In her July 27 commentary, Julie Day asks for local religious leaders to speak out on health care reform, saying among other things that, “Silence is not an option.”
Quite the interesting remark to make considering that, over the years, The Salt Lake Tribune has published numerous letters from readers blasting local religious leaders, particularly those of the LDS Church, for speaking out on virtually any political matter they’ve chosen to address. These attacks are not exclusive to matters such as same-sex marriage or Utah’s alcohol laws, but also on more progressive issues, such as immigration.
On top of that, numerous comments on social media have been aimed at religious groups attacking them for the creation of programs such as the LDS Church’s “I Was a Stranger” campaign, stating these programs are either a violation of the separation of church and state or simply an attempt to improve the church’s public relations. The LDS Church has even been attacked on social media for defending itself against the claims of the Bundy family during their standoff last year against federal authorities in Oregon.
Day may be eager to have local religious leaders speak out on health care, but other Tribune readers have made their voice heard toward these same leaders more than quite clear. When it comes to any and all issues related to political or government affairs, their message boils down to four simple words. “Keep your mouth shut.”
In their opinion, silence is the only option.
Chris Roger Larsen
Tooele