vol 2 issue 2

Issue No. 2

The 2012 election Issue

thestudentreview.org

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2012 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2

USA FREEOHIO 18

RUS 26.99

THIS BARCODE DOES NOTHING.

Thestudentreview.org02

Dear Reader,

This is purely anecdotal, but I sense a change in the world’s chain of command. Remember, for example, when there were just radio stations and CDs? You freshman may not, but I do. I remember when you only heard about music selected and produced by the world’s industry leaders. True, a contract with those guys still doesn’t hurt, but it’s also true that a dude with Garageband can mix a decent-sounding set and share it with the world via the Internet. Remember when the only way to sell your crafts was the local farmer’s market? Now any set up their own shop online for the cost of a hosting domain and URL. Software development was something only available to full-grown companies — now individuals develop profitable apps. Marketers once sat in their ivory towers and studied statistics; now they study their consumers’ comments on Twitter and Facebook from their apartment.

The result, as far as I can tell, is a diversification of products and services: more sounds and styles, more tastes and experiences. And the reason I bring this up in our election issue is because I believe the same is beginning to happen to politics. This year, a Gallup Poll showed more Americans identifying as Independent than either Democratic, which came in second place, or Republican, which came in third at 27 percent. Take that and add to it the accessibility of guerrilla marketing and you’ve got yourself a perfect formula for a break from the two-party system.

True, there are still a lot of old people without Twitter or Facebook accounts. These are the people who still receive their advertising through costly TV ads and the like. But they’re on the up and out and replacing them are Millennials — those born in 1985 and on — and not only do we dislike the breaks for ads on Hulu and Spotify, but we’re also highly skeptical individuals jaded by politics and slander campaigns. In short, the old tactics just won’t work on us.

Maybe I’m naive, but based on what I’ve read and seen, I think we’re all ready for a politcal revolution perhaps better described as a politcal evolution. But before that happens, one thing has to change. We have to do our research, make our decision and stick to it.

Maybe I’m naive but based on what I’ve read and seen I think we’re all

ready for a political revolution perhaps better described as a political In the end, I’m not too worried, because in addition to being a skeptical

lot, researchers also classify us as the most entitled generation in, well, generations. And if there’s one thing we’re entitled to in a republic, it’s representation, not in part and piece, but in completion. Voting for a third-party candidate isn’t throwing your’re vote away but rather is a vote for change — change that may not be as far away as we think.

Sincerely,

Tamarra Kemsley

By Tamarra Kemsley

Tamarra Kemsley

is a senior studying

journalism. She loves

Sherlock, The Walking

Dead, and is in a love-

hate relationship

with Dexter.

Letter from the Editor

We have to toss out the old fear of throwing away a vote because as long as we neuter our decisions in that way, we hold the whole system back and thus the country’s progression.

02

Issue 2.

Student Review • Issue 2

@YSTUDENTREVIEW 03


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H e a r t ,T h e S t u d e n t R e v i e w S t a f f

This issue of Student Review is dedicated to post-presidential debate Facebook commentators. You know who we mean. With

a click of a button, we invited them into your lives as “friends,” only to be blown away by the seemingly endless outpouring of

posts, status updates, shares, links, and likes resulting from their unfettered attempts at amateur news anchor stardom and social

media political connoisseur. You, dear wannabe commentator, have us sitting at the proverbial knees of Mark Zuckerberg begging for a

facebook setting that will block political commentary.

And so, here’s to you, Facebook commentator. Enjoy your last 15 days of fame. Repost with furries. Comment on comments that are

commenting on comments comments. Your days are numbered. And we have no idea what you will do with yourselves afterward.

Enjoy.

The Student Review.


Campus Life

Pandemonium — the only word that can really describe the circus that was the re-

turn of the “Jimmer Show” to Brigham Young campus. Hundreds of BYU students (mostly comprised of single, female freshman with an unusual misplaced sense of matrimonial hope)

chose to miss class or forgo studying their physical Science reading just so they could stand in line, buy the book, shake the hand and stare

at the third string point guard who averaged 7.6 points per game for the Sacramento Kings, the team that won 22 of 66 games last year and finished second-to-last in the Western Conference. In a normal world, this mayhem does not happen.

“The prodigal son has returned!” I heard someone cheer from inside the Wilkinson Center. “Prepare the fatted calf!” exclaimed another. On Wednesday, Sept. 19, James Taft “Jimmer” Fredette graced the BYU Book-store with his presence to autograph copies of his new biography entitled The Contract: Jimmer Fredette, by veteran sports writer Pat Forde.

This particular Wednesday afternoon saw its fair share of odd, embarrassing moments. There were tears. There were laughs. I saw a girl go into anaphylactic shock. I secretly watched as people pushed their way closer, thronging the inside of the bookstore. “Is Donny Osmond on campus?” I asked myself, concealing any signs of outward anticipation.

Such is the coma produced by our Jimmer that the ghost of Mahatma Gandhi could have strolled into the bookstore without anyone

raising an eyebrow. They would have made him pay for his Jimmer book and all those present would have wondered why Campus Security let the homeless, half-naked Indian man onto campus.

Now, I’m nearly positive not everyone was solely there to bask in Jimmer’s glow. There un-doubtedly were those who attended due only to a purely innocent, literary curiosity over the newly released Jimmer book. One begs to question what the book could even be about. It’s a biography about a 23-year-old. What is it that compels Jimmer-crazed fans to reach deep into their wallets for a book about a guy who shoots a ball through a hoop and marries a cheerleader? Let’s get something straight: for every dollar that you fork over on the Jimmer book you get to read about one year of his life … so why buy it?

Plain and simple, Jimmer represents the hope of every BYU student: to accomplish something significant. It is not everyday that a guy who spent a few years in Provo makes headlines (un-less he wants to be president). And who doesn’t want to get out of here making a name for themselves? We are all guilty of it.

It is not mass obsession over a basketball player. It’s a little more. Something greater. Think of all those locked up dreams that we have, hidden away because of fear or disap-pointment. Jimmer inspires us to remember those forgotten dreams. Seriously, the guy had about as much a chance of being a profession-al basketball player as I have of being elected President of Cuba. His story is the story you have always hoped to have … and that’s why you buy the book. ◼

Written by Andrew Alston

WHAT DOES JIMMER HAVE THAT I DONT?

Photo Credit: Sarah Kay Brimhall

Written byAllie Rae Treharne

Liberty Club: Curing Apathy at BYU

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFTamarra Kemsley

ART DIRECTORCraig Mangum

PHOTOGRAPHER ANDASSISTANT DESIGNERSarah Kay Brimhall

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTORRachel Dabb

WEB EDITORCole Spicker

BUSINESS TEAMBen HarperGrant HarperCrystal KemsleyHunter Phillips

PR TEAMCameron HollingsheadAmber NanceJon Uland

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGERMichal Savage

COPY EDITORSSarah Kay BrimhallCole Spicker

CONTRIBUTORSAndrew D. AlstonVictoria BirkbeckJohnny HarrisConor HiltonJenna GwilliamBen LockhartIan McArthurTaylor OttesenStephen SmootLuke Swenson

STAFF


@YSTUDENTREVIEW 05

raising an eyebrow. They would have made him pay for his Jimmer book and all those present would have wondered why Campus Security let the homeless, half-naked Indian man onto campus.

Now, I’m nearly positive not everyone was solely there to bask in Jimmer’s glow. There un-doubtedly were those who attended due only to a purely innocent, literary curiosity over the newly released Jimmer book. One begs to question what the book could even be about. It’s a biography about a 23-year-old. What is it that compels Jimmer-crazed fans to reach deep into their wallets for a book about a guy who shoots a ball through a hoop and marries a cheerleader? Let’s get something straight: for every dollar that you fork over on the Jimmer book you get to read about one year of his life … so why buy it?

Plain and simple, Jimmer represents the hope of every BYU student: to accomplish something significant. It is not everyday that a guy who spent a few years in Provo makes headlines (un-less he wants to be president). And who doesn’t want to get out of here making a name for themselves? We are all guilty of it.

