Romney's appeal makes him politically seductive
By Terry Michael
The Politico

If all that reads like cheap armchair psychoanalysis of the candidates and the voters, go to Mitt TV and see what I mean. I scared myself. I believe the Iraq war is a nearly criminal enterprise. I'm a social-cultural leftie who wants the government out of my bedroom and away from my body. But I was nearly mesmerized by a guy whose religion I consider akin to a cult, whose Iraq war support angers me and whose posturing against gays I find obnoxious.
So, I find it kind of appalling that I find him appealing.
Political seduction is a powerful drug.

Take a look in the mirror before confronting bias
By Richard Davis

A poll by Hotline conducted last month found that 39 percent of Americans had an unfavorable view of the LDS religion while only 27 percent had a favorable view. The figure was even higher among Republicans — 48 percent unfavorable. Some of that sentiment probably is due to naked religious bigotry.

New prejudice in American politics
By Jerald Podair
Christian Science Monitor

This shift in political culture has permitted the list of leading candidates for the White House in 2008 to include a black of African descent (Barack Obama); a woman (Hillary Clinton); a divorced Catholic whose first wife was his second cousin (Rudy Giuliani); and a practicing Mormon (Mitt Romney).

The journalistic flurry over the Mormon faith of Romney is thus misplaced. Romney can dispel concerns about the independence of his political judgments with one well-placed speech reminiscent of Kennedy's address to the ministers of Houston in 1960. What he cannot dispel will be voter perceptions based on matters as trivial as his posture or jawline. Just one word is all it takes.

Romney is surely aware that the presidential hopes of his father, former Michigan Gov. George Romney, were dashed not by his ties to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but by a single, ill-advised word. Romney was the front-runner for the 1968 Republican presidential nomination when he stated that he had earlier been "brainwashed" into supporting the Vietnam War. He meant that U.S. military officials had been duplicitous regarding the prospects for victory, but no matter. Romney was immediately branded as naive and weak. His candidacy never recovered.

Mitt Romney's electability now hinges more on his haircut than his religion. I'm not sure we should be celebrating.

Judge Romney on politics — not religion
By Stephen Stromberg
The Washington Post

No one but Romney can know how his beliefs might affect his judgment. Instead of focusing on his faith, it would be much more worthwhile for voters to judge Mitt Romney on his evolving political agenda — as Republicans did when George Romney ran in 1967.

Romney is a chameleon
By Ruth Marcus
The Washington Post

To give this explanation the credit it doesn't deserve, Romney's rationale boils down to arguing that he didn't really mean his vote; he was just trying to game the political process. Those considering Romney in 2008 have reason to wonder what a politician who admits so freely to that kind of manipulation is willing to do to win their votes.

America needs 3rd party
As I sit here tonight with my five kids (ages 4 to 14), I wonder which ones will be stuck cleaning up the mess in the Middle East and on the border. Democrats want to unconditionally surrender to terrorists. Both Democrats and Republicans want nothing to do with the mess at the border. Professional politicians need to be held accountable in both parties. We need a third party that's interested in what the people want. These jokers have become too comfortable doing nothing.

Kyle Williams
Salt Lake City

Democrats want to unconditionally surrender to terrorists.

Both Democrats and Republicans want nothing to do with the mess at the border.

Professional politicians need to be held accountable in both parties.

EnergySolutions not so nice
A name that sounds good does not necessarily represent something good. Examples: "Friendly fire" actually means that people died at the hands of someone they trusted, and "ethnic cleansing" means people died because someone didn't like their last name.
"EnergySolutions" actually means people have a significant risk of dying by exposure to toxic chemicals.
Our citizens fought long and hard to keep Envirocare from becoming a major health threat to Utahns. Gov. Huntsman assured us that the citizens had finally won the battle. Now we face the biggest health threat ever known in our state of Utah. What a disappointment. Our Legislature can't see past a pleasant sounding name.

Dion Barron
Highland

Gun-free zones are folly
While the news media have been silent on the matter, I have learned that the Trolley Square mall was posted as a gun-free zone when the recent shootings occurred. Surely, in the wake of this, and several school shootings, even the most ardent gun-control advocates see the folly of gun-free zones.
It's only a matter of time before such a shooting happens in one of Utah's gun-free churches.

Blaine Nay
Cedar City

More guns isn't the answer
In the wake of the shooting at Trolley Square, many people in our community have talked about arming themselves to protect their families. Some citizens are advocating easier access to guns and ammunition to prevent more violence.
This is ludicrous! What is needed is less access to rapid fire shot guns and a backpack full of ammunition. I am not promoting gun control. However, I do not believe our Founding Fathers had this in mind. It is imperative that we re-examine the laws that enabled Sulejman Talovic to take the lives of five innocent victims and destroy countless lives.

DeeDee Nelson
Bountiful

"Hello, this is Tom from the Comcast Network Abuse and Policy Observance Department. I'm calling to inform you that you're using too much bandwidth. If you don't reduce your usage dramatically, your account may be terminated for 12 months."

