Update October 8th: Controversy expands; see updated post HERE.
Here we go again - the politically-correct fascists are trying to take down a good man because he sinned against the Gospel of Political Correctness. Gary Jensen, the newly-appointed police chief in Logan, was found to be in a video shot two years ago in Vernal where Jensen, then the Vernal police chief, was participating in a demonstration involving one man hitting another in the buttocks with a pair of nunchucks. Logan Municipal Council members were e-mailed a copy of the video by an unidentified person on Sunday October 4th. The video has now been dunned the "Vernal Ass-Whip" video, and has also drawn fire from Salt Lake Crawlmeister Glen Warchol. Primary media story in the Cache Valley Daily.
Monday, October 5, 2009
South Salt Lake Gay Assault Victim D.J. Bell Denies The Kids Were In His Bedroom, Says He Will File A Civil Suit Against His Assailants
Gay assault victim D.J. Bell spoke out to the Utah media on October 5th, 2009. Not only did he deny that the two kids were ever in his bedroom on July 4th, 2008, but also said he will definitely sue his attackers and may sue the South Salt Lake Police Department. You can read all previous posts on the D.J. Bell trial HERE, in inverse chronological order.
In an interview on KSL Channel 5, Bell said that on the night of the party, he couldn't find his cat, so he propped open the front door and left it open. He asked his neighbors if they'd seen his cat. When he went back home, he saw the two neighbor's kids standing in their front yard. Bell said one of the kids asked for Kool-Aid, so he told them to wait there and he would go get some from his house. The kids followed him but didn't come inside. He turned around and saw them in the doorway. He gave them the drink and said that's when Lulu Latu, the mother, found the kids and screamed. Bell then said, "And before I could say one word, I was attacked. She swung at me several times, hit me around the head and neck, smacked me into my refrigerator where I started to fall down." KSL news video embedded below:
In an interview on KSL Channel 5, Bell said that on the night of the party, he couldn't find his cat, so he propped open the front door and left it open. He asked his neighbors if they'd seen his cat. When he went back home, he saw the two neighbor's kids standing in their front yard. Bell said one of the kids asked for Kool-Aid, so he told them to wait there and he would go get some from his house. The kids followed him but didn't come inside. He turned around and saw them in the doorway. He gave them the drink and said that's when Lulu Latu, the mother, found the kids and screamed. Bell then said, "And before I could say one word, I was attacked. She swung at me several times, hit me around the head and neck, smacked me into my refrigerator where I started to fall down." KSL news video embedded below:
Video Courtesy of KSL.com
Michael And Christopher Hansen Sentenced To One Year In Jail For Attacking And Urinating On Grandmother In Salt Lake City
On October 5th, 2009, a 66-year-old Salt Lake City grandmother, now identified as Rita Avery, obtained some measure of justice when her attackers were sentenced to one year in jail followed by one year's probation. Her attackers - two of her grandsons, Michael and Christopher Hansen. Media stories published by the Salt Lake Tribune, the Deseret News and KSL Channel 5. KSL news video embedded below:
As first discussed in this previous post, on July 2nd, 22-year-old Christopher Eugene Hansen and 20-year-old Michael Levi Hansen Jr forced their way into a bathroom in the home near 700 South and 300 West that they shared with their 66-year-old grandmother as she was taking a shower. Christopher Hansen threw bottles of shampoo and baby powder at the woman, punched her in the face and urinated on her. Michael Hansen shoved and hit the grandmother as she tried to leave the bathroom and urinated on her clothing. According to an original July 7th Deseret News story, Christopher also pushed his grandmother into the bathtub, causing her to fall and hit her head. Fortunately, the grandmother only incurred bruising on the victim's face and a cut on her head.
