This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

As I read the April 12 letter to the editor from James M. Evans, chairman of the Utah Republican Party, complaining of an egregious attack on the poor and defenseless Sen. Orrin Hatch, I giggled, then laughed out loud.

This is coming from an organization that has silenced almost half of the population through gerrymandering. Evans has called us who are silenced thugs for voicing our displeasure for our lack of representation. Evans has been very busy at his turntable spinning away any questions directed towards the real thugs in this state.

This all reminds me of the time my mother was in the process of buying her first home through the federal government's 235 low income housing program in the early 1970s. The builder required a temple recommend to finalize the deal, he explained. "We want to make sure we get the right people to create the right atmosphere," he said. When my mother had her attorney call and explain this a federal program and he would take action to protect her rights, the builder quickly accused my mother of religious persecution. This claim came from a wealthy developer who belonged to the still dominant church in this state.

David Vialpando

South Jordan