Show Saturday February 28 2004 A4 “ The Herald journal Soapbox Gay marriage justification flawed By behavior falls under the restrictions of public morality I da not know what laws Utah or other states have that set the legal standard for that state I do know that recent polls show that an overwhelming majority of Americans do not want same-se- x marriage to be legal I take exception to the writer’s attempts to make it appear that this controversy is likened unto women getting the right to vote black slaves gaining their freedom Jews being oppressed by Nazis or persecution of early Latter- day Saints It is not I believe this is Teresa Holbrook I had to get on the “soapbox" myself after reading Feb 25's soap-bo- x It was stated that if we have laws that disallow marriage between people of the same sex these laws would cause several things to hap-pen: freedom being denied to a segment of our population constitutional protections being disallowed religious freedoms being trampled and particular to the LDS viewpoint “agency” denied to ' ' gentlemen THREWJ J61N YbUR COUR- an attempt by all people to alter the true appearance of this some' Freedom is pricecontroversy The truth of this controless to every person versy is that it is the desire of some and maintaining it people who are in the minority to not has a very high only behave in a way deemed immoral by the standard set by states price yet the writer would have it and the majority of individuals but also to achieve legality of said appear that whatever a person chooses behaviors thereby changing that set should be allowed standard Now it appears that an We do not as a attempt is being made to again alter the appearance of the controversy by society allow all forms of sexual making it appear to be a “belief or which Laws exist conscience denied" issue: It is not a prohibexpression it prostitution incest and bestiality religious or belief issue It is a moral for example If we follow the issue " As an LDS Church member writer's implied definition of freedom we should do away with those myself I do also see the good in my laws too Freedom js of necessity gay and lesbian brothers and sisters tied to responsibility That responsi-- My heart aches for their challenging trials I do not however see the good bility is to subdue desires thatwould cause harm to the greater group A in their choice of sexual behavior 1 know my church leadership feels the community exists even with great same way Boyd K Packer said in diversity only by balancing the answer to whether the church cares greater need of the group with the desires of individuals or smaller: about these things: ‘Those who ask have no idea how much we care you groups Alexander Hamilton asked: “Why know little of the sleepless nights of has government been instituted at the endless hours of work of prayer all? Because the passions of men will of study of travel — all for the hap' not conform to the dictates of reason piness and redemption of mankind ' ” and justice without constraint Because we do know and because we (The Federalist Papers) Government do care we must teach the rules of does have a purpose then in dealing happiness without dilution apology with groups of people as a whole by or avoidance” (April 1994 confer- -' helping men conform their passions' ence) Neal A Maxwell said in the to said dictates by way of constraint October 2001 conference ‘Those if necessary (ie laws) “No matter who in various ways persistently foshow abandoned may be a man' s " ter and intensify this drama of " principles pr how vicious his prac immorality —- - whether as promoters (ice provided he keeps his wicked- enablers facilitators or profiteers — ness to himself and does not violate will also then face and then feel all ' public decency he is out of the reach' the misery they hdvecaused count- of human laws But if he makes his less others?' Agency is a must for all vices public then they become by soI conclude with a portion of Doc- his bad example of pernicious effect trine and Covenants IQ 1:97: “Let not to society and it js the business of that which I have appointed be polhuman laws to correct them” (Sir luted by mine enemies by the con-- : ' William Blackstone) sent of those who call themselves Morality is “rightness or wrong- - ' after my name:' For this is a very sore ness! as of an action” (Webster' s and grievous sin against me and New World Dictionary) The Consti- against my people tutiori gives states' the right to pass 'laws to protect the health safety and Teresa Holbrook is a retired registered morals of its people but only “public nurse living ip Logan She thought it ' morality'' The moment a person’s important readers know she attended behavior violates the legal standards in San Franciscc the college epicenter ' established by a community that of gay culture in America like-mind- ed The Year of Internet in politics : ' ’ ' - ' T- - By Cokie Roberts and Steven V into active participants As Lee Rainie of the Pew Internet & Ameri- can Life Project told the New York Hines: “The Dean legacy is that he Roberts Newspaper Enterprise Association H ’ taught people how to use the social networking piece of the Internet and that’s permanent and lasting But the Dean campaign also exposed jwo flaws that future cam- wizard “It wasn’t a crash” paigns will have to fix: 1) The Web miracle he insists “it was a is useful for recruiting hue believers but far less helpful in reaching being shot down” uncommitted swing voters or untuTrippi is living on Planet Nerdo Dean’s biggest tored like seniors or minorities 2) Even the most ardent enemy wasn’t the press it acolytes are no good to the campaign was the candiunless they turn off their modems date himself and turn out to vote But just As the New York because this Times Magazine recently reported election year y strategists are using com- did not pro-mercial marketing techniques to ducea “dotcomb through vast databases and com miracle'’ “microtarget” individual voters it would be a based on dozens even hundreds of data points about their preferences big mistake to underestimate the Web’s impact and influence and priorities In fact 2004 could be called The The author of the Times Magazine Year of the Internet In all sorts of article Jon Gertner put it this way: “Someone who appears nonpartisan ways r- from raising money and energizing voters to