Utah State House of Representatives legislature Arron Tilton, R-Springville and State Senator Chris Buttars want all of the citizens of Utah to pay for any legal defenses their bias and bigoted HR235 may cause. Through the use of our tax dollars, these two want to make it, and I quote Representative Scott Wyatt, R-Logan, “easier to start a corporation than to create a high school club” here in Utah. Buttars and Tilton want to give school administrations the ability to reject any school club which is, in their opinion, outside the “boundaries of socially appropriate behavior” without fear of needing to pay for legal defenses arising out of the rejection of a club’ application.
In legislation clearly aimed at high school clubs of Gay Straight Alliances these two elected officials want to pass legislation which would curtail the rights of a select group of people just because they are part of the group. Which “group of people” are you part of which could find itself the target of legislation intent upon limiting your rights? I suggest you think about that long and hard. Do you only get involved when your club or group is singled out? As I recall, it was a number of such proclamations from a king, which stirred men of integrity to start a revolution around 1776.
Buttars’ and Tilton’s self righteousness attempt to limit the rights of a select group is both an affront to the U S Constitution as well as a denial of human sexuality. The constitution prohibits legislation targeted for select constituents based upon criteria of membership. Part of human sexuality is homosexuality. Homosexuality is displayed in countless species on earth. Mother Nature and men far wiser that these two elected officials strongly disagree with the premise of this bill.
Perhaps a closer look at the suicide rate among young people in this state, which rants near the top in the nation, and the correlation of the pressures brought to bear by a ultra conservative majority would give cause to review the intent of HR236. Certainly the lives of our young people are more important than with whom they decide to share their sexuality. Curtailing the rights of these young constituents by denying them the opportunity to openly gather and discuss issues of great importance to their lives with their peers is a great injustice. The clubs’ name suggests a coming together of two different groups for the purpose of understanding and support rather than recruitment of one group by the other. The supposed moral superiority of Buttars and Tilton falls well short of the integrity and understanding of the young members of these alliances.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
Rights Denied
I have submitted to the Salt Lake Tribune Public Forum the balance of this post which starts with the new paragraph. I have approximated the word count at 210. I realize this is still ten words over their 200 limit but I am finding it difficult to say anything of substance with so few words. What do you think? We will have to wait and see about the Tribune's editorial staff's opinion.
The signers of the Declaration of Independence, the creators of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights all understood the value and the need to protect the rights of the people to choose. Many had left homelands ruled by monarchies influenced by religious dogmas in search of a land where government would be less influenced by such sources. They understood the concept of separation of church and state having more to do with undue influence of the state by the church rather than government’s limiting of religious practice. They also understood the need for checks and balances within their new government and provided for it with the three branches of our government, administrative, legislative and judiciary.
None of us who support a woman’s right to choose have ever attempted to infringe upon the individual rights and freedoms or the religiously influenced beliefs of those of you are against the right to choose.
Those of you who would deny a woman’s right to choose should take pause for a moment from your emotional stance and consider what your position would undo in the documents which frame this country. Your rights do not supercede ours nor vice versa.
The signers of the Declaration of Independence, the creators of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights all understood the value and the need to protect the rights of the people to choose. Many had left homelands ruled by monarchies influenced by religious dogmas in search of a land where government would be less influenced by such sources. They understood the concept of separation of church and state having more to do with undue influence of the state by the church rather than government’s limiting of religious practice. They also understood the need for checks and balances within their new government and provided for it with the three branches of our government, administrative, legislative and judiciary.
None of us who support a woman’s right to choose have ever attempted to infringe upon the individual rights and freedoms or the religiously influenced beliefs of those of you are against the right to choose.
Those of you who would deny a woman’s right to choose should take pause for a moment from your emotional stance and consider what your position would undo in the documents which frame this country. Your rights do not supercede ours nor vice versa.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Do You Remember
How many of you remember where you where were and what you were doing when you heard the news about President John F. Kennedy’s assassination? Right now every one of you is having one of three thoughts. The first group of you who remember are running through you mind the exact time, place and event as it was unfolding. The second group of you is saying I was to young to remember the assassination. The last group of you is saying I wasn’t even born yet.
