Utah Common Values
LDS Church Members Encouraged to Attend Caucus Meetings
From BYU’s Daily Universe newspaper:
The LDS First Presidency sent a letter dated Feb. 9, 2012, to area leaders with directions to read it during sacrament meeting. The letter instructs that no weekday church meetings be scheduled during the precinct caucus meetings to be held in mid-March.
“We are concerned with the decreasing attendance at these caucus meetings in Utah in recent years,” the letter reads.
Craig Janis, executive director of Utah Common Values and outreach chair of the LDS Democrats Caucus, said he appreciates the push from LDS leaders.
“Utah’s caucus system is flawed and difficult,” Janis said, “but it is what drives politics in our state. If we as members of the Church want to ensure that LDS values are represented in our political system we need to be active participants in that system.”
We hope that UCV’s supporters will attend their caucus meetings as well. Here’s how to find yours!
LDS Values and Political Partisanship on NPR
The LDS Values and Political Partisanship event held last month at UVU was broadcast by RadioWest on NPR. It was a great event, and while the panelists had a lot to disagree about, their overriding conclusion was that faithful Mormons can indeed be members of either major political party. Here’s the summary from RadioWest:
A new study by the Pew Forum came out last week. It was about Mormons. The survey contained a lot of information, but one part of it was no surprise: most Mormons call themselves political conservatives. Utah Mormons are nine times as likely to be Republican than Democrat. But why? On Monday we’re broadcasting a show we recorded last week at Utah Valley University. A group of LDS legislators joined Doug on stage to discuss how their political beliefs are informed by Mormonism and vice versa.
http://radiowest.kuer.org/post/11612-lds-values-and-political-beliefs
A Tutorial in Democratic Ideals
Vance Pace, a retired Foreign Service officer and LDS Democrat, recent shared some thoughts about the political views of LDS people in Utah. His article, LDS Need Tutorial in Democratic Ideals, discusses misconceptions that LDS people have about the two parties. Pace argues that many Mormons feel they must be Republican, even if they often don’t agree with the party, despite the fact the Church doesn’t take an official stand on political party or candidates. In addition, Pace argues that maintaining the separation of church and state in our country is essential.
Pace encourages his fellow Latter-day Saints to consider other political arguments and not immediately revert to Republican positions. This is something UCV can really get behind, since it fits well with the third principle of the Utah Common Values pledge: having an open mind about new ideas.
Pace also describes experiences he has had within the church where he has been criticized for his political beliefs. Some of you may have had similar experiences with church members or even leaders, but it’s important to remember that Mormon Democrats are not “second-class Latter-day Saints”. Some politically conservative church members may look down upon moderate and progressive church members. To some, liberal and democratic political views equate to being less righteous members of the LDS Church. Pace and many of the people UCV has profiled are living proof that’s not true — their LDS values are what have made them embrace the values of the Democratic Party.
Note: This news summary was written by UCV intern Annelise White.
Hi, I’m Stephanie
My name is Stephanie Goodman-Chica, and I am an intern for Utah Common Values. I am truly grateful to be a part of UCV. I jumped at the opportunity back in August of 2011 when UCV was recruiting. This is a great organization with so much potential — I am excited for what the future will bring!
I was blessed to be born in Washington, D.C., spending my childhood in Maryland and Pennsylvania. I grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, after part of my family moved here. I have lived a life full of financial and family strife, but I am thankful for the strength and resilience it has given me.
Last August I graduated from Brigham Young University in History. Towards the latter part of my stay at BYU, I (re)discovered much about myself. I have many interests in various fields of study, some of which include: politics (of course), international relations and development, music, veterinary science/medicine, animal rights and welfare, journalism, environmental biology, and the list goes on! Another passion is my love for languages; I’ve studied Spanish and Hebrew and would love to learn several more.
Another vital part of my life is my ethnic and religious background: I have deeply reconnected with my (paternal) Ashkenazi background as a result of my Jewish studies. Additionally, in the summer of 2010 I lived in Bogotá, Colombia, where I gained a better understanding of my (maternal) cultural heritage, and most importantly, where I met my awesome husband. I love traveling and wish to spend a lifetime doing so.
I am both humbled and proud to declare that I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I admire doctrines of other religions, but it is my testimony as a Latter-day Saint that reaffirms my political views. As I have matured I have learned to be more open-minded, considerate, and compassionate towards my fellow men. My beliefs are best summed up by a refreshing article published in The Salt Lake Tribune last year: “The Book of Mormon narrative, regardless of its historicity, admonishes contemporary Latter-day Saints to reject riches and to care for the poor and needy.”