It is not mass obsession over a basketball player. It’s a little more. Something greater. Think of all those locked up dreams that we have, hidden away because of fear or disap-pointment. Jimmer inspires us to remember those forgotten dreams. Seriously, the guy had about as much a chance of being a profession-al basketball player as I have of being elected President of Cuba. His story is the story you have always hoped to have … and that’s why you buy the book. ◼

By the time the Provo City Council sat down to do address the subject of predatory tow-

ing Tuesday afternoon, Mayor John Curtis’ blog post on the subject boasted 420 comments and27,000 views.

“This is just in the last 30 hours,” Curtis ex-plained to the council, using this as a sign that it was something that they needed to address.

Curtis proceeded to pass out Manila files inches thick with paper, which, he said, included

a copy of every comment left on his blog.Stories were shared and heads shaken as the

group discussed stories like that of a boy help-ing a friend on crutches to his front door, only to find his car was towed in the meantime.

“It seems like every young man who wants to walk his date to the door gets towed,” Curtis said.

University Parking Enforcement represen-tatives showed no remorse.

Councilman Rick Healey complained of a re-port he received in which a towing company charged a Provo citizen nearly $300 in towing

fees, after which another speaker pointed out that the average charge resides somewhere between $250 and $300.

A main point of contention was whether the problem is one for government to solve, as much of it has to do with contracts be-tween housing owners and towing companies. Councilman Hal Miller, for example, suggested it be left to tenants to decide whether or not they want to live in places with strict contracts or work with predatory companies.

Another idea included issuing a “bill of rights” to individuals when they pick up their towed car,explaining the laws and their rights on the matter.

Finally, Curtis said that several state legisla-tures contacted him on the matter suggesting they wanted to see things changed on state level. This would be significant since the city is unable to amend any of the laws the state already has in place, which, in the case of towing, are many.

In the end, the council decided to come back to the problem after further research and thought. A further date of discussion has not been set. ◼

wyan Johnson is the President and co-founder of the BYU Liberty Club, an

independently student-run club comprised of politically enthused Libertarians attend-ing BYU.

In all, the club seeks to uphold traditional Libertarian ideals.

“We believe in a limited government, a strong emphasis on civil liberties, a non-interventionist foreign

policy and economic freedom,” Johnson said.The BYU Liberty Club promotes three ba-

sic emphases: the Constitution, economic freedom and individual liberty. And while many student-run political groups across the country may hold reputations of fanaticism, Johnson rejects the idea of pushing political agendas on students.

Rather, Johnson and the Liberty Club seek simply to raise political awareness among the BYU student population, and to do so amiably.

“Our main objective is to cure the apathy of BYU,” Johnson said. “We want to mobilize awareness to people outside of our group.”

For example, the club held a “Project Politically Homeless” event on campus in which

they helped many politically naïve students determine where they stand on the political spectrum through a short survey.

“I feel a lot more people were made aware that day,” Johnson said. “That kind of stuff is really the bread and butter of what we do.”

Despite Liberty Club’s intentions, Johnson claims that creating this group on campus was “a huge challenge.”

“It was a very frustrating process,” Johnson said.

Even though groups like BYU Republicans and BYU Democrats are officially sponsored by the University, Liberty Club remains unaffili-ated with BYU, having been rejected from any kind of collaboration or support by multiple on-campus organizations, such as BYUSA.

When asked why this is the case, Nathan Ward, BYUSA’S Director of Student Leadership said, “We are politically neutral. We do en-courage students to vote, and we see political engagement as important.”

Ward said it is because of this neutrality that BYU organizations will not collaborate with any political group.

“There’s a really cautious atmosphere to-ward politics at BYU,” Johnson said. “I don’t understand why this group, which is non-par-

tisan … purely educational, [and] just wants to spread good values, why [BYU] wouldn’t sup-port something like that.”

In the meantime, Liberty Club holds weekly meetings in the SWKT, where they host guest speakers, presentations and group discussions. ◼

Written by Tamarra Kemsley

Written byAllie Rae Treharne

Liberty Club: Curing Apathy at BYU

Provo City COuncil Asks, “Dude, Where’s my Car?”

Left to right: Vice President Austin Butler, Secretary Dan Meehan, and President Ryan Johnson of the BYU Liberty Club.

Photo Credit: Allie Rae Treharne


Campus Life


ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

In an age where pre-pubescent teenagers and gender-confused pop divas dominate radio play, more bands frequently choose to trade

quality for popularity in order to appeal to the “mainstream” audience. In spite of mounting pressures from record companies and lofty expecta-tions plaguing today’s musicians, two bands stand out as the proverbial wheat among the tares.

This past month, the Las Vegas-based band, The Killers, released their fourth studio album entitled Battle Born. Fans anxiously anticipated the

new release after the band took a four year break from recording.

Expectations were high as The Killers proved their worth with introspective lyrics backed up with the familiar guitar riffs and 1980s style synthesizer that characterize, as Brandon Flowers told Spin maga-zine, “the best British band from America.”

Lead singer Brandon Flowers tells the story of the American underdog with an almost Bruce Springsteen-esque aura about him that captures our imagination from the opening verse until the album’s final breath.

“This natural selection picked me out to be a dark horse running through a fantasy,” sings Flowers while inwardly questioning, “What are you afraid of? And what are you made of?”

Rowdy, standout performances like “Flesh and Bone,” “Runaways” and “Miss Atomic Bomb” contrasted by slower ballads like “Be Still” highlight

the album. At times, the creativity feels forced by awkward backup singing and strange or-gan chords frequently heard at funeral homes; however, top to bottom, The Killers show their commitment to detail as they stick to their roots and show the world that relatable music is not impossible to make.

After their overnight success, Sigh No More left music lovers everywhere wonder-ing, “Where has this been all my life?” British, indie/folk band Mumford & Sons came back from their own three-year recording hiatus, re-leasing their new, sophomore album Babel.

In it, the London band treats fans with their new attempt at winning over the human heart and soul.

While Sigh No More dwelt upon youthful heartbreak of love lost, Babel is a louder, more mature expression of coming to grasp with reality and accepting the lot that has been cast.

“I know my weakness, I know my voice, and I’ll believe in grace and choice,” Marcus Mumford wails in the opening title track.

Songs like “I Will Wait”, “Holland Road” and “Hopeless Wanderer” boil the blood and inspire hope in finding what has been long sought-after.

Those expecting anything new from this al-bum might walk away disappointed. Similarities between the two Mumford & Sons albums are evident which make it hard to distinguish the

one from the other. The old and wise maxim, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” comes to mind, however, are we complaining? Nope. Whatever you call this loud, rambunctious display of musical genius, one thing is certain: it definitely is not broken … and we can only hope that Mumford & Sons has no plans of fixing it. ◼

Written by Andrew Alston

The Killers and Mumford & Sons top charts with new albums

Were it not preceded by the critical ac-claim of the novel from which it is

adapted, The Perks of Being a Wallflower would appear at first glance to be another teen angst film looking to bank on the adolescent senti-mentality of its target audience. As it turns out, the film, like the book, elevates itself beyond the teen genre into a realm of exploration of

loneliness and isolation, and how relationships ease the pain.

Directed by the book’s author, Stephen Ch-bosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower harkens

back to a pre-millennial age where sharing a good mix-tape was the highest form of flattery.

The story pits the teen protagonist Charlie (Logan Lerman), a psychologically troubled and introverted freshman, against the drudgery of high school life. Charlie’s liberation from crip-pling solitude comes in the form of a group of free-spirited outcasts led by stepsiblings Pat-rick and Sam (played brilliantly by Ezra Miller and Emma Watson). Together with a few of their cohorts, they take Charlie under their wing, introducing him to the tender mercies of bands like The Smiths and midnight showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

These are the elements of the story that the film strikes a good balance with: the ef-fect is a sentimental yet poignant portrait of the importance of true friendships and consciousness-expanding art & culture in the development of a young individual. There are many moments in the film in which Charlie is introduced to a new band by his friends or classic book by his English teacher (Paul Rudd) that will surely prove wonderfully relatable to viewers of all generations.