"Oh, okay. Well, what's the cap so I can stay under it?"

"There is no cap."

"Uhhh.. Well, doesn't this call imply that there is?"

"No."

At this point you may have a weird twilight zone sensation.

"Uhh.. Okay, well, how much should I cut back?"

"Dramatically."

"Can you give me a percent or a safe amount or something?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because there isn't a 'safe' amount."

"But there is an unsafe amount?"

"Yes, using too much is unsafe."

"But you can't tell me what's too much."

"Right."

"Because technically, you don't have a cap."

"Right."

"Who's on first?"

"What?"

"Nevermind."

"Alright, do you have any other questions?

"No."

"Okay. Thanks for choosing Comcast!"

"Oh, you're welcome."

"The House of Representatives passes a non-binding resolution rejecting President Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq...."

Crossed a line of decency
Where is the sensitivity and decency we have come to expect from the Deseret Morning News? Needless to say, I did not put this morning's news on the table for my children to see. The front-page photo crossed a line of decency that disturbs me.

Kathi Palmer
West Valley City


Consider family's feelings
How completely insensitive and inappropriate of the Deseret News to run a picture of one of the victims of this Trolley Square tragedy!
Did you not consider the loved ones and children and others who would view this photograph? We do not need sensational photographs to convince us that this was a terrible situation.

Julie Olsen
Salt Lake City


Why degrade family's grief?
Have you no respect for the victims and the families involved in the tragedy at Trolley Square last night? I am sure that everyone in the Salt Lake Valley is afraid and shocked enough without being exposed to a photo of a victim lying on the ground. The woman is someone's mother, sister, daughter or friend. Why degrade her and her family's grief by plastering it on the front page? I expected more from the Deseret Morning News.

Lynette Hale
West Jordan


Front-page photo tasteless
How tasteless can you folks be! That is someone's loved one lying there. I consider your photo very disrespectful of that individual, his or her family, and shows a disregard for the sanctity of human life. You can certainly cover the news to a higher standard without stooping to tabloid-style titillation.
I am offended by such a disrespectful picture and ask you to please raise your own business and moral standards to that of your highest board of directors or owners.

Jonathan Jensen
Pocatello, Idaho


Photo of body disturbing
I was personally disturbed by the picture of the officer with the dead body next to him. I understand that this is a significantly tragic event for our community and that the newspaper's readers want as much information as possible. However, I think that this particular picture does not necessarily need to be published to demonstrate the horrific nature of this evening. While one cannot necessarily identify the body, I am sure that the family and friends of this person, once identified, will be left with even more unnecessary pain and anguish.

Max Chang
Salt Lake City


Photo was trauma-inducing
Shame on you!! Concerns are being expressed that witnesses of the Trolley shootings may need to contact Valley Mental Health, yet you turn around and place on the front page and the Internet a full picture of what appears to be a victim lying dead on the floor with a police office pointing a gun. Now the entire readership of the paper needs to receive counseling — or maybe just those who chose to show such a graphic display. This kind of thing makes me want to not take the paper or listen to the news.

Bruce McDonough
Salt Lake City


Take photo off Web site
I'm a Utahn working as a journalist in Washington state. When I heard about the shootings, I logged on to find out what had happened. I was saddened to see the front page photo of a police officer kneeling next to the body of one of the victims. That poor family. I can't imagine having my dead loved one's picture displayed for all to see. Please remove that terrible picture from the Web site. It shows absolutely no sensitivity to the family of that victim, or the horrific event that just took place. The Deseret Morning News has a reputation for high standards. Please reflect those standards with better editorial judgment.

Roxeanne Vainuku
Renton, Wash.

An explanation to our readers
Deseret Morning News editorial
Editors at this newspaper are horrified and stunned by the tragic killings at Trolley Square on Monday evening. It's difficult to believe that this could have taken place in Salt Lake City. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families.
This newspaper has received a number of phone calls and e-mails from readers who are critical of the decision to publish the graphic photograph of an unidentified victim and a policeman on the front page of our Tuesday edition. We understand the concern and have carefully considered the comments of all.
A newspaper has a duty to its readers to accurately describe events. Photojournalism plays an essential role in telling stories. Often photographs capture in an instant infinitely more than words could say. They convey the emotion of a situation and bring the reader into the scene in a way that has great power and impact. Such was the case here.
We know the picture is horrifying. However, after careful consideration we concluded that no other photograph we had adequately told the story of this almost unimaginable tragedy. We did not publish it out of an impulse to be sensational, but rather to clearly document the terror that struck at the heart of our community.
Unduly sanitizing the circumstances of the terrible and shocking tragedy would not have done justice to either the story or the community.

