About
I live in Salt Lake City with my wife, an aspiring architect. In addition to freelance graphic design, I work at a local library. Among the subjects I’m fascinated by are history (particularly classical history and modern), linguistics, mythology, and politics. My curiosity is insatiable!
When not voraciously reading or pontificating, I occasionally dabble in art. I am actively involved in our local LDS ward.
A Liberal Mormon 
January 26, 2007 at 10:04 am |
Not sure where to post this and I didn’t see an email.
Could you please comment on this?
LDS views on vouchers
Thanks,
Marshall
http://www.wasatchwatcher.com
April 30, 2007 at 5:52 pm |
Thought you might be interested in this.
Press Release
April 30, 2007
Contact: Richard Davis – 801-369-6235
Candidates for Democratic Party Office Want to Make Party Electorally Viable Again
Making the Democratic Party viable again. That’s the mantra of a group of local Democratic party activists who have announced their candidacies for office in the Utah County Democratic party. The four – Richard Davis, Orem ; Larry Brown, Alpine; Hinckley Jones-Sanpei, Provo ; and Kristin Gerdy, Orem – are running for chair, vice-chair, secretary, and treasurer, respectively.
“It’s time for the Democratic Party to win elections again,” Davis said. “We believe Democratic candidates reflect Utah County values more than Republicans do. We want tax money to go to public schools, not private schools for rich people. We want working families to have decent wages and health care coverage. We’re concerned about planning for growth rather than just letting it happen. We think the tax burden needs to be shared by all, not just by the middle class. Republicans haven’t stepped up to the plate on those issues. And they’re not likely to in the future.”
The four are veterans in the party organization. Davis and Brown have chaired or served on various party committees at the state and county level, and Jones-Sanpei and Gerdy have been precinct chairs. Gerdy also currently serves as the party treasurer and is running for re-election. Professionally, Davis is a political science professor at BYU; Brown is a senior program manager for Cisco Systems; Jones-Sanpei is a full-time homemaker and part-time researcher; and Gerdy is a law professor at BYU.
For the first time in memory, the race for county party leadership is competitive. According to Davis , the competition for party office is one of several signs of resurgence for the local Democrats. Davis also points to increasing numbers of registered voters who are Democrats, higher vote totals last year for local state legislative candidates, and the strong interest by local Democrats in running for office.
“These are all signs that the Democratic party is coming back to life in Utah County ,” David explained. “We’re excited to be a part of that and hope we can lead the party to victory in the future.”
###
May 5, 2007 at 10:15 am |
I just found your blog and am enjoying reading your posts. I hope you do not mind as I have added it to my list of blogs on Centerville Citizen. My compliments to you for being both an active, liberal and thinking member of the LDS church. All three are rare combinations and I have found to be suspect from time to time.
Best wishes!
August 23, 2007 at 4:23 pm |
Thanks for letting me link to your blog for the post below: http://soylientgene.wordpress.com/2007/08/23/thoughts-on-religion/
I’m looking forward to reading your blog entries. As well as the Minarchist blog on your list.
-Shinai
September 21, 2007 at 2:57 pm |
if you don’t already know about the bloggernacle….you will fit right in
welcome and enjoy
http://www.ldselect.org
http://www.mormonblogs.org
October 19, 2007 at 1:29 pm |
Thank you for your blog. You put so well into words what I can only theorize about in my mind.
November 30, 2007 at 11:51 pm |
I love the Kim >>Rainman story…May I share this as my Christmas message to friends?
There are many of us liberal thinking active Mormons out there in the boonies. Sometimes I have to push the limits even in Elders Quorem to get them to think about what they believe….they mix the gospel with Republican dogma. Can’t let them get off that easy.
Jeff
February 25, 2008 at 8:06 am |
Hello,
I was happy to find your blog. I am in the process of launching an LDS Political community of bi-partisan members of the church, and I am in need of Democrats and Independents and wanted to extend the offer of you to the group. So far we have one Democrat amongst a ton of Republicans. I truly want the site to have a balanced perspective though, so I’d be most grateful if you’d contemplate this offer and get back with me. I added my email address to this comment, so if you’re interested use it 🙂
Ann Marie Curling
February 28, 2008 at 10:05 am |
Wow, how refreshing. While I consider myself conservative – in the eyes of my LDS peers I am certainly liberal. I think you’d really like my blog – it’s kind of for people like us. I just started it so take a look! http://www.normalmormons.com
March 31, 2008 at 5:02 am |
I am so happy to find this blog. I am a democrat and liberal Mormon. I am very active (have been serving as RS president) but often feel very out of place when any one gets a hint of my political leanings. It is nice to know I am not alone in my ideas and thoughts. I look forward to your future posts and have devoured your past ones.