They were certainly events I could relate to, such as falling in love with literature after reading The Great Gatsby junior year of high school, or the aural revelation of listening to the Velvet Underground for the first time — and the saving power of sharing these treasures with true friends. These are the life-moments that the film captures accurately and with an honest touch of sentiment

And that’s the funny thing about this film. Its weaknesses — the sentimentality and melodrama of the high school setting and experiences of its characters — v are also its strengths. Though there are times the senti-mentality feels heavy-handed at times, in the end it’s a well-crafted piece about the hope of youth and the art that takes us there. ◼

Written by Andy Andersen

Overall Grade: B+

Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Arts and Entertainment


@YSTUDENTREVIEW 07

I first saw the band Gypsy Cab play at Velour a little over a year and a half ago. They were a sight and sound to behold, a real rock ‘n roll

act with their balls in the blues. It was the last great show I had seen at Velour — every show since another affirmation that the Provo music scene is on the verge of total implosion brought on by exploitation — that is, until I saw Gypsy Cab play at Velour again on Oct. 6.

It was the first time in over a year the two musicians who make up Gypsy Cab — guitarist Pat Boyers and drummer Jesse Quebbeman-Turley

— had been on stage together.“We’re super unprepared,” Jesse mentioned

to me in passing minutes before their set. In my mind, this was good omen for the band. Real rock ‘n’ roll thrives on struggle, and I knew Jesse and Pat were both musicians with enough talent and blues grit to incorporate struggle in the right

fashion.The struggle paid off. Gypsy Cab’s set was a loud and loving assault on

a crowd more alive than any I’ve seen at Velour in years.Moments before Gypsy Cab was on stage, local indie darling Joshua

James and his side project American Fork performed, and the same liv-ing, breathing and risk-taking crowd that came alive during Gypsy Cab’s set was fidgety, uninterested and underwhelmed — so underwhelmed in fact, that Velour owner Cory Fox was moved to “shushing” the escalating

white noise of chatter. Most of the people talking had probably

come to see American Fork in the first place. But then, it’s not unusual these days for Velour to host a group of people that favor the social appeal of a scene over the experience of hon-est music and art.

But the blues, as ancient as the African heart from which it sprang and as timeless as the in-ner struggle of the human soul, has not lost its savor—or at least, that was what Gypsy Cab told me with their music when they played it like mad blues banshees that night.

In the middle of their set, Pat began to tune his guitar with a cruel twinkle in his eye, then quickly gave up on it and said, “It’s rock ‘n roll, it doesn’t matter.”

Gypsy Cab is a band that knows what mat-ters. And what matters is the raw energy and true grit of the blues — the stuff with the power to save the Provo music scene from the clutches of elitism and artistic complacency — if given the chance. ◼


Gypsy Cab brings rock ‘n’ roll back to velour

The Provo-native band, Book on Tape Worm, lulled audiences into a meditative silence in their first-ever album release concert.

The set list, divided into “acts,” perfectly mirrored the song list fea-tured in the album entitled All the World’s a Stage.

The album title, though an overused Shake-speare quote, excels in meaning and direction: the album obsesses over the expanse of the hu-man experience. Life and death and the approach thereof are common themes, as is the concept of love and relationships in general. Cliché — true — but in the hands of this crew, they are concepts

made anew, reexamined through not just the words but the sounds that accompanied them.

And herein lies what makes Book on Tape Worm not just another Provo band — and not just another band period. Lead singer/guitarist Scott Shepard is the rare breed of a person that is equally part musician and part poet.

Unfortunately, though transcendental, the music doesn’t see much variation — some, but not much. It’s hard to hold it against them, though, given the sound they have mastered (and, yes, I do believe there is a fair degree of mastery going on here) just works so well. And while the music threatens to air on the side of anemic at times, the cello played by Ciera Black gives a substantial degree of depth to the sound.

In all, the debut reached new heights of formality and coordination for this music scene between the printed programs passed out at the

door, customized stage decorations and an album featuring pop-up art between the covers.

Perhaps most telling of all, the band added an encore performance scheduled for Oct. 15 after selling out both initial performances. ◼


Review: book on tape worm releases first album

Arts and Entertainment

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Photo Credit: Gypsy Cab

Photo Credit: Book on Tape worm


literary section

by Luke Swenson

Photo Credit: US Library of Congress

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8:30 AM


@YSTUDENTREVIEW 09

Sliders

Speculation on the Future of literature

Caffeine

It is what it is. The weak man’s drugThe common man’s drugThe drug of the agnostic Christian, Sometimes it’s the only thingstanding between youand your nightmaresyou and extinctionyou and eternityyou and sexyou and tearsyou and laughteryou and alcoholyou and smackyou and yours It is the sphincter of the heartshitting out poems at nightand pushing prose through the veinsin the late afternoon whenthere’s little of it left.

by Luke Swenson

by IAN Mcarthur

by J. Andersen

Reading has been stripped almost entirely of its historical function as entertainment,

which can now be fulfilled with more ease to the viewer by movies, television and other visual/audio mediums, which are now available to everyone in near-infinite supply on the Internet. Literature, which must be read and therefore requires more effort from the consumer, must now rely solely on its ability to provide insight. While these epiphanies have previously been embedded into longer, engaging forms (epics, novels, etc.), the time a reader is willing to give a text has shortened dramatically (reading not being their primary form of entertainment). This change will necessitate authors writing shorter and shorter literary forms in order to hold the reader’s attention. As more and more sensually engaging forms of entertainment become readily available, literature will evolve into a new type of aphorism to be injected between media baths.

He swerved in with the rest of the sliders. They were cool; too cool for anybody else.

They said you had to be born one of them, that it was a birthright.

There were no initiations. You either were or you weren’t. They could tell. It was the way you walked, or how you stared people down, or how you didn’t. No one really knows, except them.

Glancing back down the street he eyed the people behind him, and then kept moving, the entire time his hands played with the switch blade in one pocket and the brass knuckles in the other. He was a big guy. Big, brutal, apart. Prowling, he kept tabs on everything nearby. A slider was always fair game, maybe because they were such damn pricks, or because he’d stuck some little punk a few weeks ago.

“Hey you do go there!”He cocked his head towards the voice and

narrowed his eyes.“There do you go.”“What where?”He nodded and relaxed his hold on the

Stone

There’s a stoneUnder your tongueAnd a boulderIn the back seatSticking to leatherAnd gravel in the records beginning with “T”.There’s rockIn the wet parking lotRubbleBetween words And God,It’s heavyFather, it’s so very heavy

by Jenna Gwilliam

trigger of his knife. Instead he ran his fingers through his dark hair and another slider stepped out into the yellow lamplight.

“Light falls heavy,” the big guy said gesturing strongly towards the lamp.

“Lights always heavy in middle rows.”His compatriot nodded and took a few steps

forward, his eyes stuck to those of his friend.“What’s wanting?”“Not nothing.”“Pocket time?”“Pocket time.”The big slider inspected his fellows empty

hands from a distance, but saw nothing.“Sliding,” he prompted, losing his patience.The thin one shrugged his shoulders and

reached deep into his pockets. The shot ripped through the fabric, the alley, the flesh, the heart! The big one fell back, his face oblivious to his death. The thin one stepped up and looked down in those confident, lazy, dead eyes. A smirk slipped across his lips.

“Slid.”

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Help Us Cheer Dean Through His Toughest Challenge Ever –– Brain Cancer

Cancer Battle | 5K Run | Support & Awareness

5K

TEAMIRONDEAN.COMREGISTER TODAY AT

12400 SOUTH 1120 WESTRIVERTON, UTAH 84065

SAT. NOV. 3RD DR. O. ROIHARDY PARKTWO THOUSAND AND TWELVE

8:30 AM

It’s a lubricantan irona drag. It’s the fuel of screaming designsthe fuel that fed Kerouac hisunbroken stream-of-consciousnesson a makeshift roll of teletype paper. Men have made films with itand lakes without itIt’s a petty prison in the wrong handsan enemy in the right hands an enemy in the hands of theblues-manwho hit the streets at midnightlooking for a strugglefound it,sang scat-battles with itand won. It’s a druga confidant

IF YOU HAVE A CREATIVE WRITING SUBMISSION (ESSAY, POETRY OR SHORT STORY) PLEASE SEND IT TO [email protected]

Thestudentreview.org

Religion

10

“ him so beloved among youth and young adults. But the same special charm that makes him so accessible also presents a unique challenge for the listening disciple: to not mistake rhetorical wrapping for actual substance.

