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 __________.

Red, White and Mute

"You don't agree with me? Clearly, I'm not speaking loud enough." - Groucho Marx

That quote really isn't by Groucho Marx (I just made it up). But today was the New Hampshire primaries, and I totally agree with the fake quote from Groucho Marx that I made up. Apparently it's a pretty crazy primary. Some towns ran out of ballots because voters turned up in droves. Even before the results are in, it's evident that (as countless, louder people people than me have said), it's anybody's game at this point (expect for those candidates you've never heard of).

With everyone endorsing the platform of "A vote for _____ is a vote for change!" all the candidates seem New Hampshire-bent on making sure that everyone knows that their views, opinions and policies are a definite change from the current shambles of an administration. In about five quick minutes of checking emails and wandering around news sites, I came across more rabid, confident and opposing opinions than I could shake my newly shorn head at.

There's a lot of reasons why I spend a considerable amount of my energy thinking of funny things to do and say rather than be "more involve" in "the issues." I could "take a stand" or "reconsider my current diet of cereal, gum, and shortbread cookies" (note: that is true). Part of it I attribute to my upbringing (scroll down to skip reading about my upbringing. Hint: it was boring).

When I was growing up, our family didn't regularly engage in debate about practically anything; disagreements were almost exclusively a "hey you took my/broke my _____" or "it's my turn to ____ now!" Subsequent parental judgement was distributed and uneasy peace reigned.

I attribute the lack of verbal debate or discussion to 1) my family's naturally shy and introverted personalities (our genes that were expressed suppressed expression. Ha!) and 2) my parents amazing unity of mind. I never, in my entire life, saw an argument, a raised voice at each other or any kind of disagreement. We knew that my mom didn't care for my dad's tendency to buy new power tools or gardening equipment without warning. We also knew that Dad going to watch Mom and each of the kids performing in various symphonies and bands wasn't his favorite thing. But this never resulted in conflict. I believe that this contributed greatly to my tendency of having opinions, but not wearing them on my sleeve. And in some cases opting to keep my long sleeve shirts in my closet (because they can be tacky).

Another reason for this continued non-verbalization of opinions, is that it has become so very easy for a mild, perhaps, as-yet-not-totally-formed opinion to be shouted down. It sometimes seems hard to ask even close friends on their opinions without setting yourself up for a dose more argument than you wanted. Sometimes (often actually), I think that it would actually be great to have more open, honest, well informed, and almost of highest priority, tactful discussions about important opinions.

Some of the smartest people that I have gotten to know whose input I thought could have been valuable had no tact. Noone wants to be belittled. It grates on your senses when someone's tone, vocabulary, imply that if you were really intelligent, you'd agree with them ("Really? Are you kidding? Why shouldn't creationism be taught in school if isn't just one of the things that they teach? Here's something by Joseph Fielding Smith I photocopied on my mission . . . ")

And while I'm on the subject: It bothers me (and encourages me not to bother)(Ha!) when people believe wholeheartedly that complex issues (immigration, gay marriage, and abortion) and topics have simple, easy, sometimes one-sentence answers that they just heard from Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert (note: I love you guys!). And repeating your simple one answer louder is less helpful than you might think.

So there you go. Do I have opinions? You betcha! Do I want to hear yours? More than I'm letting on. Since I've already worn enormous divots into my soapbox as it is, I won't subject you to any of them here. But since you are my good and close friend (in fact, I like you more than everyone else. Just don't tell them, or else I won't get invited to any more parties), I'll give you the 411 on some of those opinions. And if you don't agree with me then I have a very convincing golf club that would like to have a word or two with your tail light.