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Show TheSalt LakeTribune OPINION WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER28, 2001 OUR VIEW Release Gun Opinion So whyall the secrecy? Utah Atty. Gen. Mark Shurtleff bythe public under GRAMA unless it wrote an unsolicited opinion to Gov. The opinionis, similarly, not protected by the attorney-client privi- is related to litigation. Mike Leavitt declaring that a rule banning state employees with lege. Moreover, whatever harm the concealed-carry permits from bringing their weaponsinto the workplace violates state law. The opinion, apparently, reiterates what legislative attorneys had already said three years ago. Yet, Shurtleff refuses to attorney general fears from releasing his opinion must be minimal given the general consensus between the attorney general and the legislative counsel regarding the ban on weapons. . Since the Legislature also has asked the attorney general for an official opinion, which will be public information, Shurtleffs original release his opinion, citing attorneyclientprivilege. Attorney-client privilege only applies when litigation is pending. Shurtleff has not mentioned anyoffi- opinionfor the governor hardly mer- cial challenges to the rule, so why not let the public know whatlegal reasoning supports public employees packing heat? The issue is particularly important since the next step its the claimed confidentiality. The issue is an important one for the public. Whateverside a person is on in the gun debate, the public has a out knowing thelegal reasoning be- ons to work. There is no legitimate excuse for hiding the legal reasoning right to know if its employees are toward withdrawal of the rule is a public comment period. The public can’t make informed comments with- permitted to carry concealed weapof the state’s counsel from those who will be impacted: public employees and the publicat large. The newsis out, the rule banning hind the rule change. The attorney general is NX legal counsel for the governor. He has a general duty to protect his client’s confidentiality. But he is also an elected official whose records are public information under the Government Records -and Management Act. Shurtleff issued an unsolicited opinion. That opinion is reviewable weapons is on the path to deletion. If the public is expected to comment on THE PUBLIC FORUM the change in a meaningful manner, Shurtleffmust explain the reasons for the change. Release the original opinionto the public. Indians’ Plight Staging Protests While it is understandable that Larry Lavallie’s letter (Forum, Nov. 2) is one of the best that I have read in a long time. I just hope some- Since officials are confining protests to eight specific sites and even specifying numbers of protesters allowed at suchsites at certain times. he said the city oughtto facilitate protesters at one of the sites, namely Pioneer Salt Lake City officials and the Salt Lake Organizing Committee wantto ensure that everything about the 2002 Winter Games is carefully choreographed and the dooris blocked to the troubling spirit of spontaneity, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Andersonis wrong to suggest city taxpayers fi- Magure’s reasoning in a sense is attractive as such agreements tend to be, but it does not negate residents’ nance a stage for Olympic protesters. The mayor has proposed thecity pay for a stage and amplification equipment for protesters at Pioneer right not to have their tax dollars subsidizing causes and ideologies that have nothing to do with the city and the services it offers for which they pay taxesin thefirst place. Park,one ofseveral areas the city has marked out as sites for Olympicrelated and non-related causes that groups may deign to demonstrate for The city’s intricately choreo- graphed plan for protesters — for instance, a group of 10 can picket out- or against. City Council members are none side Rice-Eccles Stadium on the days to be asked to finance the promotion of whatever moves various protesters. “People have the right to free of the Opening and Closing ceremonies — takes away muchof the spontaneity ofany remonstrance: To provide the means forthe various groups to spout their messages speech,” as Councilman Dave Buhler succinctly putit. “They don’t have the right to make taxpayers subsidize it.” Mayoral aide Jay Magure sees the concessionas a sort of quid pro quo. of the Olympics arguably turns these folks into props nobetter than Olympic logo-em| manhole covers in the downtown area. too happy aboutthis proposal, rightly figuring that city residents ought not with equal stridence as the producers one with authority enough to do something will read it and take some action. I have read a great many books abouttheplight of American Indians, the treaties and broken promises by our government, and it makes you want somejustice. In my many years oftravelin the Mountain West, I have @ Because of the volumeof mail Pass Stimulus Package Q ‘The longer Congress delays, the longer it will fake for the benefits of trickle habits. The American people deserve that economy po! ery. While it is way too early to desa The Dallas Morning News TheSaltLakeTribune KEN HAYES Salt Lake City Draft Was Unfair Iam quite concerned aboutall of the talk lately aboutthe possibility of our government bringing the military draft back into use.If so, I hope that the common folk of America haven't forgotten who fought and died in Vietnam, as it was your sons.I haven't as I didn’t like what I saw going on during the Vietnam War: poor white and minority Americans fighting the war. The sons of the hardworking Americans fought and died in Vietnam while the sons of the wealthier Americans were exempt from military service for various reasons. The PUBLISHER Dominic Welch EDITOR James E. Shelledy EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR Randy C. Frisch John F. Fitzpatrick (1924-1960) John W.Gallivan (1960-1983) Jerry O’Brien (1983-1994) ‘THESALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 143 8, MAIN ST, SALT LAKE CITY , 64111 be < elitists ofour country. This is one American who is tired of the disadvantaged in this country doing the slave-type work without decent benefits for such work, and having ‘to fight the wars for the thier class of people that gener- alyoi even orfsuch war does doar he pe the American people eeeeeee that every able-bodied person who