Video Courtesy of KSL.com
As first discussed in this previous post, on July 2nd, 22-year-old Christopher Eugene Hansen and 20-year-old Michael Levi Hansen Jr forced their way into a bathroom in the home near 700 South and 300 West that they shared with their 66-year-old grandmother as she was taking a shower. Christopher Hansen threw bottles of shampoo and baby powder at the woman, punched her in the face and urinated on her. Michael Hansen shoved and hit the grandmother as she tried to leave the bathroom and urinated on her clothing. According to an original July 7th Deseret News story, Christopher also pushed his grandmother into the bathtub, causing her to fall and hit her head. Fortunately, the grandmother only incurred bruising on the victim's face and a cut on her head.
Ever Hear Of The Congressional "Sunset Caucus" To Reduce The Size Of Government? Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz Is A Co-Chair
Thanks to Salt Lake Crawlmeister Glen Warchol, I've learned about the existence of a semi-official group of U.S. House members who've dedicated themselves to reducing waste and redundancy in government - one program at a time. They refer to themselves as the "Sunset Caucus". And Utah's Third District Congressman Jason Chaffetz, despite being a rookie in his first term, is a co-chair of the Caucus, thus wielding clout significantly in excess of his rookie status. This type of influence is good for the Beehive State. Rep. Chaffetz further explained his participation in this group in an October 4th Deseret News article.
Although I could find no stand-alone website for the Sunset Caucus, it is the brainchild of the Republican Study Committee (RSC) and chairman, Rep. Tom Price (R-GA). In his press release about the Caucus, Rep. Price identified its purpose as to protect taxpayers by shrinking the size of government – one wasteful, duplicative, or unnecessary program at a time. They seek to ensure that House members put their money where their mouth is and force votes to eliminate needless government bureaucracy.
Each member of the RSC Sunset Caucus will:
-- Adopt one or more federal program they believe has outlived its usefulness or never should have been enacted.
-- Publicly champion the repeal or de-funding of the program(s).
-- Offer an amendment during the relevant appropriations bill to defund the program(s).
-- Introduce stand alone legislation to sunset the targeted program(s).
Sunday, October 4, 2009
LDS 179th Semiannual General Conference Wraps Up With Call By President Thomas S. Monson To Serve Others And To Better Exemplify Jesus Christ
The 179th Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wrapped up on Sunday October 4th with a call to church members by President Thomas S. Monson to serve others and better exemplify Christian faith. More than 100,000 Church members descended upon Salt Lake City for the two-day conference; the Conference Center was filled to capacity with 21,000 for each event while others watched at various overflow facilities near Temple Square. Million more watched the proceedings by satellite and other electronic media. The Deseret News has published a brief history of LDS Conferences; other media stories from the Deseret News, the Salt Lake Tribune, and KSL Channel 5; KSL news video embedded below.
Video and audio archives and written transcripts now available via the LDS 2009 Conference Page. You can also review abridged summaries of the talks presented in inverse chronological order at Mormonism-Unveiled, replete with numerous media links.
A wide variety of General Authorities talked of civility, virtuous lives and renewed faith. Many spoke of a renewed need to express more love to family members and reach out to those in need, as the Savior Himself taught. But several General Authorities spoke out boldly against growing permissiveness, moral relativism, and value neutrality in today's society, most notably Dallin Oaks and D. Todd Christofferson.
Elder Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve stated that although God's universal and perfect love is shown in all the blessings of His gospel plan, His choicest blessings are only reserved for those who obey His laws. Specifically, Elder Oaks stated, "The love of God does not supersede His laws and His commandments, and the effect of God's laws and commandments does not diminish the purpose and effect of His love." So although God's love is unconditional, His willingness to dispense blessings is conditional upon obedience. As Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments".
Elder Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve delivered what might be the most controversial speech of the conference. He spoke out against what is best known as "moral relativism", leading off by saying that positive outcomes occur when moral agency is accompanied by "moral discipline". He defined moral discipline as the consistent exercise of agency to choose the right because it is right, even when it is hard. In short, virtue becomes its own reward. Elder Christofferson also explained that many societies have failed to foster moral discipline, teaching that truth is merely relative and that everyone decides for himself or herself what is right. Concepts such as sin have been condemned as "value judgements." As a consequence, self-discipline has eroded, and societies are left to try to maintain order and civility by compulsion. The lack of internal control by individuals breeds external control by governments enacting more and stronger regulation; this approach leads to diminished freedom for everyone.