May 18, 2008 at 11:08 pm |
With only two main politcial parties – Democrats and Republicans – to represent the wide political spectrum, it is difficult to bunch all of one’s beliefs and convictions into one party. Sometimes you agree with one sometimes with another party. But I guess you choose based on your perspective of the role of govenment and what the politician’s actual record once in office (actions do speak louder than words!).
Sometimes I agree with Mitt Romney, or Orrin Hatch, or with Harry Reid. I believe this is part of a healthy democracy, and shows that latter-day saints can be active in all political parties. I would fear it when we concentrate into only one camp.
However, I also fear whenever I hear that true latter-day saints are only republicans. When did the republicans highjack the church’s political position. The church continually states it favours no party and only encourages members to be involved in political discussion and processes, local and nationally.
The Republican party or any political party does not represent the church or all latter-day saints.
Plus I was disgusted by the way the Republicans treated Mitt Romney and the church during his preisdential nomination campaign. After all the time, money and effort lds republicans put into the patry we finally saw their true colours. Not that the democrats are totally clean either.
In the political spectrum I do not agree with those to the hard right or the hard left. I do not stand with the big ‘C’ onservatives or the big ‘L’ liberals, but rather I am a small ‘l’ liberal. I believe there is a role of government to intervene in to ensure social and civil equality. It is what the church welfare program is about. I believe such programs may be funded or directed to ensure consistently at a national level but implemented locally.
I am a small ‘d’ Democrat who is active, retired bishop of 7 years, and now HPGL. Do I like Hilary – no. Would I favour Obama over John McCain – yes. But Obama needs to prove he is more than a good speech writer. He needs to convince me over the next few months that he can negotiate hard with congress and with world leaders. Consult – yes, but at the end of the day you need to know how to negotiate. Reagan knew when to consult and how to bargain, when each was needed.
Bush jnr is an embarrassment. Iraq had little to do with Bin Laden or 911. He went after the wrong target and we have lost our moral compass.
John McCain has not proven to me he can provide a vision.
LDS democrats need to show that they can influence the Democratic party better than the lds republicans have influenced the Repubilcan party, because with Mitt’s campaign it only shows all their work has failed.
Jack Kennedy, was a good democrat but he was killed before he could prove himself. I think his second term could have been better had he lived, but that is only hypothetical. In some ways the saddest day was when Bobbie Kennedy was assassinated, he was a great Democrat and potentially a great president. Again, we live with democrat hypotheticals.
Unfortunately, Clinton was the weakest Democrat. He had opportunities pass him by.
But if you disagree with me, then good. This is what democracy is all about, and political diversity is healthy especially amongst latter-day saints. I hope we don’t become like the evangelicals and vote on masse becuase someone said latter-day saints are republican no matter who the candidate is or what they say or do. As I said earlier, no political party should claim ownership of latter-day saints. Only by discussion and healthy debate can democracy flourish amongest latter-day saints and in our community.
July 17, 2008 at 8:03 am |
Like the others on here, I wanted to get in touch with you but didn’t see any way to do that other than via comment. Anyway, I’ve been reading your blog and thought you might be interested in some information on oil shale development in your state. As I’m sure you know, it’s a hot topic in Utah and throughout the west, especially in the face of such high gas prices. My organization, The Wilderness Society, thought you might be able to offer some perspective on the issue, and we’d like to share our information with you. If that strikes your fancy, I’d love to talk to you a bit more via e-mail. Just let me know — I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
-Andy Peters
August 22, 2008 at 1:47 pm |
Thanks for your recent comment on my blog about the gentrification of Salt Lake City. I wondering if there’s some way to organize on this. I thought I’d start by writing my SL Councilmember. I’d like to get Ralph Becker on board with this as well. My biggest limitations seem to be time. If you know others that are interested in this issue, please let me know. I think it’s important to move on this before things get more out of control.
