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Show The Salt Lake Tribune SUNDAY PERSPECTIVE Sunday, POIN Septem 10, 1995 WES A Regional Outlook by Mark N. Trahant I travel frequently and often hear someone ask, “You live in Utah?” It’s not a question; it is a perception about an American church-state. Utah still is seen by many Americans as a theocracy run by the Mormon Church. “But it is changing,” I say quickly, knowing that we are talking in code. “There is tremendous growth taking place; the Olympics are coming.” This is mitigation, a protest that Utah is more diverse than people think. Iam not alone. Thestate of Utah,in its electronic on-line fact sheet, promises this same sort of diversity: “Utah is a re- markable state. And the people who live here are as varied as the terrain they live on.” But the notion of a changing demographicis wrong. Utah is growing more Mormon, notless. Utah’s 2.7 percent annual growthis propelled by two forces: A high birthrate —— some 37,000 babies were born last year — and in-migration — 23,000 people moved here from other states during the sameperiod. It's safe to assumethat a majority of the new babies will be born into the LDSfaith because two-thirds of Utahns are — at least nominally — members of the church, That translates into nearly 25,000 babies born to LDS families. To be sure, not all of these children are born into families active in the church. However, it can be argued that this birthrate alone would increasethe percentage of Mormonsliving in Utah. The counterweight was thought to be This study also makes sense because in row after row of new housing devel: opments in Sandy, West Valley City or Utah County, LDS ward houses often are planned before schools, parks or othercivic facilities. This LDS migration “home” is possible because there are goodjobs (a few people even find favorable real-estate in-migration. However, a new geographic study says: ‘A majority of in-migrants to Utah [61 percent] identify themselves as members of the LDS Church.This is somewhatlower than the percentage of residents that are LDS [67 percent], but much higherthan we would expect, given the religious composition of states from which the migrants originated. Indeed,if the religious composition of migration streams matched the composition of states of origin, then we would expect only 5 percentofthe in-migrants to be Mormon.” Thestudy, published in The Social Science Journal, was written by geographers Thomas Kontuly and Ken R. Smith at the University of Utah and Tim B. Heaton of Brigham Young University. “Paradoxically,” the study says, “religion is rarely given as a primary ex- planation for moving to Utah.” The people surveyed cite family, jobs and education as the primary reason for their move to Utah. This study makes sense on many levels. Mormons who grew up in Southern California (where there are more members of the church than in Utah) have heard promises ofa better landall their lives. Manyof these people are the sons and daughters of original pioneers whose parents moved to California because that is where the jobs were dec- ades ago. Others are people who converted to the LDS Church and now want to live in Utah, which is billed as the place for Mormons, where an LDSlifestyle is encouraged, supported and, in- deed,celebrated. To this generation, Utah is again Zion. exchanges) and an economy “that at- tracts newcomers. The study was based on a 1986 survey.If the percentageis aboutthe same today,then last year about 14,000 Mormons moved home. Similar growth patterns are reported in the LDS Church’s numbers. in Salt Lake and north Davis counties, LDS membership grew from 535,852 in 1990 to 577,370 at midyear 1995. A higher percentage of Mormons in Utah seems to defy a stereotype about the changes going on here.It contrasts increasedreports of juvenile crime and gangs. But since some of the people moving here are fieeing these social ills, it adds that the problems wouldfollow,too. So what, then, does this LDS growth portend for Utah? It is an open ques- tion that depends on one word — toler- ance. For Mormons, and especia!ly nonMormons, lessons of tolerance mean learning from mistakes rather than settling into opposing sides. When a graduation exercise becomes a statement aboutreligious freedom, the next question ought to be, what can we agree on and how do we move forward? As the state becomes more dominated by onefaith, its image to the rest of the country will be based on how tolerantit is of minority viewpoints and religions. When the world turns its focus here for the 2002 Winter Olympics, a new imageof the state