State of the Union should have said more about religious liberty
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The war on terror cannot be won until troubled nations adopt and defend basic religious liberties for all their citizens. The Obama administration should make this a bigger priority.
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Why free college tuition should be left up to the states
President Obama's plan to provide free community college tuition was inspired by a similar, but not quite identical, program in Tennessee.
The differences demonstrate why states, not Washington, should be doing such things. Click for read more Raising gas tax would be the wrong thing to do
Utah lawmakers are talking about either raising the gas tax or turning it into a sales tax. Both are horrible ideas.
Click to read more Je suis Charlie. Vraiment? Most governments are hypocrites
In Utah, as in Washington, public officials often are at war with free press and expression.
Click to read more Utah lawmaker to begin push for variable tolls on freeways
Earlier this week, I wrote in favor of using variable tolls, also known as congestion pricing, to help reduce air pollution across the Wasatch Front. Rep. Jon Cox agrees.
Click to read more Maybe this is how cable TV will finally come unbundled
Dish TV is offering a streaming service for $20 that includes, among other things, ESPN. HBO and CBS are offering stand-alone Internet services.
If you're tired of having to pay for hundreds of channels you never watch, these are good signs. Click to read more Low gas prices and temperature inversions don't mix
Inversions are a curse on life along the Wasatch Front. But the state will never make the air cleaner until it incentivizes people to drive less.
Click to read more Allowing legal bets on NBA games would change the sport for the worse
Imagine what it would be like to sit in an arena where a sizeable portion of the audience is more concerned about a point spread than seeing the hometown team win.
Click to read more Will latest effort to fix Salt Lake's Pioneer Park actually work?
Every few decades, city leaders set out to do the impossible — turn downtown Salt Lake City's Pioneer Park neighborhood into a family friendly place.
So far, every effort has failed. If a new effort succeeds, it will be because leaders have tried to understand what it means to be homeless. Click to read more Establishing relations with Cuba won't change Castros, either
In announcing the United States was opening diplomatic channels with Cuba, President Obama said the half-century-old policy of isolation has failed.
But there is no reason to believe a new policy of openness will succeed. Dictators are not so easily moved. Click to read more Gas taxes no longer work, so quit trying to raise them
It's been 17 years since Utah raised its gas tax, which stands at 24.5 cents per gallon. Not only has inflation eaten away at it, fuel-efficient and hybrid cars have let drivers use less fuel and fill up less often.
The tax simply no longer is a good way to raise money for highways, so it's time politicians got a little more creative. Click to read more Speed kills, but higher speed limits don't lead to more accidents
Utah just raised the speed limit to 70 mph along freeways in the Salt Lake City metro area. Evidence shows that, despite popular wisdom, this won't lead to carnage on the roadway.
Click to read more Line between popular culture and violent threats is becoming thin
The U.S. Supreme Court is trying to find the elusive line between art and threatening language. Unfortunately, popular culture is making that task more difficult than ever.
Click to read more Want to pay more for that online purchase?
The Marketplace Fairness Act has support from Republicans and Democrats. It also is opposed by some Republicans and Democrats.
If there is an issue that defies the typical left-right divide, this is it. Click to read Like it or not, ride sharing is likely here to stay
Cities may try to regulate ride sharing services out of business in an attempt to protect unionized taxi jobs, but innovative new transportation efforts likely aren't going away any time soon.
Click to read more 'Alex from Target' is a dangerous twist on an old American story
From the beginning of the age of mass entertainment, young people have dreamed of instant stardom.
What happened to "Alex from Target," however, is a cruel twist on this old American story. Click to read more Lotteries leave a trail of broken promises and cash-strapped schools
Just about every state with a lottery promises that it will supplement education funding, with no pain from taxpayers.
That promise is a lie. This isn't news, but few people seem to be getting the message. HBO's John Oliver brings it home in an entertaining way. Click to read more Vaccination efforts in Third World countries are working miracles
In a mere 30 years, preventable childhood deaths in Third World countries have dropped dramatically, thanks to simply vaccinations funded in part by the U.S. government.