is ofdraft age will have to serve the country. And that they don’t allow our government to grant exemptions for any reason. know that welove oursonsjustas their that they won't have any trouble getting in. DENNIS MCCLUNE ‘ Layton eens Ap ’ wisdom in enjoining con- struction ofthe Legacy Highway. The injunction recognizes the eevesrating |. and irreparable harm that will be caused to the Great Salt Lake wetlands ifconstruction continues. Ipersonally hope the 10th Circuit’s wisdom continues as it addresses the the Great Salt Lake ecosystem is not the “least damaging alternative” for easing traffic congestion. The success of the TRAX system demonstrates that public transportation is a viable alternative to the closed-minded one person-one car mentality driving the Legacy Highway.Theleast damaging sleeve is | clearly development of rail between Ogden and Salt Lake City. Contrary to claims by Gov. Leavitt Drop Microsoft Case and other supporters, the Highwayis not the long-term solution to ease gridlock between Salt Lake Utah Atty. Gen. Mark Shurtleff is wasting his time and our money in pursuing the antitrust case against Microsoft: He mentions the encouragementhe got from discussing this case with Robert Bork before discovering that Bork represents Netscape, a competitor of Microsoft. He states that all the courts found that Microsoft is guilty, however,the federal and Weber/Davis counties. Although it will momentarily add lanes for automobiles, the highway itself will drive developmentalong its corridor, ultimately resulting in increased growth, suburban sprawl, anda con- comitant increase in automobiles — ay of which will be gas-guzzling havesettled havesettled the case. It is true that Microsoft plays hardball with their competition, but Shurtleffand the attorneys general of eight other states who are continuing to pursue the case could spend their time and our money more profitably. than chasing this will-of-the-wisp. SE February, our Olympic visitors will realize how Utah’s air quality already suffers from our singleminded dependence on automobiles for commuting. If not to protect our image in the eyes of the world, our leaders should at least be promoting plans that protect the health of our citizens. The Legacy Highway does neither and should be stopped. JOHN B, HENKELS Salt Lake City ERICK. SCHNIBBE Holladay Justice Department and ninestates LDSChurch Response I write on behalf ofThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in response to The Tribune's Oct.14 editorial titled “Whiskey Rebellion,” the Nov.9 editorial titled “Focus on Real Problems” and several subsequent that concern the church. Moreover, The Tribune’s Nov. 9 editorial asserts that the state should spend moneydetermining why young people commitsuicide rather than on impact of liquor ads on young people. It is a laudable policy to de- vote more resources to prevent teen . role in the democratic prodraft system was set up by our gov- church’s cess. ; ernmentto protect the sons of the UTAH'’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1871 PAST PUBLISHERS published. @ Mail to Public Forum, The Salt Lake Tribune,P.O. Box 867, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110 @ Our fax numberis (801) 257-8950. @ Our email address is letters@ sltrib.com. trust and notgiven to the deserving evidence that Indians were captured to express my grati- tude forthe 10th U.S.Circuit Court of edited. received, not all submissions are ANOTHERVIEW an Seve scalesieee to @ Keep jit short. Concise letters developing /a single theme are more likely to be published. @ Please type and double space. @ letters are condensed and Mostofthese are in the most desolate places you could imagine. For the mostpart, the land was only good to grow: sagebrush and rocks. When oil and minerals were discovered on this land the people were again exploited. Whenit was finally determined this ‘was wrong,in a very longlegal battle, millions of dollars were awarded to them, but mostofthisis still held in Indians. T'm sure the law firm got their money, but not the Indians. Isn't it about time something was done to honor the people who hadthis land long before the white man ever arrived? There has been documented Kill Legacy 1 am writing city in which you live are kept confidential. seen the reservations where theylive. and sold into slavery, their land was takenoverbysettlers, and when they retaliated the troops were sent in to shoot them down. Doesn’t equal justice and liberty for all apply to the Indians? It’s official. The United States is in predict when that will occur, a surrecession. _ prising strength in car and house Not that anyone really doubted sales is a sign that the economy may that’ after Sept. 1. With layoffs be stabilizing. Retailers depend on holiday sales, mounting, and economic indicators showing mostly gloom and doom,the and whether malls are filled with declaration by the official arbiters of shoppers or are empty indicates whether consumers are more confieconomic cycles merely slaps a formal flu diagnosis on an ailing dent or less assured. Consumer will be a key of economy. Still, the “R” word is humbling. this recovery, Congress shouldn’t need the prodThe U.S. economy had enjoyed a record expansion that began 10 years ding, but the formal declaration of ago. The official declaration is like recession underscores the need for saying goodbye toa friend. Despiteits lawmakers to agree on a balanced economic stimulus package. Instead, inevitability, the momentis sad. The National Bureau of Economic aid has been locked in partisan Research dates the start of the reces- bickering. sion to March 2001. Industrial proAlthough the economy has been’ astonishinglyresilient since Sept. 11, the additional octane of a stimulus package thatprovides unemployment benefits, jobs and investment incentives would aid an economic recovery. We Welcome Letters @ When submitting letters to the Public Forum, please include your full name, signature, address and daytime telephone numbers. Information other than your name and the On public policy issues, the church rarely takes a position. The church’s voice is only one of manyvoices that have urged the enactment and continuation of sound state policies on the controlofalcoholic beverage sales and and is presently oneofseveral that has urged the state not to abandon all advertising suicide, It is the church's belief that |
