SALT LAKE CITY 29 March 2007 An invitation by Brigham Young University to the vice president of the United States to be the commencement speaker next month has triggered discussion and some controversy over the issue of political neutrality.
Whatever the personal views of individual students or other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the invitation is seen by the university’s board of trustees as one extended to someone holding the high office of vice president of the United States rather than to a partisan political figure.
The Salt Lake Tribune ran two articles in its edition this morning (29 March) related to the pending visit of the vice president.
One, a prominently displayed personal opinion piece by a political reporter, criticizes the Church, in intemperate and disrespectful language, for inviting Vice President Dick Cheney to be the commencement speaker.
The reporter’s central point seems to be that inviting the vice president — presumably this particular vice president — is inconsistent with the Church’s often-stated political neutrality.
The other article — in the same newspaper — is an editorial that urges that the vice president be allowed to speak because “this is democracy at work” and that an audience of college graduates is capable of assessing what he says. The newspaper further says that the decision was for the BYU board of trustees to make, “just as it is the right of anyone who disagrees with the choice to say so.”
Let’s take a look at what the Church’s political neutrality policy is.
First, the Church prohibits any Church leader from endorsing a candidate in the name of the Church. In the American political process, endorsement means officially putting the weight of an institution or individual behind a political candidate — publicly giving unequivocal support to the candidate’s policies and platform.
Second, the Church bans the use of its chapels for party political purposes and also refuses to allow the distribution of Church membership rolls to anyone, including politicians and candidates.
It also carefully avoids telling its members for whom they should vote. Neither does it tell elected Latter-day Saint officials how they should vote.
Such a policy makes sense in a Church that operates in more than 160 countries and with a global membership that embraces many different political persuasions and views. But the policy is also a reflection of what Church leaders see as the organization’s central mission — to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. To engage in partisan politics or to take up every social cause would be to divert the Church from that mission.
There is also another side to the neutrality policy, apart from prohibitions. The Church “encourages its members to play a role as responsible citizens in their communities, including becoming informed about issues and voting in elections.”
Further, the Church “expects its members to engage in the political process in an informed and civil manner, respecting the fact that members of the Church come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences and may have differences of opinion in partisan political matters.”
The invitation to the vice president of the United States is not a violation of that policy, any more than inviting the majority leader of the Senate would be. In fact, Senator Harry Reid — a Democrat from the opposite political pole to the vice president — has already accepted such an invitation for this fall. That invitation has been in process for many months — long before the announcement of the vice president’s visit.
Is it appropriate for a university — even one that espouses a policy of political neutrality — to have as featured speakers the holders of some of the highest offices in the land? Of course it is. And whoever the visitor — the vice president, the majority leader of the Senate or the chief justice of the Supreme Court (another scheduled fall speaker) — the university and the student body will listen, evaluate and react to them as intelligent citizens capable of making up their own minds about their messages.
Whatever the personal views of individual students or other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the invitation is seen by the university’s board of trustees as one extended to someone holding the high office of vice president of the United States rather than to a partisan political figure.
The Salt Lake Tribune ran two articles in its edition this morning (29 March) related to the pending visit of the vice president.
One, a prominently displayed personal opinion piece by a political reporter, criticizes the Church, in intemperate and disrespectful language, for inviting Vice President Dick Cheney to be the commencement speaker.
The reporter’s central point seems to be that inviting the vice president — presumably this particular vice president — is inconsistent with the Church’s often-stated political neutrality.
The other article — in the same newspaper — is an editorial that urges that the vice president be allowed to speak because “this is democracy at work” and that an audience of college graduates is capable of assessing what he says. The newspaper further says that the decision was for the BYU board of trustees to make, “just as it is the right of anyone who disagrees with the choice to say so.”
Let’s take a look at what the Church’s political neutrality policy is.
First, the Church prohibits any Church leader from endorsing a candidate in the name of the Church. In the American political process, endorsement means officially putting the weight of an institution or individual behind a political candidate — publicly giving unequivocal support to the candidate’s policies and platform.
Second, the Church bans the use of its chapels for party political purposes and also refuses to allow the distribution of Church membership rolls to anyone, including politicians and candidates.