Let me be clear—I am not saying that there is anything faulty, dis-honest or manipulative about Elder Holland’s presentation style, or that he compensates with style for lack of substance. What I am saying is our generation’s consistent preference for Elder Holland’s addresses makes the quality and maturity of our generation’s Gospel understand-ing suspect as it implies a preference for stylistic delivery to substance. Ultimately, if we believed all 15 men were equally inspired in their ad-dresses and favored substance over style, it seems unlikely we would come out cheering about the same speaker every time.

Sometimes, what we crave is a quotable Gospel. We desire aphoris-tic catchphrases easily posted to Twitter or made into memes. We also tend to appreciate the passionate as it offers a break to eight hours of gentler voices.I understand the function of the passion and the catch-phrases-- their memorability, portability and general ease to summon in moments of temptation—insofar as we do not mistake these things to be the whole of our religion, and insofar as we do not forget about the less quotable or less palatable or exciting Brethren and all the inspira-tion they have to offer.

The most obvious counter-argument says apostolic favoritism is okay because it is natural that different people connect with different ap-ostolic personalities.But this perspective displaces the responsibility of spiritual learning from the listener to the speaker--an unfortunate inversion. As Robert K. Thomas says, “We fail to accept our responsibili-ties as listeners, however, if we expect the speaker to be the exclusive source of both substance and spirit. Worship is not passive. Those who are ‘anxiously engaged’ do more than receive—they generate.”

When Satan goes to sleep he checks under his bed for Jeffrey R. Holland,” says Mormon Problem’s popular Facebook status.

Most of the posts by Mormon Problems—an unofficial fan site de-veloped to humorously celebrate the esoteric in Mormon culture-- get somewhere around sub-1000 likes; this one is at almost 5,000 likes and climbing. For those who didn’t immediately recognize the allusion, this post is a Mormon adaptation of an old Chuck Norris joke. In the Chuck Norris version, the Boogieman checks under his bed for the infamous martial artist.

Jeffrey R. Holland has become the darling apostle of Generation Y. “I don’t always give the best talks at conference,” says the text of one viral meme featuring a picture of Elder Holland. “Oh, wait! Yes, I do!” says the punch line. Other apostles enjoy similar celebrity status, particularly Elder Deiter F. Uchtdorf.

But the question has yet to be asked, does this apostolic favoritism have any consequences? If so, what are they?

One potential consequence of preferential de-votion to one apostle is that our preference could deafen us to the important messages of other apostles.

If we sustain all 15 men as prophets, seers and revelators, we can assume the same quality of inspiration, revela-tion and substance in their addresses. But if we listen only to those we consider to be the most riveting, then we are likely doing ourselves a disservice. Snoozing through the majority of the Brethren’s addresses only to awaken for our favorites is like repetitively reading the book of Alma for its wars while neglecting to read the quieter Book of Mosiah.

Like the Book of Alma, Elder Holland has some fight in him, making

Written by Corey Wozniak

Elder Holland meets Chuch Norris: How Apostolic Favoritism Poses Dangers to Discipleship

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@YSTUDENTREVIEW 11


In Manchester, England, 1840, Brigham Young was the head of the Quo-rum of the Twelve and serving a mission for the LDS church. He was

known for his powerful sermons, speaking in tongues and was a mo-nogamist who often wrote long letters to his wife, Marianne, in Nauvoo.

In 1849 in Salt Lake City, he was the president of the LDS Church, heavily involved in the legal affairs of Deseret, had 53 additional wives and was known to condone violent forms of vigilante justice. John Turn-

er, author of the new biography Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet attempted to explain this seem-ingly vast change in character in his lecture “A Tale of Two Brighams,” given in the Varsity The-ater at BYU.

Turner, who is not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, teaches classes on the history of religion in America at University

of South Alabama. In his lecture, he discussed the traumatic effect that the events sur-

rounding Joseph Smith’s martyrdom, the ensuing succession crisis and persecution experienced in Nauvoo had on Brigham Young.

According to historical diaries, Brigham was determined not to be a martyr, and declared that, “He would be damned if he gave himself up to the laws of the land; he would see them all Hell first.”

President Young resolved to protect himself and the Church from danger after Joseph Smith’s death, and was known to sleep in the Nau-voo temple and carry weapons on his person for protection.

Turner feels that this determination led Young to be notoriously in-tolerant of criticism about his decisions, dissidence within the Church and to act defensive when faced with outside forces.

“That willingness to do nearly anything to protect his church, him-self and those loyal to him makes Brigham Young hard to understand and sometimes hard to stomach given our 21st century standards of morality and sensibility,” Turner said. “It also explains much of Brigham Young’s successes as the Church’s leader. He was a fierce advocate for his people, he did not back down easily in the face of opposition of dif-ficulty… That he held his people together, and that they prospered after the traumas of Nauvoo, highlights his resourcefulness and persever-ance. All of these traits made him a great leader.”

When asked about the differences between his biography and that of former Church Historian Leonard J. Arrington, Turner responded, “I would say over all it’s a more complicated portrait. Arrington did not sweep difficult issues under the rug …. But I would say that he treats them rather briefly and I treat them more fully.”

Turner acknowledged that the archives of Church history are vast and will likely never be exhausted.

“I’m hardly going to claim that I have the last word on Brigham Young,” he said.

Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet is available through Deseret Book, Amazon and other major retailers. ◼

In other words, we must not be so passive as to listen only when the apostles “come to us,” or when we feel a connection with them, or when their personalities resonate with our own. We must be more active in trying to connect with all of the brethren for our own benefit. Think: we share very little with Jesus Christ culturally or historically, but we are commanded to seek a loving connection with him all the same.

Consider the testimony of Elder Holland himself gave about the in-spiration of all speakers at General Conference:

Perhaps you already know (but if you don’t you should) that with rare

exception, no man or woman who speaks here is assigned a topic. Each

is to fast and pray, study and seek, start and stop and start again until he

or she is confident that for this conference, at this time, his or hers is

the topic the Lord wishes that speaker to present regardless of personal

wishes or private preferences. Every man and woman you have heard

during the past 10 hours of general conference has tried to be true to that

prompting. Each has wept, worried, and earnestly sought the Lord’s di-

rection to guide his or her thoughts and expression. And just as Brigham

Young saw an angel standing over this place, so do I see angels standing

in it. My brethren and sisters among the general officers of the Church

will be uneasy with that description, but that is how I see them—mortal

messengers with angelic messages, men and women who have all the

physical and financial and family difficulties you and I have but who with

faith have consecrated their lives to the callings that have come to them

and the duty to preach God’s word, not their own.

Lastly, maybe not the least of our considerations should be for Elder Holland’s own feelings: how do you think he would feel about his own popularity? ◼

Written by Victoria Birkbeck

Lecture Sheds New light on Brigham Young

Religion

him so beloved among youth and young adults. But the same special charm that makes him so accessible also presents a unique challenge for the listening disciple: to not mistake rhetorical wrapping for actual substance.

Let me be clear—I am not saying that there is anything faulty, dis-honest or manipulative about Elder Holland’s presentation style, or that he compensates with style for lack of substance. What I am saying is our generation’s consistent preference for Elder Holland’s addresses makes the quality and maturity of our generation’s Gospel understand-ing suspect as it implies a preference for stylistic delivery to substance. Ultimately, if we believed all 15 men were equally inspired in their ad-dresses and favored substance over style, it seems unlikely we would come out cheering about the same speaker every time.

Sometimes, what we crave is a quotable Gospel. We desire aphoris-tic catchphrases easily posted to Twitter or made into memes. We also tend to appreciate the passionate as it offers a break to eight hours of gentler voices.I understand the function of the passion and the catch-phrases-- their memorability, portability and general ease to summon in moments of temptation—insofar as we do not mistake these things to be the whole of our religion, and insofar as we do not forget about the less quotable or less palatable or exciting Brethren and all the inspira-tion they have to offer.

The most obvious counter-argument says apostolic favoritism is okay because it is natural that different people connect with different ap-ostolic personalities.But this perspective displaces the responsibility of spiritual learning from the listener to the speaker--an unfortunate inversion. As Robert K. Thomas says, “We fail to accept our responsibili-ties as listeners, however, if we expect the speaker to be the exclusive source of both substance and spirit. Worship is not passive. Those who are ‘anxiously engaged’ do more than receive—they generate.”

