Why is John Huntsman still in office? I read in the news today that he has signed a bill to get rid of the gay-straight alliance in Utah schools.
Here's my question: What's the point? What sort of good does this produce? Even as a Republican governor, I feel that this completely crosses the line. This isn't gay marriage or gay rights, all that the group is in the first place is a support group for homosexuals and an opportunity for straight people to embrace them for who they are. Who's to say that it shouldn't be allowed in school?
I personally feel that John Huntsman has completely crossed the line. He has set Utah back 50 years, back when homosexuality wasn't tolerated. All that he has accomplished is embracing the hate that is already too prevalent against homosexuals in Utah. He has basically said that it is not okay to have friends who are homosexuals, that it is not okay to accept them for who they are, and to judge them as having some sort of deficiency because they are homosexual.
As a mormon, I cannot believe that John Huntsman would support a bill that openly allows others to judge. If I remember correctly, the bible says that we shouldn't judge anyone. I don't care what anyone's personal opinions are - it's not a requirement to join a gay-straight alliance in high school. You're welcome to not even notice it in high school, and your kids will not be affected by it if they so choose to be.
John Huntsman, I hope that you don't get re-elected. In fact, if I had the power, I'd impeach you right now. You're a self-righteous idiot that gives mormons who try very hard to work against stereotypes in this church an even harder time. Thank you for setting Utah back another 50 years - what's next, women losing the right to vote?
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Sunday, March 4, 2007
A Note on Feminism in the LDS Church
What most people don't understand is that you don't have to be influenced by other people, whether in or outside of the LDS church, about how you live your life. This thought was inspired by a Relief Society lesson given today, while well done, happened to have a few things that I disagreed with. The woman teaching the lesson said that she really wanted to get a Ph. D. after finishing her bachelor's degree, but knew that she should be a mother instead. Um, hello?!?!?! You CAN DO BOTH! Another thing that she said is that she was nervous to have children. OKAY, SECOND HELLO!!!! If you're not comfortable having them yet, WAIT! You're still 23, you're young. The Lord doesn't encourage people to do things by making them nervous about it. If I felt that way personally (which I do), then I would logically choose not to have children until I wanted them and felt like I would be an adequately good mother to them.
People in the LDS church often think that your life has to go like this: Mission, Marriage, Kids, Grandkids, Die. While all of those steps are important, they don't have to happen a year apart from each other. Just because you get married, that doesn't mean that you should have a child 9 months later. You wait UNTIL YOU'RE READY. You also wait until you feel right about getting married. While it is true that most people feel nervous about getting married, if it is a consistent nervousness and you know you're not ready for it, THEN DON'T GET MARRIED. It's okay to date longer than a year, trust me, I did it.
This thought also occured to me. In our church, it isn't usually the men who facilitate this anti-feminist approach to life, it's OTHER WOMEN. These other women hold themselves back from what the world could give to them and what they could give to the world.
For me personally, I plan on having children, but not until I am older (around 30). I also don't want more than three children at the maximum. I'll also tell you that I'm not going to hell because of these choices, rather, I'm doing what's right for me and Daren. I plan on getting a higher degree.
I'm sick of people facilitating these stereotypes in our church. Do you want to know what the women are like, for the most part, outside of Utah, but also active in the LDS church? They are strong, many hold careers (which is PROVEN by studies to actually make you a better and more effective mother), and they don't let people walk all over them and tell them how they personally should live their lives. That was what I thought all women in the LDS church were like. I never felt like I had to "fill" a mode until I came to Utah. I still don't feel that way, but many people here will try to make you believe it. If I wasn't as strong as I am, I certainly would. If being a mother, however, is what you want to do, no matter how young or old you are, do it. Just DON'T DO IT because anyone else told you that was what you had to do.
Just as I would not expect someone to favorably agree to my view on how people should live their lives, everyone else shouldn't assume that I will favorably agree with there's. So if you are an anti-feminist, keep your opinions to yourself and your own life, and DON'T tell me how to live mine.