October 1, 2008 at 3:11 pm |
Great Blog! We all need to do our part to help others with similar views understand that liberal Mormons are not alone! http://www.mormondemocrats.com
January 14, 2009 at 1:15 pm |
http://mormonmatters.org/2009/01/14/conservative-evangelicals-liberal-mormons-are-they-really-similar-in-ways/
Hi again,
I saw this and thought of you.
-Shinai.
February 28, 2009 at 10:48 pm |
Great blog! I just stumbled across you on LDS BLOGS. My husband and I just built a website (MormonsMadeSimple.com) which uses simple, explanatory videos to explain the Mormon faith. Feel free to embed one of our videos in your blog, if you think it would be a good missionary tool.
Thanks!
Laurel & Doug
March 11, 2009 at 7:04 am |
Love your blog. However, you had mentioned my full legal name and something about my medical condition from last year’s state convention. It is one of the first things pulled up when I am googled. I wish we lived in a better world than the one we do, but quite frankly it’s making me unemployable since people don’t hire people with incurable serious diseases. If you could misspell my last name perhaps in editing or just erase it altogether my wife and I would greatly appreciate it.
Much appreciated,
Dimitri-
April 22, 2009 at 7:09 pm |
I lack the patience to try to reason with those who appear (from my viewpoint) entrenched in their ignorance, but I am glad that you show patience, respect, and compassion, above and beyond the call of duty; if the entrenched don’t budge, some of the lurkers will benefit from your efforts.
Keep up the good work!
July 30, 2009 at 4:37 pm |
I’m a video producer for Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports, and I thought you might be interested in some videos we’ve done about Utah residents’ experience with the health care system.
Here’s one about Wellers bookstore in Salt Lake City, UT, and how they’re coping with high insurance costs:
http://bit.ly/IBO22
And another about a general contractor in Lehi, UT who has a ceiling on his career because of complications with getting coverage with his wife’s pre-existing conditions:
http://bit.ly/2mg5g
Feel free to embed then in your blog posts if you’re looking for more multimedia or personal stories when writing about health care. There’s code for embedding the videos right below the video.
September 15, 2009 at 8:19 pm |
I can remember my mother reading church books by Dr Skousen: http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/09/16/beck_skousen/
This is not good for the church.
February 26, 2010 at 6:58 am |
hi, i’m wondering if anyone would consider signing a petition for financial transparency in the lds church:
http://www.petitiononline.com/2915spar/petition.html
i myself am a member of the church and i think transparency would be a positive thing to have.
April 14, 2010 at 10:32 am |
I agree that transparency is a good thing, but unlike most political figures, I trust the church leaders to make sound decisions with my 10%.
May 5, 2010 at 6:52 pm |
I didn’t see an email but I thought you might be interested in this…
This Tea Party activist
http://www.youtube.com/user/nospopulus
is SELLING copies of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” sung, probably, by the Mormon tabernacle choir.
The choir is probably not aware of it. Because they would surely shut it down… Unless of course they supported the sentiments of the video.
Such law abiding citizens!
I thought you might be interested…
May 13, 2010 at 9:08 am |
Liberal Mormon,
I just have a quick question for you but couldn’t find an email so had to resort to this. I am a progressive blogger. Please email me back at barbaraobrien@maacenter.org when you get a chance. Thanks.
Barbara
September 21, 2010 at 7:47 pm |
Hey Derek did you see this?
http://latterdaymainstreet.com/2010/09/21/bringing-back-liberal-mormonism/
September 21, 2010 at 7:49 pm |
oops forgot a title: Bringing back Liberal Mormonism
September 29, 2010 at 1:11 pm |
Thanks for pointing it out, Gene.
December 2, 2010 at 11:27 pm |
Utah’s New Senator And The Intellectual Decline Of LDS Conservatism
http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/joannabrooks/3824/utah's_new_senator_and_the_intellectual_decline_of_lds_conservatism/
-Gene
February 7, 2011 at 1:25 pm |
I just joined the church, its been a little more then a month. My mother called when she found out and freaked out saying “Mormons are Conservatives, Republicans. Mit Romney etc and How could you being such a hardcore liberal join a church like that. ?”