I am a member of the first group. I was in eighth grade at Kearns Junior High School. It was near the end of fourth period gym class because I was just getting out of the shower and getting dressed when the first announcement about the shooting came over the intercom system. About fifteen or twenty minutes later during first lunch I was standing next to my locker, and this is a stranger part, alone in an empty hall, when the announcement came over the intercom about President Kennedy’s death. I remember holding onto the door of my locker and starting to cry. I suggest to you, one of the reasons there aren’t more liberals around today is because to many of you are in the second and third groups.
You see those of us who were around when the assassination occurred also remember his invigorating words of what was possible and the stimulating words of challenge he presented. We remember his “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country”, the proposal to start the Peace Corps and encouraging words of what was possible to accomplish. We remember his passionate plea to end racial equality in the United States and the challenge to put a man of the moon by the end of decade. We also remember the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
In the fall of 1962 the world was on the brink of nuclear war. The United States had placed a naval blockade around Cuba preventing the former USSR, the United Soviet Socialist Republic, from placing any more ICBMs, inter-continental ballistic missiles, in Cuba and demanding the removal of those already installed. ICBM’s launched from Cuba had the capability of reaching Washington, DC within about ten minutes and Salt Lake City within about twenty minutes.
Those of you in groups two and three do not have the experience of these events to help shape your attitudes and ideals of today. You have neither the sense of what is possible the liberal movement brought into focus or the realization of what real terror is in the form of world wide nuclear destruction.
We who remember the Kennedy assassination were raised by parents who lived through World War Two and they remember the Great Depression. Both of these major world events influenced them and their ideals. This in turn impacted how they imparted that knowledge and wisdom to us, their children. I suggest to those of you who have been raised in the era of no draft and the advent of the computer that you take a closer look at history before you decide if liberal is a dirty word or not. Perhaps more of you will come to the realization that there is much more to the world than your video games. Perhaps you will find a reason to put the controller down, turn the monitor off and get involved in shaping the events of today which will effect the quality of the rest of you life as well as the lives of your children.
I am a member of the first group. I was in eighth grade at Kearns Junior High School. It was near the end of fourth period gym class because I was just getting out of the shower and getting dressed when the first announcement about the shooting came over the intercom system. About fifteen or twenty minutes later during first lunch I was standing next to my locker, and this is a stranger part, alone in an empty hall, when the announcement came over the intercom about President Kennedy’s death. I remember holding onto the door of my locker and starting to cry. I suggest to you, one of the reasons there aren’t more liberals around today is because to many of you are in the second and third groups.
You see those of us who were around when the assassination occurred also remember his invigorating words of what was possible and the stimulating words of challenge he presented. We remember his “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country”, the proposal to start the Peace Corps and encouraging words of what was possible to accomplish. We remember his passionate plea to end racial equality in the United States and the challenge to put a man of the moon by the end of decade. We also remember the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
In the fall of 1962 the world was on the brink of nuclear war. The United States had placed a naval blockade around Cuba preventing the former USSR, the United Soviet Socialist Republic, from placing any more ICBMs, inter-continental ballistic missiles, in Cuba and demanding the removal of those already installed. ICBM’s launched from Cuba had the capability of reaching Washington, DC within about ten minutes and Salt Lake City within about twenty minutes.
Those of you in groups two and three do not have the experience of these events to help shape your attitudes and ideals of today. You have neither the sense of what is possible the liberal movement brought into focus or the realization of what real terror is in the form of world wide nuclear destruction.
We who remember the Kennedy assassination were raised by parents who lived through World War Two and they remember the Great Depression. Both of these major world events influenced them and their ideals. This in turn impacted how they imparted that knowledge and wisdom to us, their children. I suggest to those of you who have been raised in the era of no draft and the advent of the computer that you take a closer look at history before you decide if liberal is a dirty word or not. Perhaps more of you will come to the realization that there is much more to the world than your video games. Perhaps you will find a reason to put the controller down, turn the monitor off and get involved in shaping the events of today which will effect the quality of the rest of you life as well as the lives of your children.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Happening too Fast
In the words of Lewis Black, “This shit is happening to fast and I just can’t keep up”. He is a comedian and if you haven't heard or seen him check him out. He was in reference to the national scene and making a joke. I’m referencing both national and state events of the past week when I say, “This shit is happening so fast I just can’t keep up”. I'm hoping you get my point and then maybe we can do something about it.