It also carefully avoids telling its members for whom they should vote. Neither does it tell elected Latter-day Saint officials how they should vote.
Such a policy makes sense in a Church that operates in more than 160 countries and with a global membership that embraces many different political persuasions and views. But the policy is also a reflection of what Church leaders see as the organization’s central mission — to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. To engage in partisan politics or to take up every social cause would be to divert the Church from that mission.
There is also another side to the neutrality policy, apart from prohibitions. The Church “encourages its members to play a role as responsible citizens in their communities, including becoming informed about issues and voting in elections.”
Further, the Church “expects its members to engage in the political process in an informed and civil manner, respecting the fact that members of the Church come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences and may have differences of opinion in partisan political matters.”
The invitation to the vice president of the United States is not a violation of that policy, any more than inviting the majority leader of the Senate would be. In fact, Senator Harry Reid — a Democrat from the opposite political pole to the vice president — has already accepted such an invitation for this fall. That invitation has been in process for many months — long before the announcement of the vice president’s visit.
Is it appropriate for a university — even one that espouses a policy of political neutrality — to have as featured speakers the holders of some of the highest offices in the land? Of course it is. And whoever the visitor — the vice president, the majority leader of the Senate or the chief justice of the Supreme Court (another scheduled fall speaker) — the university and the student body will listen, evaluate and react to them as intelligent citizens capable of making up their own minds about their messages.
7 comments:
You have to remember that the LDS Church is a very influential institution in Utah. Some resent that and feel that they have valid reasons for their resentment. To them, everything the church does is suspect and cannot be good.
I believe the Church does take a neutral stance when it comes to politics. The association that Wayne Holland and I have had with the LDS Church has been both insightful and respectful.
Let me state that I am no fan of Vice President Cheney. I think he is selling our country off to the highest bidder, but with that said I would like to add that I would hate to see Utah Democrats act in the same manner that Utah conservatives did when Michael Moore came to town.
If there is a protest, I hope it is in the name of peace, but I can assure anyone reading this comment that the LDS Church invited the vice president of the United States, not the Republican vice president of the United States.
When Nevada Senator Harry Reid comes to town, or if we are able to bring in other prominent Democrats to BYU (hint, hint), I hope that my Republican friends will feel the same as I do, and respect these opportunities for the students of BYU to see and experience diverse political viewpoints.
Well said, by all.
We should not question the Brethern - we should be proud of having the vice president come to BYU.
Shame on those who question the Brethern
We're not questioning the brethren. We're ashamed that our vice president is SO politically polarizing. There are some who don't like his politics, and feel there are other outlets for him rather than LDS owned BYU.
Patriots need monitor and then rebuke salt lake city ksl radio talk show host doug rite each time he lies about rocky anderson or tries to falsely promote hannity.
you can catch streaming audio by clicking on www.ksl.com
9 am to noon, MST.
This dog is trying to use OUR airwaves to attack anderson in order to promote hannity.
remember: rite is a coward and the call screener will not pass you on if he thinks you will make rite look bad. Therefore, take your comment and put a positve twist to it in order to evade the censor and then give the uncensored version once on the air.
as stated above, rite is basically a coward and will retreat if attacked. "run for cover" is probably a better description.
General weaknesses of rite: he likes to quote anonymous sources. Example: "i know hard core democrats who are embarrassed by rocky." But he will not give the source because he is a coward. He is obviusly lying. this makes him vulnerable to criticism. he incessant lying is also a weak link to be exploited.
Call in number 801 575 8255
FREEDOM!!!!!
Good grief, people! The VP of the United States does NOT extend himself invitations! The VP merely responds to prior requests and makes him/her-self available when POTUS has declined.
What's the big deal, here? Whether it's BYU or UNLV or Rutgers....it's still quite a "pull" to get the nation's no. 2.
Would you all rather George Clooney? Meryl Streep?
If BYU students don't understand the legitimacy and importance that having the VP of the US address their body - than God help us all.
Cheney is the VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!
Even though I am not a member of the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-Day Saints - I am honored, as a Utahn, that the VP would want to come to Utah.
Getting over your petty nonsense, is my hope.
GOP Sniper
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