Photo Credit: Ut.Gov


RELIGION

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With recent events, the haze surrounding Islam and its devotees has become a major hinderance in people’s understanding of

the faith. The question is, how much of a hinderance? One of the fast-est growing religions in the world, Islam claims almost one-fifth of the world’s population with over 1 billion adherents worldwide.

Islam stems from the Arabic root meaning “submission” and it is by this submission to the almighty God (Allah) that we will find this peace.

Islam is traditionally traced back to Arab nations, however, only about 10-20 percent of adherents are actually classified are “Arab” with the large majority of devotees found dotting the earth.

Meanwhile, Mormonism boasts being the fast-est-growing Christian faith, and when compared, Mormonism and Islam share a great deal in common.

First, the two share in their very origin a very similar principle-revelation. Outsiders will typically trace Islam’s origins back to around the 7th century when the Prophet Mohammed first received divine instruction while most Muslims believe it is the same faith that was practiced by Abraham, Moses, Noah, Jesus and other Biblical prophets.

Similarly, while often classed as a product of Protestant Americanism, Mormons believe their faith also was that which was practiced by the prophets of old.

Muhammad was an a sheep herder who spent a lot of time in thought and medita-tion. During one of these meditative sessions the angel Gabriel appeared to Muhammad and delivered the same message three times. Lat-er the angel Gabriel appeared to Muhammad again and ushered him into the presence of Allah where he received instruction and revela-tion. And the parallel keeps going…

Over the next 20-or-so years, Muhammad continued to receive instruction from Gabriel, which was then recited by Muhammad to his disciples who eventually scribed the instruc-tion and compiled it into the Qur’an.

Muslims will emphasize that Muhammad did not write the Qur’an but rather Allah wrote the Qur’an, passed it to Gabriel, who then dictated the messages to Muhammad. Thus, the Qur’an is seen as the literal word of Allah through his

prophet and messenger Mohammad. Faithful Muslims read from the Qur’an daily and recognize its validity solely in the Arabic language. All other translations are simply interpretations or versions of the original.

Members of the LDS faith can certainly appreciate the idea of the calling of a prophet, received revelation recorded as scripture and con-tinuation of the original faith. Even the Islamic equivalent of The Articles of Faith, known as the 5 pillars of Islam, are in accordance with many LDS teachings.

1. The Declaration of Faith – This consists of confessing Allah as the god of the devotee and is seen as essential to conversion. This confession brands one as one who follows the will and ways of Allah.

2. Prayer – Five times a day, faithful Muslims seek to establish a direct link with Allah, a practice that is viewed by many as a command-ment. Ceremonial cleanings, headwear, and direction are all important aspects of prayer.

3. Zakat – A dominant concept in Islam is the idea that all things belong to God and are gifts to the human race. The donation of 2.5 percent of one’s capital to those in need (not necessarily the mosque) purifies the heart of the donator.

4. Fasting – This is seen as a time of self-mastery and purification which occurs during the month of Ramadan for a 24-hour period.

5. Pilgrimage – For those who are physically and financially able, this pilgrimage to Mecca constitutes one of the greatest honors and obligations found within the Islamic faith, particularly during the month of Ramadan.

So what is different?The Godhead begins as part of a major split of the religions. Members

of the LDS church believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, referring to these entities as the Godhead. Islam completely re-jects this notion, relying solely on Allah. No baptism is necessary, certain bans on meats have been instituted, and no need for continuing revela-tion are all aspects of Islam that separate these brother faiths.

Like Mormonism, Islam is a culture as much as a religion in many areas of the world. Indeed, governments, schools and societies are run by Islamic traditions, ideals and rules.

While backpacking the Himalayas I saw evidence of this on almost every street corner. Women wearing the burka, evening call to prayer reverberating off the mountains, social greetings lathered in Qur’anic verbiage, and the brotherhood of a common faith.

Written by Taylor Ottesen

This They BElieve: Islam

A meeting of local citizens held at Utah Valley University on Oct. 10, confirmed Orem will receive its first mosque.

The new mosque, construction of which is set to begin sometime in the near future, was approved by both the local community of observant Muslims as well as non-Muslim Orem residents, who came together at

the UVU meeting to voice their support for the building of a mosque.

The mosque, which was approved last year by the Orem City Planning Committee, will go up at 900 South State St. in Orem. In all, the mosque

will occupy about two acres of land and meet the needs of the roughly 100 Muslims in Orem, both Sunni and Shia, who currently meet in a room in the University Parkway Mall for their religious services.

The closest mosque from Orem is in Salt Lake City.The purpose of the October meeting this year was to address any

concerns by local citizens and further explain the plans for building the mosque.

panel, agreed.“A mosque in Orem will not only be a blessing

to local Muslims, but will also show to outsid-ers that Utah Valley is becoming more diverse and welcoming to non-Mormon religions,” Taba said. “The stereotype that Mormons are intolerant or close-minded will be challenged with the building of a mosque in Orem.”

Besides clarifying aspects of Islam for non-Muslim visitors, Toronto also emphasized the importance of religious pluralism in modern society, drawing parallels between the treat-ment of Mormonism and Islam as minority religions within the larger context of American society.

Both, he said, have had plenty of religious intolerance directed at them, and therefore

Professor Masood Amin, a professor of engineering at UVU and a faithful Muslim, ex-pressed his excitement for Orem’s first mosque during a panel discussion comprised of a local city planner involved in the project, Professor James Toronto of Brigham Young University, a professor of Arabic and Islamic studies, Profes-sor Amin and Iranian UVU student Reza Taba.

“Having a mosque in Orem is a win-win situ-ation for both Muslims and Mormons in Orem,” Amin said. “Muslims will have a mosque more conveniently located for their worship servic-es, and Mormons, especially students at BYU and UVU, will benefit from the cross- cultural exchange that comes with inter-religious co-operation.”

Reza Taba, another faithful Muslim on the

Written by Stephen Smoot

Orem to get a mosque

photo credit: dottie bateman


@YSTUDENTREVIEW 13

Student Review • Issue 2prophet and messenger Mohammad. Faithful Muslims read from the Qur’an daily and recognize its validity solely in the Arabic language. All other translations are simply interpretations or versions of the original.

Members of the LDS faith can certainly appreciate the idea of the calling of a prophet, received revelation recorded as scripture and con-tinuation of the original faith. Even the Islamic equivalent of The Articles of Faith, known as the 5 pillars of Islam, are in accordance with many LDS teachings.

1. The Declaration of Faith – This consists of confessing Allah as the god of the devotee and is seen as essential to conversion. This confession brands one as one who follows the will and ways of Allah.

2. Prayer – Five times a day, faithful Muslims seek to establish a direct link with Allah, a practice that is viewed by many as a command-ment. Ceremonial cleanings, headwear, and direction are all important aspects of prayer.

3. Zakat – A dominant concept in Islam is the idea that all things belong to God and are gifts to the human race. The donation of 2.5 percent of one’s capital to those in need (not necessarily the mosque) purifies the heart of the donator.

4. Fasting – This is seen as a time of self-mastery and purification which occurs during the month of Ramadan for a 24-hour period.

5. Pilgrimage – For those who are physically and financially able, this pilgrimage to Mecca constitutes one of the greatest honors and obligations found within the Islamic faith, particularly during the month of Ramadan.

So what is different?The Godhead begins as part of a major split of the religions. Members

of the LDS church believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, referring to these entities as the Godhead. Islam completely re-jects this notion, relying solely on Allah. No baptism is necessary, certain bans on meats have been instituted, and no need for continuing revela-tion are all aspects of Islam that separate these brother faiths.

Like Mormonism, Islam is a culture as much as a religion in many areas of the world. Indeed, governments, schools and societies are run by Islamic traditions, ideals and rules.

While backpacking the Himalayas I saw evidence of this on almost every street corner. Women wearing the burka, evening call to prayer reverberating off the mountains, social greetings lathered in Qur’anic verbiage, and the brotherhood of a common faith.

The lurking question still remains: why are there so many similarities between these two faiths, and what does it mean? One must ask the question, “Was Muhammad truly inspired?” God revealed truth in every dispensation since the beginning of time; was Muhammad an ef-fort to reveal that truth?