First, Governor Jon Huntsman has scene fit to quietly and under the cover of darkness to sign into law the school voucher bill. I had hoped the governor would recognize this legislation for the gift to the very small minority elitist members of our state and the payoff to the national lobbyist group for the advancement of schools for profit that it is. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, February 10, 2007 this group contributed $750,000 to last year’s election campaigns. I was hoping he would recognize that had he vetoed the legislation, his veto would not have been over ridden because of the 38-37 vote in the House. But I guess he felt more beholden to an out of state lobbyist group than he did to the 90 percent of his constituents who send their children to public school. How much of the $750,000 did you receive governor?
The time and money spent discussing HB235, the bill to put Utah in the lead to challenging the Roe v. Wade decision, was completely wasted. The bill was modified back to a trigger position after a majority of the Republican representatives decided they didn’t want to put their, the taxpayers, money where their mouths were. Is this an example of money over ethically right decision making? But this way they can go back to their constituents with the plausible implication of being on the ultra conservative side of this issue. Never mind the constitutional review, which has already happened and the legal precedent it represents. Or, dare I say in this patriarchal environment, the tromping upon the rights of women to choose and make decisions regarding their own bodies.
The House has brought out of committee and sent to the floor, the bill regarding loco parentis, which is a wolf in sheep’s clothing regarding gay rights. This bill would be a slap in the face to gay parents of the state by giving preferential treatment to biological parents without regard to their actual abilities or past influence in a child’s life. This bill is an example of legislation to curtail the rights of a select group of people. The United States constitution seeks to deny just this type of “selective group” legislation.
Last, but not least, we have the outburst of Tim Hardeway, former NBA player. His homophobic rant is an example of bigotry and bias, which is beyond me. How any African-American can look at a select group of people and then want to deny that group of rights or liberties based upon a definition or description of who they are is indefensible to me. He need only look at black history to understand the hypocrisy of his statement.
In closing remember Mr. Black’s statement that “This is the same government which says you can protect yourself from a chemical BLANK attack with duck tape”.
First, Governor Jon Huntsman has scene fit to quietly and under the cover of darkness to sign into law the school voucher bill. I had hoped the governor would recognize this legislation for the gift to the very small minority elitist members of our state and the payoff to the national lobbyist group for the advancement of schools for profit that it is. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, February 10, 2007 this group contributed $750,000 to last year’s election campaigns. I was hoping he would recognize that had he vetoed the legislation, his veto would not have been over ridden because of the 38-37 vote in the House. But I guess he felt more beholden to an out of state lobbyist group than he did to the 90 percent of his constituents who send their children to public school. How much of the $750,000 did you receive governor?
The time and money spent discussing HB235, the bill to put Utah in the lead to challenging the Roe v. Wade decision, was completely wasted. The bill was modified back to a trigger position after a majority of the Republican representatives decided they didn’t want to put their, the taxpayers, money where their mouths were. Is this an example of money over ethically right decision making? But this way they can go back to their constituents with the plausible implication of being on the ultra conservative side of this issue. Never mind the constitutional review, which has already happened and the legal precedent it represents. Or, dare I say in this patriarchal environment, the tromping upon the rights of women to choose and make decisions regarding their own bodies.
The House has brought out of committee and sent to the floor, the bill regarding loco parentis, which is a wolf in sheep’s clothing regarding gay rights. This bill would be a slap in the face to gay parents of the state by giving preferential treatment to biological parents without regard to their actual abilities or past influence in a child’s life. This bill is an example of legislation to curtail the rights of a select group of people. The United States constitution seeks to deny just this type of “selective group” legislation.
Last, but not least, we have the outburst of Tim Hardeway, former NBA player. His homophobic rant is an example of bigotry and bias, which is beyond me. How any African-American can look at a select group of people and then want to deny that group of rights or liberties based upon a definition or description of who they are is indefensible to me. He need only look at black history to understand the hypocrisy of his statement.
In closing remember Mr. Black’s statement that “This is the same government which says you can protect yourself from a chemical BLANK attack with duck tape”.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Part Three
Sound Bite World
The recent presidential decisions to extended the tour of duty length and recall to the battlefield with only one year between tours of duty mad me so angry I wrote my first letter to the editor. It was a concise one page typed written essay. You remember those from high school. I sent it in via fax. The next morning I noticed the “Tips for publication of letters to the editor”. The two hundred word limit sent mine crashing to the ground under the burden of its’ 594 words. I edited the essay, losing much of its’ needed background information and content but alas it was still 335 words long. Since it was still more than fifty percent over the word limit I didn’t bother to resubmit it.
