I See... The Mormon Third Eye Goes to Washington

In the 1939 comedy/drama movie classic, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” idealistic country bumpkin Jefferson Smith, played by new rising star Jimmy Stewart, is sent to Washington DC as a new senator. The storyline follows his challenges as he wades through several levels of graft and corruption trying to pass a bill providing a federal loan to purchase land for a national boys camp. Private donations by concerned citizens pour in immediately. However, the proposed camp site is already part of a dam-building graft scheme included in a Public Works bill.

The Washington machine accuses Smith of trying to profit from his bill by producing fraudulent evidence that Smith owns the land in question. His few supporters in Washington, swayed by his honesty, dedication, and sincerity, talk him into launching a filibuster to postpone the Works bill and prove his innocence on the Senate floor just before the vote to expel him. Although all hope seems lost, the senators begin to pay attention as Smith approaches utter exhaustion. Finally, overcome with guilt, the senator at the head of corrupt political machine loudly confesses to the whole scheme in Senate chambers and affirms Smith's innocence.

On 12 September, the Mormon Third Eye went to Washington to participate in a nationwide movement subject to similar circumstances. I was new to the political process and idealistic, never having participated in a protest before, but dedicated and sincere in my desires to curb excessive and irresponsible congressional spending and legislation, as well as executive branch actions, that rob citizens of personal responsibility and individual freedoms and rights. I detected a steady erosion of our governing principles rooted in eternal constitutional values; I see the country being led down a crooked path to collectivism and socialism, and this was my way to fight against it- join hundreds of thousands of like-minded individuals of every race, creed, and nationality in front of our Capitol steps Saturday morning and afternoon to register my dissent to this reprehensible political behavior. This was the 912 Project, the March on Washington, and the Mormon Third Eye was there to be a part of history and provide the Third Eye perspective on solutions to the nation's pressing problems.

The essential question needing an answer is “what part of the fictional movie are we playing out in real life at the moment?” I wish we were already at the point where power-hungry legislators directing the compromised Washington political machine were confessing their mistakes and affirming our right to expect them to govern based on constitutional values, but I sense we are not there yet. My exhilirating, inspirational experience with countless other conservative citizens on the National Mall last Saturday, however, persuaded me that we are probably somewhere in the scene where Mr. Smith faints with exhaustion to close a long, hard-fought filibuster against the forces of corruption in high places, while some of the other senators begin to realize that maybe they too could be guilty of not honestly representing their constituency.

What do you think?