In addition, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve lashed out at critics of the Book of Mormon. "For 179 years, this book has been examined and attacked, denied and deconstructed, targeted and torn apart like perhaps no other book in modern religious history -- perhaps like no other book in any religious history. And still it stands," Holland said. "If anyone is foolish enough or misled enough to reject 531 pages of a heretofore unknown text teeming with literary and Semitic complexity without honestly attempting to account for the origin of those pages ... such persons, elect or otherwise, have been deceived and, if they leave this church, they must do so by crawling over or around or under The Book of Mormon to make their exit."
Those who were anticipating the announcement of new temples were not disappointed. At the Saturday morning session, President Monson announced five new temples, described in greater detail in my previous post. One of them will be in Utah, located in Brigham City. While the Logan Temple is just 20 miles northeast, and the Ogden Temple around 20 miles south, both temples are reaching their saturation points with regard to usage, so another temple in the area is necessary. Most LDS members in Brigham City reacted joyously at the news, with reaction documented on KSL, the Ogden Standard-Examiner, and the Salt Lake Tribune.
Video Courtesy of KSL.com
Video and audio archives and written transcripts now available via the LDS 2009 Conference Page. You can also review abridged summaries of the talks presented in inverse chronological order at Mormonism-Unveiled, replete with numerous media links.
A wide variety of General Authorities talked of civility, virtuous lives and renewed faith. Many spoke of a renewed need to express more love to family members and reach out to those in need, as the Savior Himself taught. But several General Authorities spoke out boldly against growing permissiveness, moral relativism, and value neutrality in today's society, most notably Dallin Oaks and D. Todd Christofferson.
Elder Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve stated that although God's universal and perfect love is shown in all the blessings of His gospel plan, His choicest blessings are only reserved for those who obey His laws. Specifically, Elder Oaks stated, "The love of God does not supersede His laws and His commandments, and the effect of God's laws and commandments does not diminish the purpose and effect of His love." So although God's love is unconditional, His willingness to dispense blessings is conditional upon obedience. As Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments".
Elder Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve delivered what might be the most controversial speech of the conference. He spoke out against what is best known as "moral relativism", leading off by saying that positive outcomes occur when moral agency is accompanied by "moral discipline". He defined moral discipline as the consistent exercise of agency to choose the right because it is right, even when it is hard. In short, virtue becomes its own reward. Elder Christofferson also explained that many societies have failed to foster moral discipline, teaching that truth is merely relative and that everyone decides for himself or herself what is right. Concepts such as sin have been condemned as "value judgements." As a consequence, self-discipline has eroded, and societies are left to try to maintain order and civility by compulsion. The lack of internal control by individuals breeds external control by governments enacting more and stronger regulation; this approach leads to diminished freedom for everyone.
In addition, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve lashed out at critics of the Book of Mormon. "For 179 years, this book has been examined and attacked, denied and deconstructed, targeted and torn apart like perhaps no other book in modern religious history -- perhaps like no other book in any religious history. And still it stands," Holland said. "If anyone is foolish enough or misled enough to reject 531 pages of a heretofore unknown text teeming with literary and Semitic complexity without honestly attempting to account for the origin of those pages ... such persons, elect or otherwise, have been deceived and, if they leave this church, they must do so by crawling over or around or under The Book of Mormon to make their exit."
