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Show 4 Thursday August 30, 2012 OPINION www.dailyutahchronicle.com Student vote counts in mayoral race T StaffWriter he race for Salt Lake County mayor will be one of the most significant to students of the U and other Salt Lake County residents. The race between former State Senator Ben McAdams (D) and Salt Lake County Councilman Mark Crockett (R) will also be one of the few competitive races that Salt Lake County residents can vote in. It is essential that student voters make an effort to educate themselves on the candidates and issues. Crockett plans to modify the county budget by cutting funds for public transportation and parks and recreation in order to pay for human and regional services. Although McAdams acknowledges these services are important, he said he does not believe they should be paid for by cutting funds to other important services. Crockett has been running a campaign on misleading rhetoric, claiming Salt Lake County has been fiscally irresponsible and needs to make cuts. Additionally, he said residents of Salt Lake County are being overtaxed — but the county has not raised taxes in more than 12 years, with the exception of voter-passed initiatives, said incumbent mayor Peter Corroon (D). Voters should look to the record of Corroon, who has endorsed McAdams. Under Corroon's watch, Salt Lake County is among a small number of municipalities in the country that have been able to maintain its SALLY YOO/The Daily Utah Chronicle AAA credit rating during the great recession. Crockett is crying wolf about the county's fiscal situation and should be called out for doing so. Voters should not respond to Crockett's misleading claims that the county has been fiscally irresponsible. He is playing into the anti-government sentiment popular among conservatives in Utah politics. The claim that the county is in need of major reform is unsubstantiated. McAdams has been seen as a pragmatic centrist politician. This reputation has helped him gain the endorsement of six Republican mayors and one independent mayor throughout the county. He stands for the type of solution-driven, bipartisan politics that are important to running a local government. Democrat and Republican voters essentially agree on the role of government at the local level. They agree we should pay for police, firefighters, schools, roads, bridges, snow removal, libraries and public transportation. Crockett is overpoliticizing the race for his own perceived benefit. Republican candidates across the state will have an advantage this election year. Because Mitt Romney successfully captured the Republican nomination, voters who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will undoubtedly turn out in high numbers to support his election effort. Many of these individuals will be casting straight Republican tickets. Because of the enthusiasm generated by Romney, McAdams will face a tough battle. The race for Salt Lake County mayor is one of the most important in 2012 for Utahns. It should be close, unlike the statewide electoral vote for president, the race for U.S. Senate, governor and all but one U.S. congressional race — the newly gerrymandered 2nd district between Jim Matheson (D) and Mia Love (R). Short of a major scandal The fight for gay marriage is opening doors for polygamy between now and Nov. 6, each will be landslide victories for Republicans. This means each individual vote for Salt Lake County mayor will have a greater chance of deciding the election than a vote in nearly every other race. In November, whether Salt Lake County voters decide to support Romney or Barack Obama for president, they should take a close look at what the candidates for Salt Lake County mayor stand for. Although it lacks the large-scale appeal of the presidential race, it is one of the most important decisions voters will face this year. letters@chronicle.utah.edu Film has no place in lit. classes RACHEL JACKSON DUSTI EDEN-OVERMAN StaffWriter I never thought gay marriage would ever be comparable to polygamy. But as the battle for same-sex marriage rages on, I have started to wonder — if consenting adults of the same sex can and should legally be able to marry, then why can't a consenting, legal adult marry two or more people? A recent dispute regarding polygamy began more than a year ago when the Brown family, better known as the cast of the reality TV show "Sister Wives," was investigated on charges of polygamy. Soon after the investigation commenced, the family sued the state of Utah, saying the investigation held against it was "unconstitutional" because it was an invasion of its privacy and religious beliefs, according to blog posts by the family's attorney Jonathan Turley, who is a constitutional law professor at George Washington University. Legally, the Browns are not breaking any laws. According to various news sources, the husband, Kody Brown, had only one marriage certificate with his wife, Meri. The other three women are "sister wives," hence the title of the show — they are not civilly married to Kody Brown. When I first read this story, I thought it was absurd. Why would a person even try to sue the state for banning polygamy? However, much to my — and many other people's — dismay, the judge has ruled in the Browns' favor thus far and is going to allow them to present their argument to the court. The judge denied a second attempt by the government to dismiss the case, according to a blog post Aug. 17 by Turley. He remains optimistic about the case. "Regardless of the outcome on the summary judgment motions now scheduled by the court, both the Brown family and the people of Utah can now expect a ruling on the power of the state to criminalize private relations among consenting adults," Turley wrote in the blog. Although they still have a long way StaffWriter privacy and rights to marry whomever they choose, the more it morphs into a parallel argument in favor of same-sex marriage. In fact, if Turley is right when he says that, in this marriage debate, we are truly concerned with liberty and protections for "private relations among consenting adults," then the number should not matter any more than sex. This isn't to say that I agree with polygamous lifestyles, but I find it hard to argue that a marriage between a man and a man should not be allowed when two women in a consenting relationship with one man are permitted to have the same marriage rights. at comes to mind after hearing the phrase, " "Studies in American Literature?" Certainly not a film class, but this medium is becoming a more prevalent way of teaching history in English and literature courses. Some might not give it a second thought or care one way or the other, but I find it outrageous to use these media as a means for teaching literature. American literature is, essentially, how we study our own history. Literature is an effective medium through which we can portray knowledge, and is much more than just words. It contains a multitude of possible meanings that are actively chosen by the reader as he or she reads what's on the page. This ambiguity makes for an environment in which readers and writers are able to grow together, as if the writer and the reader are contemporaries to each other. There are factual books that seem to have a singular meaning — however, even when reading facts about history, there is unison between author and the reader that is not present in the video medium. Whether fact or fiction, there is less excitement and less engagement for a student watching one side of a story that allows little room for questioning or deep thought, which happens when watching a film. Although others might become joyous at the thought of less reading, some (like me) become paralyzed in disbelief. I enjoy a good movie, but books give me unison between myself and the author that is not there in video. It might be more time consuming or boring to read history as opposed to watching it, but as the reader, I have the glorious job of actively making the text relatable. In fact, reading seems a more active engagement when compared to the passive act of watching a video. I have yet to find a movie that provides an adequate story line while also forcing my imagination to fill in the blanks or to create a multitude of interpretations. Films should be left out of the classroom — especially outside the English and American Literature classroom — unless they provide a substantial sideby-side to a particular reading and act as supplements, not replacements. In order to get the most out of a class as a student, textbooks should be the first medium of education, and we should leave documentaries and video reenactments out of it. letters@chronicle.utah.edu letters@chronicle.utah.edu LUIGI GHERSI/The Daily Utah Chronicle to go, the "Sister Wives" stars stand for more than polygamous living. They now make a stronger argument that the right of marriage should be given to all people, not just one man and one woman. In May, the family publicly stated that it represents this idea. In a Fox News interview, the family also announced it supports same-sex marriage. The "Sister Wives" show has not only turned the five main characters into well-known celebrities, but has made polygamy a hot topic across the state and endeared many supporters to the Browns. The Browns present a strong argument that what they do in their home is their business. And the more they argue for |