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Recently, Ammon Bundy has made some remarks about immigration policy. These remarks have been made on public radio as well as on Ammon Bundy’s Facebook page. Criticizing the Trump policy as one that is “fear-based”, Bundy said “These are people, the majority of them need help…There is a possibility of danger with some of them, they need to be vetted. And then they need to be brought in here and added to this great, wonderful country.” The reactions have been somewhat amusing. Some right-wing folks consider Bundy’s remarks a serious betrayal. Other people saw this as Bundy trending towards a liberal stance.

Fools, all of you! I shall explain this puzzle.

Ammon Bundy is, like most people, complex but with a few dominant cultural markers which overlap. These are (as I see them):

-Small government/Anti-government

-Rural (specifically, a product of rural Nevada/Southern Utah)

-White

-Inspired by the sovereign citizen movement

-Mormon

The interaction between Mormonism and the regional politics of the Mountain West has been explored in some news articles, but it’s hard to explain in outsider terms how deeply the language and tenor of religion has infused into a worldview that is staunchly individualistic, tied to clan/family life and is extremely suspicious of the federal government (and in many cases state government as well). Modern revelation features heavily into daily life; the temple (specifically, the local temple) is a focal point; prayer infuses all activities and communications; and scripture is read as immediately applicable to daily life. The Book of Mormon especially contains a number of passages regarding government and individual rights which lend themselves to a worldview where centralized power is to be distrusted and individuals are empowered to stand up to defend their families and their liberty. America is a designated land of freedom and promise.[1] Corrupt, rich leaders driving people to wickedness are actually a fulfillment of Book of Mormon predictions of a cycle of pride, which will lead to the destruction of the government and the wicked, leaving only the small band of believers. It’s not hard, if you take the Book of Mormon seriously, to see the antics of the federal government as a serious warning sign.

At the same time, the position of the Church with respect to immigration in particular is far more open than the current GOP stance. The Church officially respects governments and borders but is focused on the welfare of families. While there are plenty of members that have varying opinions around that axis, by and large this is the adopted position. Bundy’s comments are in line with that position; namely, help people that need help. As a self-declared staunch member of the church, it should not be surprising that he articulated this position. Nevertheless, it was surprising, because the assumption is that Ammon Bundy is a conservative and therefore in alignment with the current conservative government.

But the assumption is false. Bundy is not a conservative, at least not in the sense of being a Republican. Turns out that when you’re anti-government, the distinction of it being a Democrat or Republican government is not that important. The apparatus of the FBI, the encroachment of “public lands” on the rights of local users, the (unconstitutional?) burden of taxation, the unethical practices of civil forfeiture, the heavy-handed use of police forces at the border and other government installations (like the Malheur Refuge)… the list goes on and on, but these are symptoms of a federal government out of control, not of any particular party. Bundy never was a MAGA adherent. The notion is ridiculous. Bundy might align on some policies, but the family has made it clear that their concern is about the institution generally. Trump in some respects confirms their mistrust (and ties to underlying religious belief about evil leaders).

Some suggest that Bundy’s stance on immigration is related to a desire to hire undocumented workers for the ranch. If that’s true, it’s not reflected in his comments here, which focus on personal welfare and helping families. The hiring of migrant workers is certainly part of farm life in the rural Mountain West, and the idea probably has some appeal of hiring whomever you want and sticking a middle finger to the government in the process. So that might be an underlying current here, but certainly not an explicit part of his remarks.

Ultimately, I get the sense that Ammon Bundy (and the Bundys generally) view themselves as faithful men trying to do the right thing, in the style of Captain Moroni (probably the single biggest scriptural example). Defending individual Christian freedoms, fighting against tyranny, keeping their families and livelihoods safe in the face of encroaching government corruption — this is their bread and butter. It would be an error to say that this position leads to a xenophobia against migrants which would cause them to be suckered by either the government’s lies about the caravan or a liberal position of letting everyone in without scrutiny. Bundy’s Mormonism leads him to a measure of pragmatic compassion, especially with respect to government surveillance and control over geography.

Just goes to show that people can surprise you, especially when you don’t understand them in the first place.

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[1] Not to mention the Bundys’ approach to indigenous peoples, which also have a significant role in Book of Mormon narratives and prophecy.