Harry Reid RIP

a METI event — I might as well use it again, I suppose: From an event at the Jordanian Embassy a number of years ago, in honor of BYU’s Islamic Translation Series (later, the Middle Eastern Texts Initiative, or METI). From left to right: the late Elder Neal A. Maxwell, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Ambassador Marwan Muasher; Senator and Mrs. Harry Reid; then BYU President Merrill J. Bateman; and some vagrant who must have wandered in off the street
(Photo used courtesy of BYU)

President Monson at the White House — At the White House, President Barack Obama is presented with a history of his family prepared by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From left to right: Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), unnamed man, President Thomas S. Monson, President Barack Obama, and Elder Dallin H. Oaks. (U.S. Government public domain image)

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I think I had only one significant encounter with him. (It occurred at the event at the Embassy of the Royal Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan that is pictured above.) I disagreed quite comprehensively with his more striking policy positions and, on more than one occasion, found some of his actions quite morally indefensible. His hyperpartisanship — notably including his vocal disrespect for President George W. Bush and his baseless and unrepented slander about presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s taxes –surprised and disappointed me. Still, I heard very good things about him from people who knew him, including even some of his serious political opponents. I reaped the whirlwind for defending Senator Harry Reid once or twice, and I very was saddened yesterday to hear the news of his death. Here are a few things about his passing:

CNN: “Harry Reid, a longtime US senator from Nevada and former Democratic leader, dies at 82”

CNN: “In pictures: Former US Sen. Harry Reid”

CNN: “Harry Reid Fast Facts”

Fox News: “Harry Reid never lost boxer’s edge when dealing with political opponents, reporters: Most major political leaders are multi-faceted, complex figures. Reid was no exception”

Deseret News: “Former US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Dies: Latter-day Saint was ‘dedicated to his family, his faith and his country'”

The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issues a statement.

Here are a few of the entries that I wrote here on this blog about Senator Reid:

“My brother Harry Reid”

“Reprise: “Harry Reid, My Brother””

“Decent people can disagree. Decently, even. (It happens.)”

“Daniel Peterson, deviationist and heretic”

“An apostle makes a political move”

I hope that this entry will not be met with name-calling and extreme language. Death and the plan of salvation — and, to me, Church membership and Christian discipleship — are bigger than partisan politics.

Posted from Washington D.C.