Abortion bill irresponsible
I am completely horrified by the Substitute House Bill 235 (Abortion Law Revisions). There are many reasons for my dismay, but I will list two points. First, American history demonstrates that abortion bans only prevent medically safe terminations. Second, recent state history shows that legislators have little anxiety about spending millions in taxpayer dollars to defend unconstitutional bills. Legislative fiscal irresponsibility ultimately penalizes the people of Utah, both in dollar terms and in social terms, because of all the other programs that have their funds cut to pay for the legal bills.

Dr. Susan J. Wurtzburg
Salt Lake City

Mitt coverage reverse bias?
You ran a reprint of an article by Hugh Hewitt on Mitt Romney's mistreatment in the national press (Feb. 4). Hewitt is the only writer I've seen to squarely confront the issue.
Anna Quindlen in her opinion piece in Newsweek (Feb. 5) is the perfect example of how the mainline press is avoiding the issue. She provides her usual useful analysis of some of the problems that will confront presidential candidates in the coming months but omits any comment on Mitt Romney and the problem his Mormonism presents to Evangelicals and others. To me this is the perfect example of reverse prejudice by simply writing around the issue.

David B. Timmins
Salt Lake City

Stop bringing Bush down
If you want to raise your child as a failure, all you have to do is tell him over and over that he is worthless and will never amount to anything. And you want to make sure all his acquaintances know what a failure he is so they can add their voices to the criticism and ridicule. Are there not people in this nation doing this same thing to President Bush? To make sure his rating is low and stays that way, we are told over and over again how badly he is doing and what a poor rating he has. I would hope our efforts help, rather than hinder, our military in Iraq.

Leona Johnson
Orem

Column filled with hot air
In G. Don Gale's latest liberal rant ("America is focusing on the wrong enemy," Feb. 3) he calls the war on terrorism "idiotic and meaningless." The rest of his overly long diatribe is smoke and filler and should have been omitted. No reasoned American needs to have our nation's obvious problems described for us in such long-winded fashion without there being some accompanying suggested solutions. I suggest Mr. Gale change the name of his company from "Words, Words, Words" to "Hot Air, Hot Air, Hot Air."

Glen Lassen
Sandy

Keep us safe from Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart. Who is the person behind this monopoly? Who controls the giant beast? Wal-Mart is a destroyer of local business and our economic cultivation. I may still be in my teens and not a full taxpayer, but I know what is right. I just ask that we pay a little more to help keep Salt Lake City safe from the clutches of the beast.

Travis VanLeeuwen
Salt Lake City

Haggard, who is married, has publicly admitted to "sexual immorality."

It was also the oversight board that strongly urged Haggard to go into secular work.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - In perhaps the boldest and most sophisticated attack in four years of warfare, gunmen speaking English, wearing U.S. military uniforms and carrying American weapons abducted four U.S. soldiers last week at the provincial headquarters in the Shiite holy city of Karbala and then shot them to death.

News should try to be fair
On one day you ran a touchy-feely promo piece for Barack Obama (not mentioning his far left voting record). The next day you had an article with a headline that implied that Mitt Romney had somehow not been honest in his campaign contributions (the article clarified that he had followed the law). But nowhere was there mention of his many accomplishments and sterling character.
We know you lean to the left at the Deseret Morning News. But let's at least try to make your coverage fair.

Evelyn Scott
Draper

Clownish makeup a shame
Shame on high school drill-team coaches and the parents of those — potentially — beautiful young women pictured on C1 of today's newspaper (Feb. 1). It is abhorrent to mar the beauty of these young women with makeup that is, at best, clownish.

William R. Bodine
Tooele

Follow the Constitution
Would someone please show me where in the U.S. Constitution Congress is given the right to participate in intrastate affairs or to control or care for the individual? Congress spends day after day on "minimum wage" bills, education bills, dental and health care programs. I am very pleased Rep. Rob Bishop voted against the Fair Minimum Wage Act. I wish others were more like him.
The public and Congress are equally at fault for their insatiable desire to make the "other guy" pay for benefits. By not abiding by the Consitution, "We the people" will eventually lose our freedoms.

Don Olson
Bountiful

I am deeply disappointed in Americans, as a whole, for being influenced by the Democratic Party plan of harassment, distortion, exaggeration and exploitation. Over the past six years, Democratic leaders (along with the mass media, the higher education bloc and the one-worlders) have spent an exorbitant amount of time and energy ruining good men in the Republican Congress and Bush administration.

It has now become more and more obvious, even to some people who initially believed the "rape" charges against Duke University students, that there was never a speck of evidence to support the charges and a growing amount of evidence to the contrary.

The haste and vehemence with which scores of Duke University professors publicly took sides against the students in this case is just one sign of how deep the moral dry rot goes, in even our most prestigious institutions.

We have become a society easily stampeded, even by the unsubstantiated, inconsistent and mutually contradictory statements of a woman with a criminal record.

The unraveling Duke rape case should be a wake-up call, both for blacks and for liberals, on how easy it is for their emotions to be manipulated by even a third-rate demagogue with a flimsy fraud. The time is long overdue for some of those who consider themselves "thinking people" to start doing some thinking.