Star Tribune runs ads on behalf of polygamist Mormon sect

By Aaron Rupar Fri., Jan. 20 2012 at 12:13 PM

One ad featured a "revelation" given to Warren Jeffs, who is currently in prison for child sexual assault.

In a baffling move, the Star Tribune today ran two ads on behalf of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a Mormon denomination whose members still practice polygamy.

A prominent ad on page A6 of the Strib's print edition features a "Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ Given to President Warren S. Jeffs." Jeffs is currently serving life plus 20 years in a Texas prison for two felony counts of child sexual assault.

Last summer, the Strib refused to run an ad on behalf of a Presbyterian group that opposed the acceptance of non-celibate gays and lesbians into the ministry. So why in Jehovah's name did the paper's advertising bosses now decide running a polygamist sect's ad is acceptable?

This cryptic ad ran on page A5.

Unfortunately, the Strib isn't talking. A call placed to the paper's advertising department hours ago hasn't been returned, despite a secretary's assurances that someone would call me back to answer questions about the ads.

This ad, featuring Jeffs' revelation and a list of pamphlets for sale, ran on page A6 of today's Strib.

When the paper decided not to run the Presbyterian group's ad last summer, MinnPost quoted sales VP Jeff Griffing as saying that the paper "consider[s] the ad acceptance process a private business transaction between us and the advertiser -- which we do not discuss publicly." Presumably the paper's refusal to talk about the fundamentalist church's ad is part and parcel of the same policy.

But it seems hard to square the paper's rejection of the Presbyterian group's ad with their decision to run one featuring the religious psycho-babble of someone who married his father's former brides, has 70 wives, and is in prison after being convicted of child sexual assault. Did the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints simply make the Strib an offer it couldn't refuse? We may never know.

In any event, it's hard to imagine the Strib has ever run ads more bizarre and objectionable than the pair that graced the A section of today's paper.

Tags:

advertising, Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Star Tribune, Warren Jeffs

We Recommend

Snelson

the cult that warren jeffs "leads" has nothing in common with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). They are not part of the church -

Kay

they are not a part of the church..?really?

David Foureyes

Well, it has a LITTLE in common...I mean, they believe that one guy read the magic plates with the magic angel glasses, right?

galamaria

The New York Times ran the exact same ad in today's hard-copy newspaper, with the word "Advertisement" clearly printed above it. I think they simply consider ads outside the editorial process and are just happy to take the money. However, one would think a line would be drawn somewhere on what's acceptable.

Michelle Bachmann

I don't see what the big deal is The Star and Tribune runs ads for the Catholic Church all the time and as we all know the Catholic Church is an international pedophile ring. That's why the Pope helped cover up sexual abuse in Wisconsin and currently hides Bernie Law from the cops at the Vatican.

BFWB

The management at the Strib is becoming ever more unhinged and right-wing. Kersten is just the tip of the iceberg.

Womanphoenix

Yup, and it's not as if the Strib really was all that liberal. That was all a push made by the archconservative Quistian nutbars who all but hijacked the Minnesota Republican Party in the late '80s and early '90s, and wanted (and largely succeeded) into cowing the paper into silence about that fact.

The Cowles family may have been mildly socially liberal, but not enough to lead on social issues; furthermore, they always advocated for financial issues that redounded to the benefit of big business -- especially their big business.

USAF SSgt

These people are not Mormons. Please don't get the two confused. Mormons don't practice the rape of children and have never taught that. Referencing this religious cult as a "Mormon Denomination" is incorrect and therefore would cause any reasonable person to get the two confused.

Nonymas

I think he's being funded by someone who wants to bring down Mitt Romney with this type of unfavorable publicity. Call me a conspiracy nut-- I'm a Democrat.

Chacka

So much for the "nobody out there promotes polygamy" so don't worry about the gay marriage precedence, eh?

TeaBea

Indeed. Those gays and the FLDS, man. They're in cahoots. Next thing you know, they'll be tearing happily-married straight people from one another with giant pervert Jaws of Life or something.

Also, it's "precedent."

Guy

There's a freaking ocean of difference between the subjugation and abuse of women and the equal rights of same-sex couples.

Also, far, FAR more Americans are in favor of same-sex marriage rights than are in favor of polygamist rights.

Why is it always the poorly informed who are the most hateful?

NoH8

"Also, far, FAR more Americans are in favor of same-sex marriage rights than are in favor of polygamist rights."

If it's OK for cornhole dudes to get married, what's the prob with a guy marrying more than one woman? Bigots and haters.

David Foureyes

Taxes? The answer is either taxes, or that you're an idiot...

Michelle Bachmann

The most hateful are Fox New's main demographic hence they become the most poorly informed.

Kirk the Conservative Jerk

They ran the ad to give Harry Reid props.Harry Reid (d) was selected as Mormon of the Year for 2009. Didn't you know that?

1904, when church president Joseph F. Smith again disavowed polygamy before the United States Congress and issued a "Second Manifesto" calling for all plural marriages in the church to cease.

There is always going to be a "fringe group" wherever you roll.Were the women forced into these marriages?Were the women under age or not of sound mind?Are they allowed to divorce?Does this affect you?What's the problem?

From above- "In any event, it's hard to imagine the Strib has ever run ads more bizarre and objectionable than the pair that graced the A section of today's paper."

Ya, much like the ads they run for the twin cities pride fest. Clearly that is not "bizarre and objectionable."

Guy

Kirk: Champion of the Child Rapist Cause

Do you know anything at all about the FLDS?

As far as I know, Pride Fest is NOT an organization that preaches, encourages, and facilitates the abuse of young girls and women.

LMAO

"Pride Fest is NOT an organization that preaches, encourages, and facilitates the abuse of young girls and women."

Sure, sure...But young boys beware!

Womanphoenix

Self-hating gays like LMAO are a pitiful sight.

kaela

"Warren had married all but two of his father's several dozen wives (one of the two being his mother)."

Maybe you should actually *read* your sources before you quote them.

Atrupar

My bad. Thanks for picking up on that. Fixed.

Jen

Ew.

Erik

Don't knock it til you've tried it ಠ_ಠ

vitajex

This story just reminds me of the 90's when newspapers made most of their income off of Classified ads-- STrib included.

I bought a leafblower from David Koresh.I also got a great deal on a dozen pairs of Nikes from a group out in California. They did smell a little funky but some Gold Bond fixed that.I did, however, have the foresight not to respond to that one ad about deeply-discounted Kool-Aid packets shipped from Guyana.