Those who were anticipating the announcement of new temples were not disappointed. At the Saturday morning session, President Monson announced five new temples, described in greater detail in my previous post. One of them will be in Utah, located in Brigham City. While the Logan Temple is just 20 miles northeast, and the Ogden Temple around 20 miles south, both temples are reaching their saturation points with regard to usage, so another temple in the area is necessary. Most LDS members in Brigham City reacted joyously at the news, with reaction documented on KSL, the Ogden Standard-Examiner, and the Salt Lake Tribune.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
LDS President Thomas S. Monson Announces Five New Temples At Saturday Morning Session Of LDS 179th Semiannual General Conference
Somewhere in the LDS blogosphere, some nameless wag asked if we could expect an "October Surprise" from the LDS Church leadership during the 179th Semiannual General Conference. While the conference has just started, the Church immediately attracted enhanced mainstream media attention when President Thomas S. Monson, in his opening address, announced the decision to build five more temples at various locations around the world. Read the full text of President Monson's address HERE. Primary stories from the Salt Lake Tribune, the Deseret News, and KSL Channel 5. The official press release is posted at LDS Newsroom. KSL news video embedded below:
Click on the city name to view a map of the location:
(1). Brigham City, Utah: This will be the 14th temple in Utah. LDS members in the area will no longer need to choose between attending the Logan Temple to the east, or the Ogden Temple to the south.
(2). Concepcion, Chile: This will be the second temple in Chile, the first being the Santiago Chile Temple.
(3). Fortaleza, Brazil: This will be the seventh temple in Brazil. Five are currently in operation — Sao Paulo, Porto Alegre, Recife, Campinas, and Curitiba - with a sixth, in Manaus, announced in 2007.
(4). Fort Lauderdale, Florida: This will be the second temple in Florida, the other being in Orlando. The Ft. Lauderdale temple will serve members living throughout south Florida as well as the Bahamas.
(5). Sapporo, Japan: This will be the third temple in Japan and the first on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The others are the Tokyo Japan Temple and the Fukuoka Japan Temple.
The LDS Church currently has 130 temples in operation worldwide, although operations at the Aba Nigeria Temple are temporarily suspended because of civil strife in the area. President Monson's announcement brings the total of additional temples either announced or under construction to 21. At present, 83 percent of LDS members worldwide live within 200 miles of a temple. Jeff Lindsay, a devout Mormon, provides a comprehensive description of the purpose of temples, which includes multiple links to official LDS pronouncements, HERE.
A new video circulating throughout the Web provides a short and concise orientation on temples. It is geared primarily towards younger people and those who speak English as a second language, but is well-crafted and I've embedded it below:
Additional media coverage of the conference will be posted on the Deseret News, the Mormon Times, and LDS Church News. Video and audio archives and written transcripts now available via the LDS 2009 Conference Page.
Video Courtesy of KSL.com
Click on the city name to view a map of the location:
(1). Brigham City, Utah: This will be the 14th temple in Utah. LDS members in the area will no longer need to choose between attending the Logan Temple to the east, or the Ogden Temple to the south.
(2). Concepcion, Chile: This will be the second temple in Chile, the first being the Santiago Chile Temple.
(3). Fortaleza, Brazil: This will be the seventh temple in Brazil. Five are currently in operation — Sao Paulo, Porto Alegre, Recife, Campinas, and Curitiba - with a sixth, in Manaus, announced in 2007.
(4). Fort Lauderdale, Florida: This will be the second temple in Florida, the other being in Orlando. The Ft. Lauderdale temple will serve members living throughout south Florida as well as the Bahamas.
(5). Sapporo, Japan: This will be the third temple in Japan and the first on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The others are the Tokyo Japan Temple and the Fukuoka Japan Temple.
The LDS Church currently has 130 temples in operation worldwide, although operations at the Aba Nigeria Temple are temporarily suspended because of civil strife in the area. President Monson's announcement brings the total of additional temples either announced or under construction to 21. At present, 83 percent of LDS members worldwide live within 200 miles of a temple. Jeff Lindsay, a devout Mormon, provides a comprehensive description of the purpose of temples, which includes multiple links to official LDS pronouncements, HERE.