Does the Tribune feel its’ readership is incapable of maintaining their attention span for longer than thirty seconds? Is it the comprehension skills or intellectual abilities of their readers the editors question? Or is it the sound bite world we’ve become that leaves us, the United States of America with the mess of Iraq?
Including title, name and address 198 words.
Frank Pedroza
West Valley City, Utah
The recent presidential decisions to extended the tour of duty length and recall to the battlefield with only one year between tours of duty mad me so angry I wrote my first letter to the editor. It was a concise one page typed written essay. You remember those from high school. I sent it in via fax. The next morning I noticed the “Tips for publication of letters to the editor”. The two hundred word limit sent mine crashing to the ground under the burden of its’ 594 words. I edited the essay, losing much of its’ needed background information and content but alas it was still 335 words long. Since it was still more than fifty percent over the word limit I didn’t bother to resubmit it.
Does the Tribune feel its’ readership is incapable of maintaining their attention span for longer than thirty seconds? Is it the comprehension skills or intellectual abilities of their readers the editors question? Or is it the sound bite world we’ve become that leaves us, the United States of America with the mess of Iraq?
Including title, name and address 198 words.
Frank Pedroza
West Valley City, Utah
Part Two
Whether or not you agree with or disagree with President Bush’s recent decision to sent an additional 21,000 U. S. troops into Iraq there is something in this decision that every single American should find reprehensible. The change of policies, which permits the length of tour in the combat area to be extended and the recall to a combat area with only one year in between tours of duty, is that thing.
I am a former Utah National Guard member who served with the 19th Special Forces Group Airborne during the Vietnam War years. Through out these years, each and every young American male knew his options regarding the United States’ involvement in Vietnam. You knew the length of time of commitment and risks associated with those options. You calculated your odds and the ramifications of those various choices. You looked inwards at your beliefs and values. Then you made a decision you hoped you could live with for the rest of your life. Your family lived with those results as well.
If you found yourself in Vietnam as a result of your decision, you knew your tour of duty in Vietnam was 365 days and a wake up. You knew that if you survived the 365 days the only way you were going back was if you volunteered to go back.
By changing the current rotation and tour of duty time periods the Bush administration is saying, to the all-volunteer members of the armed forces and their families, you can not hold us to our word. Only those few of you who have volunteered must pay the price for our decisions, over and over again. I do not believe any American can be okay with these policies unless they are willing to be and or have their sons and daughters be, at a very minimum, subject to a lottery system of induction into the armed services of these United States.
Rise up your voices and let this administration know you do not believe their actions to be just or honorable.
Frank V. Pedroza
West Valley City
I am a former Utah National Guard member who served with the 19th Special Forces Group Airborne during the Vietnam War years. Through out these years, each and every young American male knew his options regarding the United States’ involvement in Vietnam. You knew the length of time of commitment and risks associated with those options. You calculated your odds and the ramifications of those various choices. You looked inwards at your beliefs and values. Then you made a decision you hoped you could live with for the rest of your life. Your family lived with those results as well.
If you found yourself in Vietnam as a result of your decision, you knew your tour of duty in Vietnam was 365 days and a wake up. You knew that if you survived the 365 days the only way you were going back was if you volunteered to go back.
By changing the current rotation and tour of duty time periods the Bush administration is saying, to the all-volunteer members of the armed forces and their families, you can not hold us to our word. Only those few of you who have volunteered must pay the price for our decisions, over and over again. I do not believe any American can be okay with these policies unless they are willing to be and or have their sons and daughters be, at a very minimum, subject to a lottery system of induction into the armed services of these United States.
Rise up your voices and let this administration know you do not believe their actions to be just or honorable.
Frank V. Pedroza
West Valley City
Part One
Whether or not you agree with or disagree with President Bush’s recent decision to sent an additional 21,000 U. S. troops into Iraq there is something in this decision that every single American should find reprehensible. The change of policies, which permits the length of tour in the combat area to be extended and the recall to a combat area with only one year in between tours of duty, is that thing.
I am a former Utah National Guard member who served with the 19th Special Forces Group Airborne during the Vietnam War years. I have Silver Wings and seventeen successful parachute landing falls, however the unit was never called to combat duty during my six-year commitment therefore I do not have a Combat Infantry Badge.