I have many things that I want to do with my life. However, just because you have DIFFERENT ambitions, that doesn't make them mine. Don't push them on me as I won't push my personal opinions on you. I won't ever make you feel guilty for not working, but don't make me feel guilty for not wanting children right away or not being a housewife. I won't ever tell you that your opinions are wrong, but I EXPECT the same courtesy from you. Opinions are what they are: opinions. Whose are right or wrong, it doesn't matter, because life isn't black and white. Unless you can label the greys with absolute accuracy, don't tell me which grey is right and which grey is wrong. And let me tell you - no one can label the greys as black and white, that IS why they are grey. Do what you need to do, and I'll do what I need to do, but DON'T force what you need to do for yourself on me.
People in the LDS church often think that your life has to go like this: Mission, Marriage, Kids, Grandkids, Die. While all of those steps are important, they don't have to happen a year apart from each other. Just because you get married, that doesn't mean that you should have a child 9 months later. You wait UNTIL YOU'RE READY. You also wait until you feel right about getting married. While it is true that most people feel nervous about getting married, if it is a consistent nervousness and you know you're not ready for it, THEN DON'T GET MARRIED. It's okay to date longer than a year, trust me, I did it.
This thought also occured to me. In our church, it isn't usually the men who facilitate this anti-feminist approach to life, it's OTHER WOMEN. These other women hold themselves back from what the world could give to them and what they could give to the world.
For me personally, I plan on having children, but not until I am older (around 30). I also don't want more than three children at the maximum. I'll also tell you that I'm not going to hell because of these choices, rather, I'm doing what's right for me and Daren. I plan on getting a higher degree.
I'm sick of people facilitating these stereotypes in our church. Do you want to know what the women are like, for the most part, outside of Utah, but also active in the LDS church? They are strong, many hold careers (which is PROVEN by studies to actually make you a better and more effective mother), and they don't let people walk all over them and tell them how they personally should live their lives. That was what I thought all women in the LDS church were like. I never felt like I had to "fill" a mode until I came to Utah. I still don't feel that way, but many people here will try to make you believe it. If I wasn't as strong as I am, I certainly would. If being a mother, however, is what you want to do, no matter how young or old you are, do it. Just DON'T DO IT because anyone else told you that was what you had to do.
Just as I would not expect someone to favorably agree to my view on how people should live their lives, everyone else shouldn't assume that I will favorably agree with there's. So if you are an anti-feminist, keep your opinions to yourself and your own life, and DON'T tell me how to live mine.
I have many things that I want to do with my life. However, just because you have DIFFERENT ambitions, that doesn't make them mine. Don't push them on me as I won't push my personal opinions on you. I won't ever make you feel guilty for not working, but don't make me feel guilty for not wanting children right away or not being a housewife. I won't ever tell you that your opinions are wrong, but I EXPECT the same courtesy from you. Opinions are what they are: opinions. Whose are right or wrong, it doesn't matter, because life isn't black and white. Unless you can label the greys with absolute accuracy, don't tell me which grey is right and which grey is wrong. And let me tell you - no one can label the greys as black and white, that IS why they are grey. Do what you need to do, and I'll do what I need to do, but DON'T force what you need to do for yourself on me.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Welfare
I find it interesting that those against welfare plans tend to be the one's who abuse it, specifically in college. I have found that many "so-called" republicans who have openly complained about taxes being taken out of their paychecks, or those who flat out reject welfare plans tend to apply for financial aid even if their parents pay for their tuition and they can support themselves just fine.
I am for welfare, because I think it is an important program for those who generally can't afford the American lifestyle. I think that the importance of politics is to help the people living here live the fullest lives. The problem however is those people who don't need that money and spend it towards a plasma screen TV or a vacation. Each school only gets a certain amount of money, and by taking it when you don't need it, you are essentially taking money away from someone who could really use it. The funny thing is though, that even though I support welfare, I have never applied for Federal Aid. Sure, Daren and I make somewhere in the range of $20-25 K a year, but we have made sacrifices because we can live off of what we make.
I'm not trying to preach here, but I would like to say, if you are going to abuse federal aid or food stamps, at least support welfare and don't say that you don't. Don't pretend to be an uppity stuck up conservative if you're a beneficiary of any sort yourself. There's nothing worse than being a hypocrite!
