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Modern-Day Gadianton Robbers

As a general rule, I love living in our fair state. There's mountains, red rock,9 national parks, 17 temples, the MoTab, and Diet Pepsi is easy to find. But top on my list of things that I hate about our state, even more so than the dreaded winter, is the plethora of Check Cashing places. There's a commercial for them every 10 minutes, spouting "No credit, no money, no problem!", or "It's just that easy!", or "Payments as low as $2 a week!", or "We'll get you back on your feet!" Like H-E-double they will.  What the commercials don't say is that the $2 a week will go on for the rest of your natural life, at an interest rate of 50% or more. It's basically legalized loansharking, and by the time you pay off that $500 loan (if ever), you'll have actually spent tens of thousands of dollars. 

The worst part of it, among the many, is that it's the fine upstanding Mormon citizens of our community who own these companies. The ones who live on the East Bench or in the pretentious castles on South Mountain, who have vacation homes and race cars and private planes, whose usury gives them an ostentatious lifestyle at the expense of the poor who are desperate, and whose money lines the pockets of other fine upstanding Mormon politicians, who are only too happy to let the cycle continue if it helps to keep them and their party in office. The Republicans will tell you they run the state, but really, it's just the Loan Sharks and Ponzi Schemers.

Some Mormons they are. They maybe ought to actually try reading the Book of Mormon and following Christ, instead of just professing to believe in it. As it is, they're a disgrace to the faith and nothing but modern-day Korihors and Gadianton Robbers. (For my non-LDS friends, you'll need to read the Book of Mormon to understand the reference. :) )

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