Well, Im glad to have found this blog. I will be reading it alot. I didnt see an e-mail and just wanted to be able to send personal emails back and forth about being a liberal mormon. Maybe someone out in Internet land could create like a yahoo liberal mormon group or maybe a facebook page. That would be awsome. If one already exist can someone send post a link for me?
Thanks everyone here, now I dont feel alone.
February 7, 2011 at 2:44 pm |
Welcome, Andrew. Good to hear from you. Congrats on your recent conversion.
I’m afraid, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, and for a variety of reasons, I’ve been less active on this blog for the last year. I still hope to write more here sometime soon, or perhaps to merge this blog with others to create a group liberal blog. Whatever I do, never fear; there is still a lively liberal LDS community in the blogosphere, and in the Bloggernacle (the term we use to refer to the LDS presence in the blogosphere). I participate a bit more frequently right now on feministmormonhousewives.org, a blog not directly about politics, but one whose participants tend to lean left. If you want really radical, leftist Mormon political blogs, you can go to themormonworker.wordpress.com. There are others. I believe I have links to several mormon liberal blogs in my Delicious bookmarks (see the sidebar on the homepage). If you participate on FaceBook, you can find a couple different active LDS Left groups there (to at least a few of which I belong), and yes, there is a LDS Left Yahoo! group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lds-left/?yguid=48242619). I’m sure you can find other online LDS left resources.
Hope to hear from you again, here or elsewhere Andrew!
February 8, 2011 at 1:19 pm |
Derek Staffanson Thank you so much. I checked out themormonworker and its what I was hoping for, again THANK YOU!!
February 8, 2011 at 1:32 pm
You’re welcome, Andrew! Yes, TMW does some fantastic work.
April 3, 2011 at 10:52 pm |
Greetings,
I apologize for the indirect communication (I couldn’t locate an email address), but my wife and I have enjoyed reading and perusing your blog for some time and were thinking/hoping that you might be interested in a blog that we have recently begun with a few others: http://voiceoftheorder.blogspot.com/ . Being complete neophytes in the blogosphere/bloggernacle, I was hoping that you might take a glance there and consider whether my initial posting would be of interest to you or your readers/contributors/etc. If such is the case, I would kindly request that you mention it, link to it, or comment upon it in order to generate traffic and interest in what I hope will become an innovative and relevant topic to interested members of the LDS community. We’d appreciate any links (or advice for that matter).
Please keep up the good work in providing an interesting and valuable resource for the online LDS community.
Best regards,
Morley-Moffitt.
April 4, 2011 at 1:38 pm |
Welcome, Morley-Moffitt. Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate your concern for and interest in these sorts of issues, and your blog looks like a great start. I’m afraid I’m on a bit of a sabbatical at this time. I hope to begin posting on politics and social issues again before long. In the meantime, as I mentioned to Andrew earlier, I would recommend you to check in with themormonworker.wordpress.com. I suspect you would enjoy their discussion and advice.
September 1, 2011 at 11:43 pm |
Okay, try this on for size:
There’s a book out called “How Can You Possibly be a Mormon and a Democrat?”
That’s what I’d like to know!
Well, a quick look through the book, on Amazon, and the reviews and… well, turns out that’s exactly what the book answers.
It’s at Deseret Book too. Your thoughts?
October 11, 2011 at 9:22 pm |
Why Utah Mormons should become Democrats: http://signaturebookslibrary.org/?p=19103
July 20, 2013 at 3:20 am |
Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your blog and in accession capital to assert that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts.
Any way I will be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently fast.
May 16, 2014 at 4:29 pm |
Hi,
My name is John Draper. I’m writing my first book. It takes place in a ward in the Pacific Northwest in 1979, right after Spencer Kimball reversed the priesthood ban. I’m not a Mormon, so I’ve done a ton of research, including interviewing a ton of Mormons and es-Mormons – and having them read drafts.
Anyway, I’m adding a new character: a liberal member of the ward.
I would like to talk to a Mormon who was a liberal Mormon in 1979 and lived through this whole passage.
Do you know someone who fits that description?
I’d love to talk to them. The conversation will help me build my character sketch
Thanks for your time
March 14, 2018 at 8:56 pm |
Wonderful beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your
website, how can i subscribe for a blog web site? The account aided me a acceptable deal.
I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered
bright clear concept