I am for welfare, because I think it is an important program for those who generally can't afford the American lifestyle. I think that the importance of politics is to help the people living here live the fullest lives. The problem however is those people who don't need that money and spend it towards a plasma screen TV or a vacation. Each school only gets a certain amount of money, and by taking it when you don't need it, you are essentially taking money away from someone who could really use it. The funny thing is though, that even though I support welfare, I have never applied for Federal Aid. Sure, Daren and I make somewhere in the range of $20-25 K a year, but we have made sacrifices because we can live off of what we make.
I'm not trying to preach here, but I would like to say, if you are going to abuse federal aid or food stamps, at least support welfare and don't say that you don't. Don't pretend to be an uppity stuck up conservative if you're a beneficiary of any sort yourself. There's nothing worse than being a hypocrite!
Monday, February 26, 2007
School, school
I have decided to go to EVERY SINGLE DAY of class for the rest of the semester, for the ENTIRE TIME PERIOD that it is in session. I should have made that my lent goal. Seriously.
I'm majoring in Sociology, minoring in Business, and will be done in December 2007. I am VERY EXCITED!
If it snows anymore I think I'm going to barf. Yesterday night Daren and I were coming home from a friend's and of course it was snowing. Not only that, but NOT A SINGLE ROAD in Provo was plowed! We were in Daren's civic too, so that didn't help. Yikes! We BARELY made it up the hill to our apartment. And when I say barely, I mean, BARELY!
Okay I'm done, tired, and half a study group in an hour and a half.
I'm majoring in Sociology, minoring in Business, and will be done in December 2007. I am VERY EXCITED!
If it snows anymore I think I'm going to barf. Yesterday night Daren and I were coming home from a friend's and of course it was snowing. Not only that, but NOT A SINGLE ROAD in Provo was plowed! We were in Daren's civic too, so that didn't help. Yikes! We BARELY made it up the hill to our apartment. And when I say barely, I mean, BARELY!
Okay I'm done, tired, and half a study group in an hour and a half.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Old Roommates...
Daren and I went out with my old roommates today, and it was a lot of fun! It was great to see how everyone has changed in just two years since I lived with these girls. Four of us are now married, which is definitely weird, one is on a mission and the other two are almost done with school. It was a lot of fun to see everyone.
It got me to thinking about life just in general, and how life can take such different courses in general. It's also weird to think that Daren and I will be done in 10 months with school, and actually working. I'll be 21 when I graduate, but in a lot of ways I feel like I'm already 25.
It was great to see old friends today. I hope that in 20 years from now, we'll fly to the same place and have dinner just like we did today.
It got me to thinking about life just in general, and how life can take such different courses in general. It's also weird to think that Daren and I will be done in 10 months with school, and actually working. I'll be 21 when I graduate, but in a lot of ways I feel like I'm already 25.
It was great to see old friends today. I hope that in 20 years from now, we'll fly to the same place and have dinner just like we did today.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Engaged and Underage - the Mormon wedding
First blog - what to write about? I watched Engaged and Underage, and as many know, it was about a mormon wedding. I surprisingly found it very tasteful, except when the girl (Amanda I think?) flipped out about the ring ceremony. I think that she was just very young and stressed out though.
I'm actually really glad about the ring ceremony in the show, because I think that it is important to make everyone feel involved in a wedding. Daren and I didn't have one, but then again most of our family came into the temple with us. I know that if Daren or my family had been non-members, we definitely would have had one. I think that it doesn't matter whether you wanted one or not, as this girl in the episode did not, because it is important for everyone in the intermediate family to feel included. I have a friend who married a convert to the church, and since his parents couldn't go to the temple because they weren't members who had gone through the necessary steps, but her parents could, they decided to go to the Hawaii temple by themselves and get married, JUST the two of them. They had a reception about two weeks later. I'm sure this hurt her parents, but I also think it was good of her to not let one family feel excluded and the other one included. However, if I had been in the situation, I would have probably just have done the ring ceremony.