Attacks Against Mitt Romney’s French
As most of you probably know, Mitt Romney served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During his mission Romney learned French, and he continues to speak the language fluently. Unfortunately some have tried to use Romney’s French language abilities and missionary experience as a way of attacking him, saying the he’s “too French”.
While most UCV supporters are probably not planning to vote for Romney in the upcoming election, as members of the LDS Church we strongly condemn ad-hominem attacks in politics generally, and we specifically abhor attacks targeting candidates based on their faith. Here’s to hoping that we aren’t the only ones who stand behind principle #3 in the UCV pledge!
Note: This news summary was written by UCV intern Annelise White.
LDS Values Discussion on January 11th
We hope you’ll join us at UVU’s Ragan Theater on January 11th for a discussion of LDS Values and Political Partisanship. KUER’s Doug Fabrizio will be the moderator, and the participants will be Utah State Senators Ben McAdams and Howard Stephenson, and Utah State Representatives Holly Richardson and Carol Spackman Moss.
Here’s the flyer:
Hi, I’m Annelise
Hello! I’m Annelise White and I’m a student intern for Utah Common Values. I am thrilled to be a member of this organization. I came across UCV in August of 2011 and was intrigued by what the group stood for. I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to be a part of the organization and I’m excited to watch Utah Common Values grow!
Now here’s a little bit about me:
- I was born in Kansas to two university professors. My parents are wonderful, educated, and loving people who have made me the person that I am. They raised me to be open-minded, non-judgmental, and to appreciate education.
- My family has university hopped from Alabama, back to Kansas, and most recently, to North Carolina. I love living on the East Coast with all of this country’s history and being so close to our nation’s capitol.
- I am a sophomore at Brigham Young University studying Political Science. I love the environment at BYU and feel blessed to be at this wonderful university. After graduation, I’m planning on attending either law school or graduate school in public policy or public administration. I want to end up working for the government or for a non-profit organization.
- I love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church has taught me much about life and has helped shape my political beliefs. I look forward to getting married and having a family of my own some day!
- As a college student, it’s hard to have time for hobbies but photography is my passion and I love music. I play the violin and piano for fun. I enjoy traveling, and along with that, photographing the world.
Thanks for taking some time to get to know me, and I look forward to getting meet all of you!
Mormonism and the Public Good
A few months ago Richard Bushman, a leading scholar of LDS history and the author of the seminal Joseph Smith biography, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, gave the 2011 David P. Gardner Lecture in the Humanities and Fine Arts at the University of Utah. Bushman’s topic was “Mormonism and the Public Good”:
Recent events in Washington have demonstrated once again how much Americans differ on how to resolve the nation’s problem. The parties to the debate cannot even agree on the nature of the public good. The lecture will argue that these conflicts arise out of basic contradictions in our national values and therefore will perpetually recur. The question the lecture will pose is: Can Mormonism, a religious tradition of particular relevance to Utahns, contribute to the resolution of these fundamental disagreements. Can a religion that is authoritarian in nature help solve the problems of a democracy?
You can watch Bushman’s full presentation by following this link: http://stream.utah.edu/m/dp/frame.php?f=d2dc65e364f8da77135
Nuestro compromiso: Lo que creemos
Note: This is the Spanish translation of the “What We Believe” section of the site, courtesy of UCV volunteer Uriel Chica. Thanks Uriel!
Somos mormones moderados y progresistas. Aunque cada uno tenemos nuestras propias experiencias únicas y puntos de vista diferentes, somos unánimes en nuestro compromiso con estos cinco ideales. Por favor considérelos, y luego agregue su firma al compromiso usando el formulario a la derecha. ¡En defensa de los valores que apreciamos!
1. Seguimos la Constitución y promovemos su vitalidad.
Los Fundadores de nuestra nación fueron sabios y dedicados, los honramos y respetamos por el mantenimiento de la vitalidad de su mayor logro - la Constitución de los Estados Unidos. Los fundadores intencionalmente crearon una Constitución que proteja los derechos y libertades, pero sigue siendo lo suficientemente flexible para que se puede aplicar a los problemas específicos de nuestra generación y las siguientes. Esto significa que, además de la obra ilustrada de los fundadores, nosotros también podemos beneficiarnos de los inspirados progresos de la sociedad americana después de su creación. Estamos orgullosamente conectados con el pasado, pero nuestro progreso no está restringido por él.
