.
I lost all my court cases. The Constitution forbids a State from violating my rights, but when they do, there is nothing I can do. A citizen cannot sue a state. So much for the 14th Amendment, eh? A citizen cannot sue a judge. So much for violations of civil rights in court. Federal law says I can sue anyone who violates my rights under color of law. Then, when I try, I'm told they are immune from lawsuit. I guess to have civil rights you have to be black.
When Tom Green was charged with polygamy, that really enraged me. Our state was founded by men who came to this territory so they could freely practice polygamy. Tom Green believes and practices the same principles of marriage as Brigham Young, the state's founder. I understand that the federal government ignored its own principles and outlawed polygamy to punish the Mormons. I understand that Utah could not become a state without an anti-polygamy clause in its Constitution. I firmly believe that clause violates the Federal guarantee of freedom of religion and it should be removed under the supremacy clause (that makes the federal constitution supreme).
With a few good friends, I co-founded the Utah Coalition For Religious Freedom and Tolerance. Jason Maynard is the Executive Director. I wrote a petition asking the State Legislature to put a constitutional amendment on the Utah ballot in 2002, repealing the anti-polygamy ordinance from Article III and inserting the protection of everyone's pursuit of happiness as long as they do not harm or endanger unwilling victims.
On June 19th of 2001, about a hundred or so faithful souls marched through the streets of town and up to the capitol steps where we heard speeches on religious freedom and tolerance. There were representatives from the American Indian Peyote Church, the Church of the Hemp Goddess, homosexuals and others, besides the pro-polygamy crowd. We had a booth at the State Fair. In fact, an officer of the fair thanked me for the publicity our booth had brought the fair. The first day or two of the fair, the media covered our booth and interviewed a couple of Tom's wives who spent time in the booth. We distributed flyers and collected signatures on several petitions. Then, on Tuesday morning, the world came to an end. I had my next project.
Three weeks later, I led another religious tolerance rally through the streets of town. This time I was followed by a hundred or so Muslims and we spoke on tolerance of everyone, including Muslims. See pictures of that rally.
Another area of religious persecution is the unholy drug war. To dramatize the religious nature of that persecution, I founded the Church of the Hemp Goddess in 1994. We had several ceremonies in Liberty Park, including a legal marriage. I am also the author of a petition for the legalization of medical marijuana in Utah or the Therapeutic Humane Cannabis Petition Committee (or the THC Act). I am the Chairman of the committee for that effort.
I have run for political office many times, beginning in 1972, when I ran for the State Senate on the Independent American Party ballot. I was the county chairman of Utah County. Since then I have run for US Senate, US Congress, Salt Lake Mayor (twice), State Governor, Local School Board, and State Board of Education. I am presently working to organize a new party called the Personal Choice Party. I hope to be a candidate for US Congress District 2 in 2002.
Finally, I have reserved the steps of the State Capitol for a rally on January 26th. At that time, I hope to hand our petitions to a member of the State Legislature, asking him to introduce legislation that will put our anti-anti-polygamy amendment on the Utah ballot.
|
 | BOOKS |
 |
|
| Title |
Purchase |
Contributor |
|
| Start Date |
End Date |
Type |
Title |
Contributor |
|
| Date |
Category |
Headline |
Article |
Contributor |
|
| INFORMATION LINKS |
|
|
|