narrowcasting someone who might even think of commercials and spreading rumors ' himself as nonpartisan may never— the Internet is coming of age as theless have a political DNA that the an essential part of the political parties will be able to decode” Once process Four examples illustrate this they crack the code campaigns will point:' then be able to appeal to each voter THE DEAN CAMPAIGN: The in increasingly narrow arid specific most obvious contribution of the ways often using the Web to make Web was to An obscure their pitch former governor of an obscure state VIDEO ADS: The Bush campaign raised over $40 million a Democratintroduced a video comd ic record Building on John mercial attacking John Kerry’s McCain's campaign in 2000 the record weeks before airing paid ads Deaniacs harnessed the interactive on broadcast networks (They also nature of the Web making it easy to used to notify political " ' give money and creating a model the ark and to generabout reporters that all candidates will follow in the ate a wave of free publicity) future (unless they’re nuts) Web ads are quicker and cheaper ' The Deaniacs also used the Web to ' to produce than ir commercials involve voters in an emotional way and are exempt from the rule that a to turn them from passive observers candidate must appear in an ad and ' Dean’s demise was all the media’s fault says Joe Trippi the former Vermont governor’s onetime campaign manager and Web dot-co- m dot-co- m dot-com- ers DATA-MININ- G: Web-savv- - : - fund-raisi- endorse its contents As a result messages can be sharper and nastier leading one analyst to describe them as the “back alley” of political campaigning Moreover Web ads can be sent by — for free — to countless cirnew recipients in cles The effect could be something like your own private broadcasting network with only one purpose: to air your commercial media but- RUMORS: lets have undermined two pillars of the mainstream press: news cycles ' and ethical standards The first result might be useful the second is definitely not Web sites are always online and open for business so news — and rumors — can break and spread at any time The recent story involving John Kerry’s possible dalliance with an intern illustrates how this works The rumor first surfaced 7- without any evidence — on the Drudge Report a popular site with a shaky ' record of reliability It got picked up immediately by other Webbies and ng Web-base- ail on-a- Web-bas- ed ail ever-expandi- ng Web-hase- - ' hosts talk-rad- io Mainstream outlets held off for days Some finally mentioned the report after the seqator answered a question about it on the Don Imus radio show Others waited until the woman in question issued a flat denial “Clearly” wrote Web blogger Mickey Kaus “we seem to be settling into an equilibrium where standards on the Web are different”' In other Words Web bloggers are - less reliable and accountable That means consumers have to be more skeptical in believing what they read and mainstream journalists have to i be more diligent in maintaining their own ethical norms So even if there won’t be any “dot-comiracles” in 2004 politics will never be tlx same after The Year of the Internet ’ m Your view Iraq body counts don't belong - in news To theeditor 1 have been- fol lowing with interest the body count of our military deaths in Iraq being reported duly in the media as it was also reported daily during the Vietriamconflict My heart breaks with the premature death of any of God’s children for any reason However I Cannot help but wonder why there is such a hue - and cry over these particular deaths world safer What I do not under- I served iii the military during the stand is why we say nothing and do riot have a daily body count in the Vietnam conflict and retired: after 20 media for the approximately 17000 years in the Air Force I knew the chances I was taking in being irilhe " (Deseret News April 252003) men ' military yet accepted those as part of women and children that are killed the military exptfriejice I believe in traffic annually in alcohol-relate-d what we are doing in Iraq as some- deaths What freedom do these thing necessary to remove a threat to deaths guarantee? The freedom to drive drunk Why do we also say ' other countries surrounding Iraq and -I also themselves fortheIraqis nothing nor do we have a daily body aiction will make our in the media regarding die this count beljeve the around and countries country approximately 40 million abortions - ' - : : Non Soquitur v interest in the annual alcohol and performed in the U-- since 1973 '! freedom abortion deaths also says something ' What do (wwwnrlcorg)? ' these deaths guarantee? The freedom about us and what it says is some- of promiscuity arid abortion on thing I am not proud of Brothers and dernand The United States is the " sisters we are on that slippery slope greatest power on the Earth today leading us into the moral cesspool and with that power comes a respon-- that this country is becoming all in ' the nanie of holding no one accountsibility to help those who are not able to help theiriselvThe cause in able for their actions How sad how Iraq and Afghani&inis a noble one! very very sad and the men and women who are sacrificing all they have is an exam- Harry Meadows all lack for Our us to follow bf pf Millville pie " " " The Herald-Journa- ' : l ' ThaHKpiriss'iiffliojihoe Inttora tn the editor Polentialy iwlous pir offenaive tetters wN noftrepubWied however and the edtor ' iseenae the right to edttal Mere to conform :! to the length and style requirements of Hie BBSS Opinion page Is lntendad to acquaint v a variety of vientpoinli on mattan ' of puMc importance and provide iramben of : ' thecommunity wMhakxum torSrelrviews Personal Oounne cartoons and Mtere from readers reflect the opinions of their writers and WiLLWocO readers 'creators Edtorials under the tieadbig'Our "' VtoW represent the view of Ihe Herald Journal aJ'l DOMTC fnlhnaat MOmDOTS 01 niD OONOrWi DARRELL EHRUCKcity editor ' CINDY YURTHfeatume edHor ' ' BRUCE SMfTHpgbiahar ' 'CHARLE8 McCOUjMmanegIroedhor j oomcs meteHeuieiouriuetew cmdusmsaninm to 6e jatfatd-Du- t ofa mufctuit of tongues toW (rion tfaougfi any fjndof autfotitativt selection ' Letters should be: Typewritten and double-spac- ed No more ttran 450 words in length ! 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