Fellow Mormon Mia Love Sends Strong Message to GOP Convention

Mia Love is one of the hot topics of conversation today. Not only is the Mayor or Saratoga Springs, Utah a likely candidate for Congress, making history as the first African-American female to be elected, but she is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In other words, a Mormon, just like Mitt Romney.

Love only had a couple of minutes to speak at yesterday's event, and she spoke late in the evening, but her speech made her one of the most powerful voices in the convention. She spoke with confidence and with a 1,000-watt smile with words that brought cheers. She started out asking the convention to allow her to "tell you about the America I know." Then, she went on to talk about her parents, who were immigrants from Haiti that arrived with "ten dollars in their pocket." Luckily, the issues didn't include immigration this time around, or she might have had to leave that part of her speech out.

Some of her speech included the following:

"President Obama's version of America is a divided one — often pitting us against each other based on income level, gender, and social status. His policies have failed us! We are not better off than we were four years ago, and no rhetoric, bumper sticker, or Hollywood campaign ad can change that."

"Mr. President I am here to tell you the American people are awake and we are not buying what you are selling in 2012."

Love had to pause in the middle of her speech, right after a particularly strong line, "This is our America. This is the America we know because we built it!" And wait until those on the floor had stopped chanting "We Built It" so that she could continue.

The fact that another Mormon is popular with voters and is a supporter of the Romney campaign certainly won't hurt the GOP Nominee's chances for the White House. What is interesting to note is that the Mormon Church didn't actually allow African-Americans to become full members, and hold the Priesthood until 1978. Unlike other churches, Priesthood does not refer to being a Priest or Pastor in the conventional sense, but is instead conferred upon nearly all male members of the congregation.

The entire Mia Love speech is below.