A new video circulating throughout the Web provides a short and concise orientation on temples. It is geared primarily towards younger people and those who speak English as a second language, but is well-crafted and I've embedded it below:
Additional media coverage of the conference will be posted on the Deseret News, the Mormon Times, and LDS Church News. Video and audio archives and written transcripts now available via the LDS 2009 Conference Page.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Over 100,000 Visitors Expected In Salt Lake City For The 179th Semiannual LDS General Conference Beginning October 3rd, 2009
Over 100,000 visitors, many from outside the United States, are descending upon Salt Lake City for the 179th Semiannual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to take place on October 3rd and 4th, 2009. General sessions will be held at 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. on Saturday October 3rd, with the priesthood session at 6:00 P.M. The Sunday general sessions will be held at 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. All sessions originate in the LDS Conference Center, where tickets are required for admission. Several overflow locations, where admission tickets are not required, will be set up as usual; the complete list of overflow locations is available HERE. Map available HERE.
Utah residents and visitors are strongly encouraged to take public transportation to attend the sessions. Details on the availability of public transportation are discussed in the KSTU Channel 13 news video embedded below:
And here's a news video from KSL Channel 5:
Additional media story of use in the Deseret News. The Salt Lake Tribune also reports that a group of dissenters, the Foundation for Reconciliation, will hold a memorial service for gay and transgender Mormons who have committed suicide. Their purposes are to foster greater understanding between the church and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population and to highlight the plight of some Mormons who have felt despair over LDS teachings that being in a gay relationship is sinful. The service is Sunday at 7 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church, 569 S. 1300 East, Salt Lake City.
For those not attending in person or who merely want more information:
-- Visit the KSL conference page for information on watching their presentation online or to find out about radio stations broadcasting the sessions in Utah.
-- Visit the LDS website broadcast page for information on about video and audio streams and worldwide viewing options.
-- Realtime conference Twitter will be available HERE.
-- TempleStudy.com intends to attempt a joint streaming video feed and Twitter stream; more information HERE.
-- Update October 8th: Video and audio archives and written transcripts now available via the LDS 2009 Conference Page.
If you have kids and want to get them interested in conference, there are two separate resources available:
-- LDSResources has a 20-page Primary Activity Packet available.
-- LDS Media Talk discloses the availability of Friend Magazine's 10-page General Conference Notebook.
Additional ideas for engaging kids are presented on the Mormon World blog.
Utah residents and visitors are strongly encouraged to take public transportation to attend the sessions. Details on the availability of public transportation are discussed in the KSTU Channel 13 news video embedded below:
And here's a news video from KSL Channel 5:
Video Courtesy of KSL.com
Additional media story of use in the Deseret News. The Salt Lake Tribune also reports that a group of dissenters, the Foundation for Reconciliation, will hold a memorial service for gay and transgender Mormons who have committed suicide. Their purposes are to foster greater understanding between the church and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population and to highlight the plight of some Mormons who have felt despair over LDS teachings that being in a gay relationship is sinful. The service is Sunday at 7 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church, 569 S. 1300 East, Salt Lake City.
For those not attending in person or who merely want more information:
-- Visit the KSL conference page for information on watching their presentation online or to find out about radio stations broadcasting the sessions in Utah.
-- Visit the LDS website broadcast page for information on about video and audio streams and worldwide viewing options.
-- Realtime conference Twitter will be available HERE.
-- TempleStudy.com intends to attempt a joint streaming video feed and Twitter stream; more information HERE.
-- Update October 8th: Video and audio archives and written transcripts now available via the LDS 2009 Conference Page.
If you have kids and want to get them interested in conference, there are two separate resources available:
-- LDSResources has a 20-page Primary Activity Packet available.
-- LDS Media Talk discloses the availability of Friend Magazine's 10-page General Conference Notebook.
Additional ideas for engaging kids are presented on the Mormon World blog.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Newsmax's John Perry Presents Scenario For Peaceful Military Coup To Remove Barack Obama From Office; Newsmax Takes Down Article
On September 29th, 2009, Newsmax published an article by John Perry in which he proposed a likely scenario by which Barack Obama would be removed from the Presidency via a "constitutional coup". The coup would be modeled more after the peaceful version which removed the socialist President Manuel Zelaya from power in Honduras rather than the violent version in which Augusto Pinochet removed Salavdor Allende from power in 1973 and saved Chile from Communist dictatorship. Although many compare Obama to Adolf Hitler, Obama actually compares more favorably with Allende, Zelaya, Fidel Castro, and Hugo Chavez. But it's important to note that Perry was not positively advocating the execution of the scenario, however.