will be cast for decades to come. To answer the question, and to rest the stereotype of a theocracy, there must be a resoiution about how importantdiversity is to this community. How welcome are outsiders when much of the societal structure — from Boy Scouts to basketball —- operates under church management? If acceptance of diverse groups is the goal, then with that notion comechaos, loss of control and the messy world of democracy. Mark N. Trahant isexecutive news editor of The Salt Lake Tribune. . UTAH’S-PEOPLE-OF.COLOR Guadalupe Unites Us With Religion, Culture By Andrea Otanez When my husband and I found out wefinally were going to have achild, one of our prenatal topics during leisurely dinners wasreligion. What kind would weoffer our daughter? Neitherofus practices a formal religion, although we have reverence for forces we believe to be greater than ourselves. And we recognize the importanceof spiritual outlets for children. Gur discussions meandered from option to option: we figured we hadallthe timein the world — 40 weeks-plus — to makea decision. But Ella forced the issue. She was born six weeks early — a menthago today. The reality of the danger she could have beenin didn’thit until my husband, Mike, sat at my hospital bedside filling out paperwork two hours after our daughter was rushed to the Newborn Iniensive Care Unit. A form asked: If a representative of a religion is needed, what is your preference? What new parent expects this question? We stared blankly at each other before writing “priest orlay clergy preferred.” Nopriestor lay clergy was ever summoned. Still, as hours became days in the NICU, we called upon higherprotection for our baby — a modicum of comfort beyond the Teassurances of doctors and nurses. Guadalupe helped watch over ourlittle girl. A medallion bearing an image otla Virgen de Guadalupe, Mexico’s patron saint, hung from a fuchsia ribbon in Ella's incubator, And we, like millions of Catholies and non-Catholics, foundrelief in her vast warmth. For Mexicans, Mexican Americans and others of non-Mexican origin, the olive-skinned womanis an approachable emissaryof God. For others, Guadalupe invokes a communalstrength andcultural familiarity shared throughout as Americas, especially Mexico and the U.S. Southwest Even in the homes of Mormon Mexican Americans, she might not be displayed next to the pictire of the LDS Temple or mentioned in family prayers, but is there a medallion tucked away — somewhere? A saint card or a dashboard icon, passed on from a grandparent, hidden undera pilfow? Is Guadalupe invoked in personal prayers? Layand religious scholars have for years discussed the popular appeal of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Some speculate her power ¢emes from her nonthreatening accepting gaze. Others attribute her mass ap- Tropical Storms Tropical pealto herfirst incarnation. Because she appearedto an Indian duringthe reign of the Spanish in Mexico and because she lookedlike an Indian compared to the Virgin Mary, whois typically represented as light-skinned and blue-eyed, the Indian masses at last had a familiar representative in a foreign church and culture. Others say the Catholic Church created the saint simply to Christianize the Indian Mexicans more easily. Among some Marxist Chicano activists, Guadalupe’s image has been rejected as a tool of an oppressive religion imposed by the Powerful hurricane Luis made a direct hit on the northern Leeward islands, killing at least three people as it wrecked homes and vacation resorts. Luis went on io swamp the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico before veering northward into the openwatersof the Atlantic. Fast-rising flood waters and hot volcanic debris from tropical storm Nina forced 33,000 people to flee their homes from around resort of Cabo San Lucas. pants. But these manifestations of a Earthquakes The strongest quake to (USPS 478-360) Established April 15, 1971. Published daily 143 South Main St. Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 Second class postage paid at Salt Lake City. + Dtah. POSTMASTER: Send to ‘The Salt Lake Tribune at the above address and Sundayby the Kearns-Tribune Corporation, “it is impossible to stop the forest population from burning the jungle because they maketheir living out Earthquakes werealsofelt in the Souther California desert region, easiern Romania, the French Alps, the southern Greek Islands, northeast Japan and Sumatra merely a matter of nationalpride. The boycott already is blared for trimming the country's Bordeaux exports by 5 percent, and with international outrage mounting over France’s detonation of a nuclear device Tuesday in the South Pacific, vintners fear the damagecould get far worse The beycott has French wine producers worried and angry. And the critical pre-Christmas sales months are fast approaching. Some producers could lose as much as 35 percent of their reve- a SUBSCRIPTION RATES Carrier Delivery (4-week period) Daily Sunday (Utah) $14.00 Daily $5.76 Daily Only (Uta) $9.60 Daily and Sunday $9.04 Sunday Only (Utah) $1200 Sundays Only $7.00 Daily & Sunday (Outside of Utah). $25.80 Member Audit Bureau of Circulation ByMail (4-week period) © 8 pam. Saturday, 4 nm. t9 10 0.m., Sanday 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. Galt Lake, south Davis counties 237-2900 All other areas 1-800-862-0076 | News Desks | Newspaper in Bd. | Photography of smail plantations.” Satellite surveillance by NASA revealed 39,889fires were set in the country during July, up 370 percentfrom the same monthlast year. atolls as clean, healthy sanctuaries for wildlife. Titled “The Truth,” the video proclaimed the near-pristine Mururoa a “nice village” where Geiger counters could scarcely detect radiation on land or waters. Underwater fauna wasin “a perfect State of health,” said a commentary accompanying pictures of coral, parrotfish and carefree divers playing with moray eels. Creepy-Crawiles The recent winter heat AK] wave and drought have broughtout an invasion of snakes and spiders in populated areasof eastern Australia. Hospitals in New South Wales reported treating more than 40 patients for venomousbites during the past morith. Weekend rains ended a 47-day dry munications on earth. Selling the Atom As thefirst in a series of renewed nuclear tests at France's Mururoa atoll unleashed a flurry of international protests, the country's chargé daffaires launched a campaign to spell, the longest in Australia in 147 years. The unseasonable warmth and drought caused confusion in wildlife, bringing reptiles outof hibernation and spiders out to mate sell the positive side of its South Pacific nuclear test sites. Olivier Lacroix released a videotape describing Mururoa and Fangataufa monthsearlier than usual. French Twist or French Toast, Boycotters Hit Home CIRCULATION NUMBERS NEWSROOM NUMBERS Por suame-dxy missed delivery replacement on weekdays and Saturdays, | Business News 237-2085 Reader Advocate [call before 1¥ a.m. Sundays cell before | p.m. For carrier and home | Editor 237-2011 Recreation 5 Informstoa, new subscriptions subseriptions, ean- | Editorial Writers 297-2019 Rolly & Wells ~ cellstion: snd biting information, call Monday through Friday, 42.m.to | Peatures/DayBreak 237-207 State Desk - Farmers in neighboring Brazil have set a record numberoffires while burninglargetractsof tropical forest in preparation for the plantation season which begins in late September. Amazonas Environ- Country in decades awakened residents in Sonoma County, but causedonly slight damage. CheSalt LakeTribune ) the consequencesof the burning. mentalInstitute officials claimed that But of all the worldwide protests, the one that has hit homeis the campaign by France’s own European neighbors to boycott that most enduring symbolof all that is French: wine. Anditis not Andrea Otanez is a book editor and a native of Salt Lake City. She also is a former news editor for The Salt Lake Tribune. Otanez welcome: comments through e-mail, otanez@aol.com. tice, and to make farmers aware of Ba strike California's Wine French military operations. gaze but nowat home. We need support of a familiar community far larger and stronger than ourselves. grassiands created a thick ed thatthe sun has started a fresh cycle of sunspots two years ahead of schedule. of farmworkers. One act may be a religious observance, the other a secularritual. Yet through la Virgen de Guadalupe, the two women are connected in a spiritual and cultural family. That's why we turned to Guadalupe to protect Eila, who, by the way, still sleeps under the saint's British scientists announc- Reyorting in New Scientist magazine, Caltec astrophysicists identified thefirst spotof the new cycle on August 12, and believe the next peak will occur around 1999 rather than 2001 if the activity continues to rise. Geomagnetic storms that increase during the cycle can disrupt power lines andinterfere with com- jacket to attend a rally on behalf While una vieja in rural Oaxaca, Mexico, puts marigolds on her altar to /a Virgen in early Novem- Solar Cycle Fires set by farmers in the country, resulting in health warnings, school closings and canceled flights. Several senators asked the government to mobilize the armed forces