Yesterday I told you about Trestin Meacham, an idealistic young Utahan who is putting himself forth as the Gandhi of hating gay people, now two weeks into a hunger strike meant to compel Utah to “nullify” federal court decisions that allow gay marriage in the state. He’s even live-tweeting his fast. Despite Meacham’s putting his cellular respiration on the line for his beliefs, Utah can’t nullify federal laws, judicial decisions or anything else. But a TPM Reader in The Hive (sub req) may be on to the root of Meacham’s misunderstanding and impending health woes.
It turns out Meacham isn’t just some young doofus upset about gay people. Or at least that’s not all he is. Back in 2012 he was a candidate for Utah state senate from the far-right US Taxpayers Party. The campaign site url now appears to have been taken over by some Japanese language gambling site, which is a whole ‘nother mystery in itself. But you can at least see the front page here preserved at the WayBackMachine.
Getting upset about the gays didn’t seem to be one of his big agenda items back in 2012, though his writings do seem to betray fears that gays, once fully empowered, may round up believing undesirables for mass execution. But as you can see, outlandish ideas about states being independent republics that don’t have to follows laws set by the federal government do seem like a pretty big thing for him.