Only God knows, but observance of the Is-lamic faith in practice is enough to inspire holy envy. Its uniting of communities in the effort to commune with God is truly inspiring.

The similarities between the LDS faith that so characterizes this valley and our Muslim brothers is intriguing and culturally binding. From the origins of the Islamic faith, to its everyday practices, truly we are more similar than we are different.

If you would like to learn more information about Islam, its beliefs and practices, you can visit the Khadeeja Islamic Center at:

1019 West Parkway AvenueSalt Lake City, UT 84119801-972-6555

There is a Muslim Prayer room in room 3241 of the Wilkinson Student Center. ◼

We hear a lot of powerful one liners in our Mormon society—things like “just cast all your troubles onto the Lord” or “the strength of

the atonement will allow you to make a change in your life.”It’s easy to feel cynical toward such comments because you don’t re-

ally know what they mean. I know I’ve struggled with this. How does one cast one’s troubles upon Jesus? To an objec-tive and dangerously analytical mind like mine I find my logic hitting a dead end everything I try to reason through the elusive idea of “casting my

troubles on God” or even “feeling the prompting of the spirit”.But we hear this stuff all the time: “Just let grace work in your life” to

say nothing of “You will receive blessings if you...”So I kneeled down one evening (during a particularly difficult period

of life) and I thought “I’m going to attempt to cast my burdens onto the Lord tonight.” So I said “God, I am having a really hard time in my life; I believe in Jesus and now I want to lean on him.”

I probably used four or so one-liners that I have heard since I was a 2-year-old hoping one of them would connect with my situation. My mind kept battling me. “WHAT DOES IT MEAN?” I heard my intellect shaking its head at my heart. And then it hit me. It really hit me. I real-ized that these emotional one-liners are the best thing we have come up with to describe the supernal reality to connecting with God.

What does connecting with God mean? Well I can’t tell you because I only know what it means for me. Futile words can only attempted to capture what should not be put to words at all—the transcendental real-ity of God and Christ. We use generic language like “feel the Spirit” or “lean on the Lord” because those images help us quantify such a per-sonal and subtly sublime experience; yet in the end, these experiences are deeply personal and thus cannot be adequately conveyed (not even with aid of tears or powerful words in testimony meeting).

So next time I hear a talk with one of those nebulous catch phrases I won’t let my mental warriors attack it. Instead I will remember what God feels like to me and assume that everyone has a personal way of feeling that same thing—personal and indescribable. Because, in the end, we don’t all have to know God in the same way even if we use the same words to describe it. ◼

Written by Johnny Harris

This I believe

Religion

religious grounds, but their opposition to the mosque has been the minority opinion.

Both ProfessorshhhhGH Amin and Taba ex-pressed their thanks to the many non-Muslims, especially students and professors of Arabic and Islamic Studies at BYU, for their support of the construction of the mosque.

“Nothing,” Amin said, “can replace the im-portance of personal interaction between members of different religions when it comes to fostering understanding and tolerance.” ◼

encouraged Mormons to sympathize with their Muslim neighbors.

“The position of Muslims in Orem today is a microcosm for all religious minorities,” Toronto said. “Mormons especially should sympathize with modern Muslims, given Mormonism’s history as a religious minority in American cul-ture.”

Although support for the new mosque from non-Muslim citizens of Orem has been over-whelming, a few citizens, according to the panel, expressed their concern over the plans for a mosque at the initial meeting last year. Concerns ranged from zoning and construc-tion complications to fears of increased traffic on State Street. One or two citizens also felt uncomfortable with a mosque on personal

panel, agreed.“A mosque in Orem will not only be a blessing

to local Muslims, but will also show to outsid-ers that Utah Valley is becoming more diverse and welcoming to non-Mormon religions,” Taba said. “The stereotype that Mormons are intolerant or close-minded will be challenged with the building of a mosque in Orem.”

Besides clarifying aspects of Islam for non-Muslim visitors, Toronto also emphasized the importance of religious pluralism in modern society, drawing parallels between the treat-ment of Mormonism and Islam as minority religions within the larger context of American society.

Both, he said, have had plenty of religious intolerance directed at them, and therefore

photo credit: carib B. photo credit: doctor yuri


I’m voting for

With election season In full Swing, Student Review Asked BYU Students who will be getting their vote come November 6th.


@YSTUDENTREVIEW 15@YSTUDENTREVIEW

What seems has been in the making for the past four years will finally come to an end in a matter of weeks. With Americans will

only have to endure the last-moment attack ads through Election Day. To date, well over $1.2 billion has been collectively spent in campaign

ads, trying to reshape and define each candidate and his message. With the novelty of unlimited campaign contributions, third-party candidates are disregarded by mainstream media, albeit a record-high of 40 percent of Americans identify-

ing as independent voters, according a Gallup poll earlier this year.BYU is no exception to this phenomenon. In a sampling conducted

by the Student Review last week, 44 percent of 120 individuals reported themselves at independent voters (Republican and Democrat were the only other options).

The dynamics of a two-party system are hard to overcome. While newly established democratic nations usually have several parties (re-cently seen in Egypt), eventually a two-party system becomes the standard, as tertiary parties ebb and flow over time.

Americans have been inundated with information from Pres. Barack Obama and former Gov. Mitt Romney. Both have attempted to describe

PARTY IN THE USAWritten by cole spicker


election 2012

16

Romney“We’re almost like the Titanic heading for an iceberg unless we start fixing the way we spend money, where we’re borrowing money from… It’s irresponsible to keep spending money like we are. We’re not going to have deal with all the problems, but our children. That’s why I’m voting for Mitt Romney and his plan to cut spending on things that aren’t important and make people more responsible for the things they’re getting in America.”

Parker MurrayJuniorNeuroscience

Romney“Our economy is going downhill. Gov. Romey did so much for the state of Massachusetts. He can do whatever is necessary to get the economy up and running. President Obama has made a lot of loose-ended promises and hasn’t followed through. Romney could jump in and get our economy back where it needs to be.”

Sarah KronJuniorTheater Education

OBAMA“I FIND BARACK OBAMA TO BE A MORE TRUSTWORTHY CANDIDATE. I agree with his very concrete plans for improving the economy, which is something I feel hasn’t come from any other candidate. He’s learned lessons during the past four years and can lead us to a complete recovery.”Bruce Chiarelli

JuniorMathematics

ROMNEY“OUR ECONOMY IS SO UNSTABLE RIGHT NOW. Romney is more capable to handle our financial crisis because of his successes in previous economic endeavors. He will be able to run this nation so that it is profitable and financially stable. Romney is really organized; he knows what he wants to do and he has a plan.”

Sarah BradshawJuniorHuman Development

Interviews by Cole spicker

PARTY IN THE USACONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

what their individual presidencies and admin-istrations would look like and what that means for America and its citizens. But what would the administrations be like if a third-party presidential candidate garnered enough sup-port and actually made it to the White House?

“I think we’re going to have problems po-litically until we get some sort of third party movement or some voice out there that can put forth new ideas,” former Gov. Jon Hunts-man, Jr. said in an MSNBC interview earlier this year. “We might not win, but we can certainly influence the debate.”

While Huntsman isn’t fashioning his own brand of Republicanism, Utah has ties with a presidential candidate other than Romney.

Former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky An-derson’s Justice Party, still in its infancy, has gained some momentum across the nation, enough for his name to have the chance of winning sufficient electoral votes.

According to their website, the Justice Party aims to end corporate personhood, along with the Bush tax cuts. Similarly, they oppose the enlargement of the Keystone Pipeline and de-sire to “implement major domestic green jobs and infrastructure programs.”

In a debate on Oct. 3, Anderson took on the Green Party U.S. presidential nominee Jill Stein, and the results were surprising. Rang-ing on issues from abortion to Social Security, they disagreed twice. In another debate hosted by CNN’s Don Lemon, the presidential nomi-nee from the Libertarian Party, Gary Johnson and Stein both verbally supported social is-sues such as same-sex marriage, legalization of marijuana and women’s rights regarding re-productive health. However, Johnson and Stein only disagreed once regarding taxes Johnson stated he’d abolish most taxes, while Stein said she supported stimulus spending.