For just a little more money, such deaths could be prevented all together. Click to read more |
The Mormon Moment
 Brigham Young on Temple Square (J. Evensen photo)
The "Mormon Moment" may have ended with the defeat of GOP candidate Mitt Romney, but interest in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues. Here are links to some recent media stories of interest:
Free to come out
Regarding the controversy over TLC's new show on gay Mormon men who want to be married to women, activist and columnist Sally Kohn says on CNN.com that people are becoming upset for the wrong reasons.
Link: 'Not gay' Mormons should be free to come out A real missionary in Africa
Middle Tennessee State student Jered Reyes Chua puts the Book of Mormon musical in context by relating, in The Tennessean, her own experiences with how faith can change people in Africa.
Link: 'Book of Mormon' overlooks power of faith Mormons 2nd in Tonga
Mormons have grown in Tonga to the point where the church now is the second largest in the island nation, recently surpassing the Catholic Church, according to the Tonga Daily News.
Link: Opinion: Freedom of religion Athletes and missions
Why did Jabari Parker not serve a mission? And why didn't Danny Ainge, Steve Young or other high profile LDS athletes serve, either? The New York Times examines this.
Link: Pro sports or missionary work? Internet missionaries
The Huffington Post reports on the stunning success of missionaries who serve full-time online.
Link: Hook of Mormon Let us clear up confusions
The "Book of Mormon" musical hit Durham, N.C., and Mormons there told the Herald Sun what it's like to really be a missionary.
Link: In reality, being a missionary is hard Missionary work expands
Lucky Severson reports on the expansion of Missionary work since The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lowered the minimum age for serving.
Link: Mormon Missionary Expansion Watch video below (hit full-screen for best experience). School choirs and church
The ACLU is complaining that it is wrong for Montana public school choirs to sing in a community Christmas celebration to be held at a Mormon church. Even though the schools have said singing in the event is voluntary, the ACLU says it gives the appearance that the schools are endorsing a religion.
Link: ACLU complains HS choir to sing in concert Navajos and Mormons
The New York Times reports on how many Navajo tribal members are joining the LDS Church, seeing it as a link to true Navajo values.
Link: For some, path to Navajo values weaves through the Mormon Church. Women and priesthood
The Pew Research Center says Mormons overwhelmingly oppose women in their church being ordained to the priesthood. Interestingly, women oppose it to a larger degree than men.
Link: Big majority of Mormons oppose women in priesthood Are religion jokes funny?
Bob Fischbach of the Omaha World Herald explores religious humor and "The Book of Mormon" musical.
Link: Are religion jokes funny or offensive? 'Lois Lane' still feels guilt
Amy Adams, who plays Lois Lane in the new Superman Man of Steel movie, was raised in the LDS Church. She no longer attends church but told The Sun she still can't have a good time without feeling guilty.
Link: Mormon values still with me Good, clean, animated fun
The New York Times reports on BYU's computer-animation program, which has won several awards and has caught Hollywood's attention.
Link: When Hollywood wants good clean fun An unusual conversion
If Liza Hemingway of Boston hadn't gone to see "The Book of Mormon" musical, she might not have become curious enough to investigate the church she now has joined.
Link: Made me want to know more Undocumented missionaries
The website Fronteras reports on the church's struggles with sending out missionaries who are undocumented U.S. citizens.
Link: Mormon missionaries without papers Church ads in Britain
The "Book of Mormon" musical has hit Britain, and so have ads the church has bought to capitalize on the attention. The ads are similar to the ones that have followed the show in the United States, and they are getting media attention abroad, as well.
Link: Book of Mormon sparks church activity Now read the book
Lewis Lazare of the Chicago Business Journal writes about the LDS Church's marketing campaign involving ads in the playbill for the Book of Mormon musical.
Link: Mormons see marketing opportunity |
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The Author
Jay Evensen is the Associate Editorial Page Editor of the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has 33 years experience as a reporter, editor and editorial writer in Oklahoma, New York City, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. He also has been an adjunct professor of journalism at Brigham Young and Weber State universities.
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Everyone likes to laugh, or to occasionally groan from a painful pun. On Second Thought is a feature published every Monday in the Deseret News. Go to the Second Thoughts page and read the lighter side of current events. Then submit your own. They might end up in print.
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