What most people don't know is that even though members who get married in the temple don't go through any of the traditional wedding things, many traditional wedding things happen after. I had bridesmaids at my wedding, and ever mormon wedding I've been to has had the traditional bouquet throwing, garner toss, cutting of the cake, bridesmaids and groomsmen. I had the daddy-daughter dance, and our first dance as a couple. While I would have been perfectly happy just getting married in the temple and that being that, I'm glad that I had the rest. It truly helped to make the day memorable, and it was a lot of fun.
So to those who saw the episode, I thought it was a very tasteful episode, but I do wish they would have done it for a couple who didn't live in Utah. There are those of us out there who aren't from Utah that are mormon and married young.
I was concerned for the family though. I wish that I had something to say to the aunt in the episode about the whole family thing, but I think having a ring ceremony helped to compensate it. There are a few things that I find hard to accept in the church, such as how she said that we focus so much on the family, but don't allow them to see anything regarding the wedding. I truly empathize with them, and wish there was something I could have said to make her feel better. If I am ever in a similar situation, I hope that I can be understanding and careful with my words. However, there really wasn't any ta da's in the temple. It was very simple, and I think if a non-mormon had come to see it, they would have been like, "That's the big deal? That's what is so restricted from non-mormons and mormons who haven't gone through the temple?" Like I said, it wasn't nearly as fancy as a typical wedding. I think a lot of mormons grow up thinking temple marriage ceremony is different than it is, I know that I did.
That's all I've got on the issue, but for the most part, I thought the episode was well done. Sorry to write so extensively about it, it just hit close to home. My only complaint is that they should have gotten a more mature 19-year-old mormon girl. There are plenty out there to represent the mormon community. But I think the girl was really happy with the ring ceremony in the end, and that's what I think is important.
I'm actually really glad about the ring ceremony in the show, because I think that it is important to make everyone feel involved in a wedding. Daren and I didn't have one, but then again most of our family came into the temple with us. I know that if Daren or my family had been non-members, we definitely would have had one. I think that it doesn't matter whether you wanted one or not, as this girl in the episode did not, because it is important for everyone in the intermediate family to feel included. I have a friend who married a convert to the church, and since his parents couldn't go to the temple because they weren't members who had gone through the necessary steps, but her parents could, they decided to go to the Hawaii temple by themselves and get married, JUST the two of them. They had a reception about two weeks later. I'm sure this hurt her parents, but I also think it was good of her to not let one family feel excluded and the other one included. However, if I had been in the situation, I would have probably just have done the ring ceremony.
What most people don't know is that even though members who get married in the temple don't go through any of the traditional wedding things, many traditional wedding things happen after. I had bridesmaids at my wedding, and ever mormon wedding I've been to has had the traditional bouquet throwing, garner toss, cutting of the cake, bridesmaids and groomsmen. I had the daddy-daughter dance, and our first dance as a couple. While I would have been perfectly happy just getting married in the temple and that being that, I'm glad that I had the rest. It truly helped to make the day memorable, and it was a lot of fun.
So to those who saw the episode, I thought it was a very tasteful episode, but I do wish they would have done it for a couple who didn't live in Utah. There are those of us out there who aren't from Utah that are mormon and married young.
I was concerned for the family though. I wish that I had something to say to the aunt in the episode about the whole family thing, but I think having a ring ceremony helped to compensate it. There are a few things that I find hard to accept in the church, such as how she said that we focus so much on the family, but don't allow them to see anything regarding the wedding. I truly empathize with them, and wish there was something I could have said to make her feel better. If I am ever in a similar situation, I hope that I can be understanding and careful with my words. However, there really wasn't any ta da's in the temple. It was very simple, and I think if a non-mormon had come to see it, they would have been like, "That's the big deal? That's what is so restricted from non-mormons and mormons who haven't gone through the temple?" Like I said, it wasn't nearly as fancy as a typical wedding. I think a lot of mormons grow up thinking temple marriage ceremony is different than it is, I know that I did.
That's all I've got on the issue, but for the most part, I thought the episode was well done. Sorry to write so extensively about it, it just hit close to home. My only complaint is that they should have gotten a more mature 19-year-old mormon girl. There are plenty out there to represent the mormon community. But I think the girl was really happy with the ring ceremony in the end, and that's what I think is important.
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