The voting for the Brodie Awards has begun!! Please go here to cast your votes. I know that there are quite a lot of nominations, but you have two weeks to vote — so I really hope you’ll take the opportunity to review these awesome nominations a few at a time, and vote for the ones you like best!! And check out this Mormon news year in review!
Mormon news was overshadowed this week by the reality of Trump getting sworn in as the new POTUS — and the overwhelming response from all over the world!! There are so many reasons to march:
I feel sad and afraid as I think about the future. What will happen to me and to people like me? I didn’t have anything life threatening, but what if I had? What if I do in the future? What if Todd does? What happens to the people who are “uninsurable” now?
And the work doesn’t stop there!
Of course there was a bit of a Mormon angle. After compromising their reputation by sending the MoTab choir to sing for Trump’s inaugural, the CoJCoL-dS was rewarded with the news that Trump’s pre-inaugural church service was given by a pastor who has called the CoJCoL-dS a cult. God I wish the church leadership would grow some self-respect and stop begging for a seat at the mean girls’ lunch table. It’s not going to happen. Let’s instead stand with our fellow minorities. Catch a clue!
Donald Trump, to me, is not someone that decent, God fearing, family loving, fiscally conservative people ought to be backing. To me, it doesn’t make any sense. Here’s a man dripping with riches, living in a fucking gold tower in New York City. Yes, he’s filthy rich, and Republicans like that. But did he get that way by being fiscally conservative? No.
Fortunately my feed is full of Mormons who have caught the clue:
And so, no thanks. Trump is not worthy of our respect in any way. I don’t support him and won’t support him. A transition of power to someone like him is cause for mourning, because it appears that the electors of this nation have chosen evil over good. I support those exercising their rights to demonstrate against Trump. I view all those performing for Trump as having tainted themselves and their reputations. In the case of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Piano Guys, the pain is particularly acute. Mormonism is small. Our reputations are linked in the eyes of the public. Now, Mormons have vocally and disproportionately identified their brand with Donald Trump. But I won’t normalize him or respect him until he demonstrates himself as worthy of respect. I don’t respect offices. And neither should you.
In other Mormon News, BYU is still working on the rape problem, and it’s a bit of a bumpy ride — just have a look at this open letter. Also, what’s up with those mountain letters…?
In life journeys, check out this new podcast! Also, Gina’s faith has irreversibly changed, GenX Gillian is healing, and Julie de Azevedo Hanks listed things to say and things not to say to a loved one who is leaving the church.
And let’s close with a poem, an allegory, and a tale of magic and the Eagle Forum. Good luck in the coming week, not to mention the coming few years…