to limit the centuries-old prac- ber, a Chicanaactivist in Spokane dons her sequined Guadalupe stretches across a hesnisphere. Defcrestation blanket of smoke over two-thirds of After French President Jacques Chirac decided to resume nuclear-weapons tests in the South Pacific, one nation recalled its ambassador to France. Protesiers burned ihe French flag and set fire to an embassy, 3 million people signed petitions and environmentalists disrupted spiritual figure also perhaps usherus into a larger community that =ne than 3,060 became iil within 48 hours froma mysterious epidemic sweeping a rural were turnedintoclinics to treat people coming down with the disease, believed to be acrudeform of equine. encephalitis or dengue fever. Some victims were seenfalling into convulsionsin the streets. Guadalupe because they believe she is held up as the model of submissive,silent Antarctica oe oe ‘Oe ® Twopeople died and more area of western Venezuela. Schools nists reject For the week ent September 8, 1995 01995 Chronicio Features a Bolivia to clear forests and Mystery Iliness quering Spaniards. And some Latina and Chicana femi- 0° . Vostok, (Russia) Mt. Pinatubo Volcanoin the Philippines. Five peopie died whentheir fishing boat capsized in high seas generated by the storm. Baja California was buffeted by hurricane Henriette when the eye of the storm passed directly over the con- ndr pe : womanhocd. But throughout time la Virgen has been reclaimed and reinterpreted as something beyond a Catholic symbol. Wh,does her image appear on cars, T-shirts, jewelry, tattooed skin, city walls, pens and strings oflights and other seemingly secular objects? All of these could be popular religious expressions. Thatis, painting Guadalupe on a car trades homage to God for protection of the vehicle’s occu- cyclone activity remained very high with deadly storms - inflicting heavy damage from the Caribbean to Asia. Late reports from around Hong Kong say that typhoon Kent killed six people asit made landfall along China’s Guangdong coast. 237-2045 237-2018 237-2068 nuethis year, the industry association says. — Los Angeles Times Q PRO BONO? Republicans were given control of Congress in Novemberby voters who wanted government smailer, cheaper and less confus- ing. Now,industries, tightly regulated by years of Democratic control, have seized the day. Critics say Republican leaders are misreading the public's senti- ments; big money from corporate polluters has combined with antigovernment fervor, they say, to foment a trend that could wreck three decades of steady environ- mental progress. Lawyers hired by the chemical and other industries wrote sections of the new Clean WaterAct. Atterneys from industries with a financial stake wrote portions of a bill sponsored by Sen. Slade Gor- 287-2060 ton, R-Wash., to scrap parts of the Endangered Species Act. “I don’t think that’s how good publie policy should be made,” Gorton said in April. “But I'm perfectiy willing to get the free services of good lawyers in drafting my views.” Hiow successful the effort will be remains in doubt. The Senate will debate the bill this month. — Knight-Ridder News Service o COASTAL CLEANUP More than 100,000 voiunteers are expected to hit the beaches for this year’s Coastal Cleanup on Saturrday — and more are being urged to participate in the nation’s largest volunteer environmental campaign. The cleanup effort launches Coastweeks '95, a national, weeklong series of events to raise awareness of the problems facing the nation’s ocean shorelines and inland waterways. Volunteers will scour beaches and inventory the collected trash, from washing machines fo cigarette butts and deflated balloons. Last year, an ad- ditional 215,900 volunteers participated in the international cleanup campaign in 68 countries, ‘Theeffort is coordinated by the Center for Marine Conservation with funding from several corporate and governmentsponsors.it covers ali states on the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf coasts, as well as the Great Lakes. To find out where to sign vp; contact CMC al (84) 851-6734. ranne't News Service Qo GORILLA KILL Another rare mountain gorilia has been found shot ‘o death in Zaire, the eighth gorilla killing re ported in the o> on this year despite inte al protective measures. Mfrican Wildiife Foundatio. .. Only about 600 mountain goril- las remain on Earth. Recent unresi in the border areas of Zaire; Uganda and Rwanda have been biamed for the raost recent killings. —The Associated Press Pepper Provenzano welcomes e-mail at PepperPro@AOL.com. 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