2. Protegemos los derechos y libertades individuales.
El mayor logro de la Constitución de los Estados Unidos es su fuerte protección a los derechos y libertades individuales. Desde que la Constitución fue adoptada en 1787, estas libertades gradualmente han estado disponibles para cada vez más estadounidenses, sin distinción de raza, género, condición social o credo. Continuamos con esta tradición de trabajo en nombre de aquellos que todavía no pueden disfrutar de todas las libertades que Estados Unidos ofrece.
3. Respetamos a los demás, y mantenemos una mente abierta.
El civismo es fundamental en una sociedad abierta. Nosotros respetamos a los demás, incluso cuando no estamos de acuerdo con ellos. Evitamos los ataques personales y el recelo, porque este tipo de tácticas no tienen cabida en el tipo de comunidades que queremos para vivir, mantenemos nuestras mentes abiertas. Estamos dispuestos a modificar nuestras opiniones a medida que nuestro conocimiento y comprensión se expanden. Esperamos que otras personas demuestren el mismo respeto, civismo, y una mentalidad abierta con respecto a nuestras opiniones e ideas.
4. Apoyamos los esfuerzos que fortalecen a las familias.
La motivación que nos guía es ayudar a las familias de Utah a ser exitosas. Nosotros amamos y cuidamos a nuestras familias, y deseamos fortalecerlas. Porque sabemos que no hay dos familias iguales, nos abstenemos de juzgar a los demás. Nosotros fortalecemos a las familias mediante la promoción de políticas que les ayuden a tener vecindarios seguros, recursos financieros adecuados, atención médica básica y el acceso a la educación y otros recursos comunitarios. Tomamos en serio nuestra mayordomía sobre el mundo natural, y nos aseguramos de que las actividades de desarrollo y recreativas se llevan a cabo de manera responsable para que nuestras familias puedan vivir en un medio ambiente sano. A veces podemos lograr estos objetivos respetando los espacios de las personas, y otras veces debemos intervenir activamente para ayudar, pero siempre con el objetivo de fortalecer a las familias de Utah para que tengan éxito.
5. Construimos comunidades prósperas que dan la bienvenida a todas las personas de Utah.
Creemos que Utah debería ser un lugar acogedor y seguro para cada uno de sus casi tres millones de personas. Algunos habitantes de Utah son la primera generación de americanos que vinieron a nuestro estado en calidad de refugiados, y otros vinieron en busca de oportunidades económicas o recreativas. Muchos de nosotros somos descendientes de los valientes pioneros que viajaron a Utah buscando refugio de la persecución religiosa. Nosotros respetamos la diversidad y apoyamos los esfuerzos que permitan a los residentes de Utah ser emprendedores y laboriosos. Nos resistimos a los esfuerzos que alienan y demonizan a grupos de nuestro pueblo. Utah es un lugar muy grande, tanto en la geografía como en espíritu, y hay mucho espacio para todos nosotros.
Hi, I’m Craig
We’re very excited to be rolling out our new blog, and as part of that roll out, we will be introducing ourselves to you!
I’m Craig Janis, and I’m the Executive Director of Utah Common Values. I love working for UCV because it gives me the opportunity to get to know so many of the wonderful politically moderate and progressive members of the LDS Church throughout the state. Take a look at some of the profiles that we’ve posted so far — these people are incredible, and getting to know them is absolutely the best part of my job.
Here are a few things to know about me:
- I was born in Utah, but spent most of my youth in California and Texas. I’ve been a Utah resident again since I started my undergraduate studies at BYU in 2002. I finished my degree in Political Science in 2008, and then graduated with my law degree from BYU in April of 2011.
- I was a missionary in João Pessoa, Brazil, from 2003-2005. Like any good missionary should be, I’m convinced that my mission was full of the most kind-hearted, spiritually-blessed, and generally amazing people in the world.
- I’m married to Kaity, who will be profiled here soon since she does all of UCV’s photography, and we have two wonderful sons, Mason and Charlie.
- When I’m not doing work for UCV, I’m the owner of Fubeca Studio and Creatv.ly, the CTO/CPO of Kanon Foundation, the Chair of the Outreach Committee for the LDS Democrats Caucus, and the co-author of a book about Brazil (what else?).
- Back when I used to have free time, I enjoyed reading, running, traveling, cooking, and crafting with Kaity.
Thanks for taking the time to meet me! Watch the blog for upcoming profiles of the rest of the UCV crew.