The article was entitled "Obama Risks a Domestic Military ‘Intervention’", but as you can see by clicking the link, Newsmax has since taken it down, replacing it with a disclaimer in which they state that Perry was not advocating such a scenario but simply describing one. But after several reader complaints, they wanted to ensure that the article was not misinterpreted, so they removed it. Newsmax also strongly reiterates that they believe in the principles of Constitutional government and would never advocate or insinuate any suggestion of an activity that would undermine our democracy or democratic institutions. They conclude by stating that Perry has no official relationship with Newsmax, but is merely an unpaid blogger.
The article was entitled "Obama Risks a Domestic Military ‘Intervention’", but as you can see by clicking the link, Newsmax has since taken it down, replacing it with a disclaimer in which they state that Perry was not advocating such a scenario but simply describing one. But after several reader complaints, they wanted to ensure that the article was not misinterpreted, so they removed it. Newsmax also strongly reiterates that they believe in the principles of Constitutional government and would never advocate or insinuate any suggestion of an activity that would undermine our democracy or democratic institutions. They conclude by stating that Perry has no official relationship with Newsmax, but is merely an unpaid blogger.
Elizabeth Smart Testified That She Was Repeatedly Raped By Brian David Mitchell During October 1st Competency Hearing In Salt Lake City
Elizabeth Smart is undoubtedly a role model for victim recovery. Thanks to a loving family and the support of a strong religious community, she has taken effective control of the memory of her ordeal. While the psychological scars undoubtedly remain, the poison is being leached out. It should be noted that many victims do not have the comprehensive support system available to Elizabeth Smart, so recovery in such cases can be delayed or even never achieved. Thus it is wise to avoid premature criticism of victims who do not instantly "snap out" of victimhood.
On October 1st 2009, Elizabeth Smart got the opportunity to leach out even more of the poison when she testified at the competency hearing of her former kidnapper, Brian David Mitchell, in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City. On two previous occasions, Mitchell was found incompetent to stand trial in the state court system, but in 2008, the U.S. Attorney's Office began a case against Mitchell and his actual wife, Wanda Eileen Barzee. Subsequently, a federal grand jury issued an indictment charging Mitchell and Barzee with kidnapping and coercion of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity for allegedly taking Smart across state lines from Utah to California. They face up to life in prison if convicted on the kidnapping charge.
The Salt Lake Tribune has posted an unofficial written transcript of the hearing HERE, for now. They got into trouble with the judge over it, so don't be surprised if they pull it down. However, KSTU has now posted a 72-page official copy of a written transcript HERE.
Other media stories published by the Salt Lake Tribune, the Deseret News, KSTU Channel 13 with reports HERE and HERE, and KSL Channel 5. KSL news video with multiple viewing options embedded below:
On October 1st 2009, Elizabeth Smart got the opportunity to leach out even more of the poison when she testified at the competency hearing of her former kidnapper, Brian David Mitchell, in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City. On two previous occasions, Mitchell was found incompetent to stand trial in the state court system, but in 2008, the U.S. Attorney's Office began a case against Mitchell and his actual wife, Wanda Eileen Barzee. Subsequently, a federal grand jury issued an indictment charging Mitchell and Barzee with kidnapping and coercion of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity for allegedly taking Smart across state lines from Utah to California. They face up to life in prison if convicted on the kidnapping charge.
The Salt Lake Tribune has posted an unofficial written transcript of the hearing HERE, for now. They got into trouble with the judge over it, so don't be surprised if they pull it down. However, KSTU has now posted a 72-page official copy of a written transcript HERE.
Other media stories published by the Salt Lake Tribune, the Deseret News, KSTU Channel 13 with reports HERE and HERE, and KSL Channel 5. KSL news video with multiple viewing options embedded below:
Video Courtesy of KSL.com
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