The only other third-party presidential candidate whose name appears on sufficient electoral ballots is the nominee from the Con-stitution Party, Virgil Goode, a former U.S. congressman from Virginia. The party’s plat-form, according to its website, is predicated on the principles of the founding documents of the United States, citing the Bible as one of those documents. Enjoying a substantial mem-bership from the Christian Right, immigration tops the party’s to-do list.

Speaking about Obama’s DREAM Act ex-ecutive order, Goode said he would reverse Obama’s order.

“It’s the wrong course for the United States,” he said a month ago during a morning news conference in Roanoke, N.C. “…If I was elected president I would immediately rescind the di-rection of President Obama … amnesty in any form only encourages more illegal entry.”

History does not shine favorably on third-party presidential candidates. Ralph Nader, a six-time candidate, never acquired the office he tirelessly sought. Another, Ross Perot, two-time candidate and billionaire, had the same fate. However, third parties have stirred public opinion within the past two decades. Former presidential candidate Ron Paul garnered widespread and active support this election. The infamous and hotly-debated outcome of 2000 was attributed to Perot’s large base in Florida, whose votes hurt Al Gore’s chances as Commander in Chief.

Goode, Anderson, Stein and Johnson have access to ballots in Utah. These four candidates participated in a debate yesterday evening. More information regarding the debate is available at www.freeandequal.org where the debate was streamed. ◼


@YSTUDENTREVIEW

According to a survey released in January 2012 conducted by the Pew Forum on

Religious and Public Life, 74 percent of U.S. Mormons align with the Republican party, while 17 percent agree with the Democratic party and 9 percent are Independent or align with no party. Contrary to what the data may suggest, the Church does not, according to Mormon.org, “endorse, promote or oppose political parties, candidates or platforms.” Ul-timately, this uniformity in political party can lead to polarization, which results in an envi-ronment limiting diversity.

As we read, the official position of the Church lends itself to a more diverse political climate than currently represented across the United States, thus pointing to a root cause of culture bred in tradition rather than doctrine. Such is demonstrated in a phrase commonly used by Mormons, especially within Utah and other strongly red states, which is “You can’t be an active Mormon and a good Democrat,” or some variation.

As it turns out, there is a strong correlation between a Mormon’s party affiliation and de-gree of activity in the faith. According to the Pew survey, the likelihood of being a Democrat more than doubled when religious commit-ment was lower, moving from 12 percent to 29 percent. In contrast, of those who expressed lower religious commitment, 63 percent were Republican, whereas of those who expressed a high degree of religious commitment, 78 per-cent were Republican.

As to the reason behind such numbers, there are several possibilities. As the doctrine of the Church is neutral towards the Democratic party, it is likely social pressure that drives the Mormon Democrats to lower levels of activ-ity. It may be that belonging to the Democratic party encourages one to lower their level of religious commitment, but if this is the case it begs the question, ‘why doesn’t the Church

officially oppose the Democratic party?’ In the absence of such a declaration, the issue seems rather to be one of conformity.

A sampling of about 500 students at BYU further illustrates the societal pressure to con-form to the political identity.

In two separate classes, professors asked students to raise their hands according to their political party. The results showed that 1 percent are Democrats, 3.5 percent are Inde-pendents and the remaining 95.5 percent are Republicans. However, these statistics have a significantly lower percentage of Democrats and Independents than the national poll. One explanation is that students feared the social consequences of publicly acknowledging that they were not Republican in such an open set-ting, or that being at BYU they altered their political alignments to fit in even before a show of hands.

Further illustrating the trend of increas-ing polarization is the view of the Tea Party. Mormons view the Tea Party 13 percent more favorably than the general American public (36 percent compared to 23 percent). This may be attributable to the larger number of Republi-cans within Mormonism, but also indicates a tendency to accept more radical ideas. This tendency occurs when individuals gather into groups and isolate themselves from contradic-tory opinions. Groups then tend to polarize, becoming more and more extreme in their thinking. And therein lies the danger of a po-litically uniform membership - a drift toward increasing extremism.

A 2007 Landscape Survey showed 65 per-cent of Mormons as Republicans, 9 percent less than the 2012 Pew Survey. The Land-scape Survey also lists 22 percent of Mormons as Democrats, 5 percent more than the Pew Survey. These statistics suggest a movement toward greater conformity and polarization. Should such trends continue, it’s possible Mor-

Written by Conor Hilton

VIEWPOINT: POLITICAL UNIFORMITY LIMITS DIVERSITY

Romney“Obviously, one of the

biggest concerns is the state of our economy. I’ve studied Mitt

Romney—what he did in business, what he did as governor of Massachusetts, and what he did

as chairman of the 2002 Olympics. I want to go into medicine; healthcare is a big issue to

me and I think Mitt Romney has the best plan for the nation.”

Alan NebekerSeniorExercise Science

Obama“The economy is an

important issue for me. I think that with a few more years, President Obama will be able to turn it around. I like that he’s

well educated and has a good head on his shoulders. I think he will continue with his

good work and help out country.” Emily SheleySeniorHumanities

Obama“Women’s issues are important

to me. As I delve into more, I discovered that I sided with President Obama—on most

everything, actually. Women are making 77 cents on the dollar [compared to men], and

Romney just glossed over that in his debate. I want somebody who will take a more progres-

sive stance on women’s issues. Obama’s that best person for me when it comes to

women’s issues.

Renee KirkSophomoreNeuroscience

OBAMA“IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH HEALTH-

CARE FOR ME. Growing up, I had a lot of periods without health insurance. I know

how it feels. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for government-sponsored programs that allowed

me to see a doctor and get the medication I needed.” Joseph Szendre

SophomoreBiochemistry

ELECTION 2012

mons will alienate themselves even more from the general American public.

Ultimately, the Church’s doctrine encour-ages diversity and in fact is one of pluralism, demanding individuals accept truth from where ever it may spring, which makes sense why the First Presidency of the Church stat-ed, “principles compatible with the gospel are found in the platforms of all major political parties.” Knowing this, it’s up to us as individu-als to examine the genealogy of our political belief systems, educate ourselves more deeply on the subject and choose independently what we believe is best for the future of the nation. ◼

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With midterms to take and essays to write, BYU students and other area university students have been actively involved in efforts

from both the Obama and the Romney campaigns to register and per-suade voters in swing states.

The Obama campaign’s efforts have focused in Colorado, while the Romney campaign focused on Nevada. No matter the state or candidate, how-ever, these students shared a common reason for going—that of helping to influence the future of the nation.

Students canvassing for Mitt Romney empha-sized his ability to lead.

“The number one reason I support Mitt Rom-ney is his leadership experience,” canvasser Evan Johnson said.

Brandon Riches echoed similar sentiments saying, “I support Romney because I think he will lead this country in the right direction. I think his leadership is important.”

In contrast, at least one canvasser for Obama focused on his positions promoting equality.

Hannah Wheelwright focused on the equality of women saying, “Women’s issues are always the first thing that come to mind. Obama has made women a priority, and I don’t see Mitt Romney showing that same initiative.”

Written by Conor HiltonNote: The author has worked

canvassing for the re-election

of President Barack Obama.

WALKING THE WALK: STUDENTS LEAVE SCHOOL BEHIND TO PROMOTE CAMPAIGNS

Shared among all of those who chose to canvass is a feeling that this election is especially crucial.

BYU student Brian Devine said, “The trends of conservatism are pushing more and more extreme, whether you like Mitt Romney or not, a win for the GOP here will validate the obses-sively out of line attitude that conservatives have taken recently as far as equality, women’s rights, welfare and the race issues.”

Supporters of both candidates expressed similar reasons for volunteering.

Spencer Conners, a Romney supporter, said, “I believe representative government is brilliant. When it comes to citizens educat-ing themselves and engaging at least in part in politics, the more the better.”

Ben Ader, an Obama supporter, said, “I de-cided to get involved with the President’s campaign because I have spent my whole life talking to people about politics and wanted to continue in a focused and productive way to help promote my ideas and beliefs. “

Michaela Peringer, another Obama sup-porter, said “I really identified with Obama’s

platform in 2008, and I knew that I wanted to vote for him. And I didn’t just want other peo-ple to vote for Obama; I wanted them to want to vote for him. That’s why I volunteered with the Obama campaign in 2008, and that’s why I’m doing it again this year.”

