An Opinion. Peace.

It’s been an interesting week. Last week I wrote about why I’m somewhat reticent to share my opinions about things that really matter (things like colors of M&Ms and who I REALLY think can dance, for example). As soon as I finished writing last week about the complexities behind not sharing my opinions, I decided to start to jot down a big-old soggy list of some of the opinions that I do have. Amazingly, it seems like once you start to look for them, opinions are everywhere. In our schools. In our churches (nod your heads, even if reluctantly, you fellow Mormons). On the news. Also on the “news,” which is often nothing but opinions. In fact at this very moment there could be an opinion

right

behind you . . . .

DARK CHOCOLATE’S SUPPOSED HEALTHY ANTI-OXIDANT CONTENT DOES NOT MAKE UP FOR IT’S BITTER AND UNPLEASANT TASTE!!!!

(Scary, isn’t it?)

Moving onward.

The following is only a partial list of opinions that I currently hold. There are a number of issues that I want to get to, but I’m not satisfied with the wording of my explanation of them. In the same way it would be ridiculous to launch a new version of Windows on the world that wasn't an improvement and full of flaws (Game: find the implied opinion of Windows Vista in this sentence!), I don't want to go tossing my hat into the ring to casually. Hats have gotten pretty nasty email's that way.

Also, while perusing my small smattering of opinions, casually picking them up and tossing them aside like so many pairs of pants at the Nordstrom Rack, keep in mind that not all of my opinions are as strongly held as others. For example, my opinion that Governor Mike Huckabee is over-hyped and under-qualified to become President of the United States, is probably less strongly held and only of slightly less national importance than my opinion that any guy who is still popping the collar of his polo shirt deserves to be publicly ridiculed in the streets. In a different vein, my favorite flavor of Otter pop can fluctuate on a monthly basis (either Sir Issac Lime or Strawberry Short Kook), whereas it will take a great deal to change my conviction that “New York Doll” is currently the best example of what mainstream LDS cinema can accomplish. (Note: I found an amazingly serendipitous picture of, get this, a chinchilla eating a strawberry Otter pop! What are the odds?! Also, "Serendipity" wasn't a great movie.)

While I could ramble on forever about opinions that probably don’t matter, that is probably just me beating about the bush. (Too bad I didn’t write anything about President Bush because that last line was a perfect set up! ZING!). But in any case, away we go:

Global Warming (and/or Environmentalism): Moving toward more environmental conscious efforts is good, but the U.S.'s efforts and legislations are not going to make a bit of difference until China's (and to a lesser degree South America's and India's) industry begin to do the same. I think the wisest course of action is to spend money on new echo-friendly technologies that will be indispensable, rather than slightly more hip or convenient. People (and countries) choose hybrid cars not because just because they want to protect the environment, but because they want to save money on gas.

Healthcare: It definitely needs to be more accessible for more people (there are far, far to many people in our country without health care, to the tune of 47 million). But to remove capital gain from the equation removes a lot of money for medical innovation. I currently think that moving directly to universal or socialized health care (as opposed to a system with universal healthcare for children, and/or for financially deficient individuals), is not the right way to move.

School vouchers: (this is old news, but I wanted to get it out there) would have been most beneficial to middle to upper-class families (those who could almost, just about afford private school without government assistance). With new voucher money to be made, there would have certainly been an increase in new, private institutions, but that more does not guarantee that they would be any better than government regulated school. In the end, the low-income families, the ones that the legislation was touted to help the most, would still, most likely be forced to put their children in the school closest to their homes or take on themselves whatever extra transport, supplies and costs that the very best schools would require.

Electoral College: I think that the electoral college is worth holding on to. I think that while the desire to abolish it in the name of "making each vote equal" is tempting because it would make my middle-of-Utah vote worth more (read: something), I think that giving even partial voting power to states with low populations maintains not only the style of government in line with the constitution, but also maintains a political climate of recognition of the rights of the few.

Regarding Members of the LDS Church: I am uncomfortable (and sick and tired, but also kind of resigned) with unfair, thoughtless judgmental attitudes directed toward, members of the Church (of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). But I am maybe even more uncomfortable with thoughtless, judgmental attitudes coming from existing members of the Church. While there is (thankfully I guess) much more unfair prejudice and hostility from the outside in, far too much of the same goes unnoticed or unmentioned within the Church. I feel a great deal of empathy from those who (somewhat justifiably) feel estranged from the Church and its members because of members' reactions their situations, which could include single parenthood, homosexuality, divorce, mental illness, unemployment, temporary unworthiness, intellectual doubts or just for voting Democrat. My empathy doesn’t minimize my convictions, especially my conviction that the LDS people should be the first to lovingly respond to those in the midst of struggle.

Animal rights/PETA: Animals have rights and should be protected and their homes and habitats supported. One of the best sources of income and education for preservation and conservation are through hunting and fishing programs. PETA shoots itself in the foot by supporting ridiculous propositions frequently enough that we have a hard time taking their more moderate suggestions (against animal cruelty for example) seriously. (This is a picture of a real Peta publication, by the way, a comic aimed at kids)

Gun Control: Education, licenses, background checks and waiting periods are acceptable "inconveniences" and should continue to be requirements to own firearms. But at the same time, making it harder for people to legally acquire firearms, or making them illegal altogether, will not keep them out of the hands of the vast majority of people who wish to use them with malicious intent. Also, the right to own firearms is not the same as the right to own armor piercing, anti-helicopter, automatic machine guns.

The Changing of Opinions (of politicians): (this hasn't been a big deal lately, but it sure bugs me when it comes up). Everyone argues that the other side of a debate is wrong for not agreeing, and would recongize that the more people change their minds to their side of the debate the better. But if there is ever evidence that someone in office has changed their mind on some "critical issue" or another, they are painted as undesireable and unreliable to come to the debate at all.

A few more off the top of my head for good measure:

- The environment/attitude in any field to only attack what is unappealing without suggesting new possible directions for debate/research/policies to explore cultivates an environment stifling to creativity.

- I miss watching my stories, but I support the writers involved in the writers strike (I can't watch Conan O'Brian sans-writers anymore though. It makes my heart weep).

- Selling pest control/security systems, working for an insurance company, and becoming a TV/movie screen writer are all jobs that I feel would eventually involve me compromising my morals (including my moral obligation to not write for terrible movies), but the only one I would consider doing that for is to be a writer. (Unless it was for writing new Geico commercials).

- "30 Rock" is probably the funniest/best written show on television right now. And I might have a bit of a crush on Tina Fey.

-This is first the blog entry that I am simultaneously most satisfied with and least satisfied with. And even with further expansion and revision, I will never really be completely satisfied with it.

But that's just one man's __________.