Johnson summarized the overall volun-teering experience saying, “The experience was overall positive and fun. We worked hard knocking doors to get out the vote and had a little time to see Vegas. It’s always good to meet other people from other places to understand what is really happening on the ground. “

Hard work and fun were the most common themes relating to the campaign efforts.

Students will continue to campaign for both candidates until the election. ◼

For information about volunteering with the Obama campaign contact Hannah Wheelwright via email at [email protected]. If you are interested in volunteering with the Romney cam-paign contact Katrina at [email protected].


@YSTUDENTREVIEW 19

Sports

I am a BYU football fan.I love going to games, getting sensory overload as I walk past the

hot dog stands, smell the overload of cologne and perfume, sit by the band and hear Greg Wrubell’s analysis ringing out from speakers placed every thirty feet or so around the perimeter of LaVell Edwards Stadium. I love the mutual angst, anxiety and celebration that I get to share with 60,000 other people. I love yelling like a madman just before the ball is snapped in my effort to become a part of the game.

I have seen good days, home and away. Harline’s answered prayer in the end zone. Thrashing the Oregon Ducks in the Las Vegas bowl. Fourth and 18. The hand of Man(umaleuna) blocking a field goal, provid-ing a win over UCLA we nearly threw away. Handing those same Bruins their worst loss in 79 years, 59-0. Upsetting Oklahoma in Jerry’s World. The Riley Nelson miracle against Utah State. Nelson’s fake spike that helped the Cougars reach ten wins in 2011. The defense stretching its touchdown shutout streak to 198 minutes, 28 seconds and its overall shutout streak to 153 minutes, 23 seconds.

I’ve seen the bad, too. Blowing a big lead to TCU in 2005. Dropping pivotal early season games against Arizona, Boston College, Tulsa and Texas. Getting blown away on College GameDay by Florida State. Start-ing 1-4 in 2010, including a then-shocking loss to the Aggies. A defensive coordinator axed. A record-breaking offensive coordinator axed in a more roundabout sort of way. The most highly touted recruit ever at the school leaving town with a sour taste in his mouth. 54- 10. Looking out onto the field and seeing that our offensive linemen are built like linebackers, only slow. Losing the quarterback of the future on a mean-ingless, thoughtless offensive snap.

Through the good and the bad, I’ve learned some things about myself as a fan, about the health of the football program and about why I cheer for BYU.

Not to get all Bronco Mendenhall on you, but I’ve learned what I be-lieve about this program. This is what it means to me, in candid order:

I’ve enjoyed the more intriguing schedule as an independent, but almost nothing else about the situation. I wait for the day that BYU be-comes part of a conference again, but I sure don’t miss the Mountain West schedule. A fan base like BYU’s knows it’s meaningless to be the best in a meaningless conference. BYU culture, for all its flaws, pushes to be the best, not best in region.

Of course, it’s hard to bring up provincialism without mentioning the University of Utah.

However, I am not personally one to speak. I’ve convinced myself at times that I can cheer for Utah when they don’t play the Cougars. At other times, I’ve decided that it runs too deep for that kind of nonsense.

I’ve convinced myself that the Cougars are true rivals with Notre Dame, only to realize the two schools have met on the gridiron six times. Ever.

I believe Bronco Mendenhall is a perfect fit to coach at BYU, even if he is a mixed bag and even if some have soured on him. He’s won some very big games, lost his share of them too. He has a higher winning percent-age—during the regular season and in bowl games—than LaVell Edwards. You can argue that he’s made personnel mistakes, or accuse him of mis-handling Jake Heaps, but your case is pretty dry if you try to pin him on personal mistakes, which is more than can be said for a lot coaches. He has also made monumental finds -- bringing on unheralded players like a Preston Hadley, Joe Sampson or JD Falslev. He’s recruited the most talented secondary and most most accomplished receiving corps ever at BYU. But almost simultaneously, he disbanded an offensive staff that had raised John Beck, Max Hall, Curtis Brown, Harvey Unga, Austin Col-lie and Dennis Pitta to maturity.

He’s been under-appreciated and under-loved by Cougar fans during his entire tenure, especially considering how much he has won, and how consistently. The explanation for this is a two way street. His self-ad-mitted weakness is lack of approachability, with players, media and fans alike. While seeming as crusty as Kyle Van Noy’s used socks in person,

however, he’s implemented the most overtly religious sports program the university has ever seen, and while many fans remain unsold on the idea, the players swear by it. Bronco Mendenhall is a conundrum.

And I maintain that this particular conun-drum is one that we’re lucky to have on our hands. We might not always be so fortunate. Mendenhall’s stock as a defensive mastermind is always rising.

In the end, being a BYU fan means accepting the imperfect, absorbing some blows, endur-ing some losses. The Cougar faithful endure plenty of sports anxiety. But I maintain that winning feels better here than I could imag-ine anywhere else. The Cougars draw from a smaller pool of possible recruits than almost any other serious-about-winning Division I team in the country, and do a bang-up job of remaining relevant on the field. Finding a con-ference, finding an offense and finding a way to beat Utah—these things will come. When? Well, that’s part of being a sports fan.

We don’t know.In the meantime, the Cougars will continue

to regularly pull off 9-11 wins per year, provid-ing a lion’s share of good memories and some very vivid painful ones. It’s college football; perfection is hard. Winning college football games is hard. Not a single team finished un-defeated in 2011, and this with the shortest season in team sports above high school level. The proof of our fandom at BYU ought to be our loyalty and patience, even if we’re not on the short track to a national championship year in and year out.

This university, this culture we have here isn’t perfect. I don’t need to be convinced of that. But it’s unique, and it’s a world class edu-cation. Students from all over the country, and even the world, choose BYU because it is exceptional academically, robust socially and reliable spiritually. As the largest private uni-versity in the United States, we enjoy a hybrid model of American higher education: combin-ing the variety of a big-campus experience with the specialization of a private curriculum.

If that comes with losing a two or three football games per year, so be it. We still go to BYU. By most every measure, we win.

Yeah, I said it.I am a BYU football fan. This, to me, is what it

means to be one. This is my manifesto. ◼

On beingA BYU Football Fan

Written by Ben Lockhart



HUMOR

20

Explanatory note: In the original Student Review, there was a recurring “column” of lists. There isn’t necessarily an overriding

theme to these lists other than they are things we all know, all experience, and in some cases, are all confused by. We hope

you enjoy it. Have a suggestion for the lists? Tweet it to @YStudentReview or email us at

[email protected]

Overheard AROUND Provo

“

I’m Jewish and a lesbian, so I don’t know why I’m

actually here.-Heard at CoffeePod

I used to live in California, then in august, I moved here from

arizona. just following my mother’s marriages.

-Heard at ihop

I can’t wait til i’m 18 and can finally move here. payson is too

small for me, i need to live in a city.

-Heard on center street

I don’t have to go back to Ward Prayer now that I’ve met my

boyfriend there.-Heard at sushiYa

“

top 201. Free food from BYUSA a.k.a. Manna from

heaven2. Junk parts of DNA apparently aren’t junk3. Student Review t-shirts4. Getting a real calling5. The cats that roam campus6. The Mormon Moment7. The presidential race8. Automatic paper towel dispensers9. iPhone 510. Samsung commercials mocking the

iPhone11. Red pants12. No more Blackboard13. China buying US debt14. BYU Counseling Center15. New youth sunday school program16. Interesting lectures on campus17. BYU Special Collections18. The custodial staffs19. Parties at the Village20. World Peace

This Month’s

Bottom 101. Learning Suite2. Gas prices3. Apple v Samsung (Apple patents glass

rectangles)4. Dating Committees5. BYU Football choking6. ESC, SWKT, JFSB intersection traffic7. Syria, Iran, Libya8. “Every Day is Gameday”??9. Parking10. Budget Deficits

This Month’s


@YSTUDENTREVIEW 21

Humor

Comedic ReviewComics by Jon Uland (MIMEintheforest.com) and

Andrew Livingston (CrustaceanSingles.com)

vol 2 issue 2

Documents

change change

im naive

election issue

lot of old people

skeptical individuals

old tactics

old fear

skeptical lot