At the time of my enlistment into the Guard, every single young American male had one of five options or choices to make regarding the United States involvement in Vietnam One was to get some type of deferment, I had a student deferment for a time. Two was to leave the country and go to Canada or Mexico to evade the draft. Joining the National Guard was number three. To voluntarily enlist into one of the services was option four. The final option was to take your chances of being drafted. Deferments only lasted for specific periods of time, i.e. until you finished college or returned from your LDS mission. Leaving the country either took great courage and commitment or lack there of. If you joined the Guard you understood there was a possibility, however slim that your unit could be called to active duty and sent where ever. At that time probably Vietnam. If you enlisted you were probably headed to Vietnam after training. If you were drafted there was a high probability you were going to Vietnam.
Here now is the great shame of the current administration's decisions. Back then, to the best of my recollection, if you joined the Guard you knew you had six years to serve, an active duty commitment to complete your military training, two weeks summer camp each year and one weekend a month with your unit. If you were drafted you had a total six year commitment, two years active duty and probably a tour in Vietnam and then four years of inactive duty. If you enlisted you served on active duty for four years with a high probability of a tour of duty in Vietnam and then had two additional years of inactive duty commitment. Your tour of duty in Vietnam was 365 days and a wake up, either as a volunteer enlistee or as a draftee. You knew that if you survived the 365 days the only way you were going back was if you volunteered to go back. By changing the current rotation and tour of duty time periods the Bush administration is saying, to the all-volunteer members of the armed forces and their families, you can not hold us to our word. Only those few of you who have volunteered must pay the price for our decisions, over and over again. I do not believe any American can be okay with these policies unless they are willing to be and or have their sons and daughters be, at a minimum, subject to a lottery system of induction into the armed services of these United States.
Rise up your voices and let this administration know you do not believe their actions to be just or honorable.
Frank V. Pedroza
West Valley City
I am a former Utah National Guard member who served with the 19th Special Forces Group Airborne during the Vietnam War years. I have Silver Wings and seventeen successful parachute landing falls, however the unit was never called to combat duty during my six-year commitment therefore I do not have a Combat Infantry Badge.
At the time of my enlistment into the Guard, every single young American male had one of five options or choices to make regarding the United States involvement in Vietnam One was to get some type of deferment, I had a student deferment for a time. Two was to leave the country and go to Canada or Mexico to evade the draft. Joining the National Guard was number three. To voluntarily enlist into one of the services was option four. The final option was to take your chances of being drafted. Deferments only lasted for specific periods of time, i.e. until you finished college or returned from your LDS mission. Leaving the country either took great courage and commitment or lack there of. If you joined the Guard you understood there was a possibility, however slim that your unit could be called to active duty and sent where ever. At that time probably Vietnam. If you enlisted you were probably headed to Vietnam after training. If you were drafted there was a high probability you were going to Vietnam.
Here now is the great shame of the current administration's decisions. Back then, to the best of my recollection, if you joined the Guard you knew you had six years to serve, an active duty commitment to complete your military training, two weeks summer camp each year and one weekend a month with your unit. If you were drafted you had a total six year commitment, two years active duty and probably a tour in Vietnam and then four years of inactive duty. If you enlisted you served on active duty for four years with a high probability of a tour of duty in Vietnam and then had two additional years of inactive duty commitment. Your tour of duty in Vietnam was 365 days and a wake up, either as a volunteer enlistee or as a draftee. You knew that if you survived the 365 days the only way you were going back was if you volunteered to go back. By changing the current rotation and tour of duty time periods the Bush administration is saying, to the all-volunteer members of the armed forces and their families, you can not hold us to our word. Only those few of you who have volunteered must pay the price for our decisions, over and over again. I do not believe any American can be okay with these policies unless they are willing to be and or have their sons and daughters be, at a minimum, subject to a lottery system of induction into the armed services of these United States.
Rise up your voices and let this administration know you do not believe their actions to be just or honorable.
Frank V. Pedroza
West Valley City
Three Parts
In Who, What, & Why I attempted to give you some insight into who I was, what I believe I am and why I was putting words into print. I had reached the point where I could stand it no longer. I had to say out loud something about what I was seeing happening at the state and federal levels. The straw that broke the camel’s back, President Bush’s plan for implementing a troop surge in Iraq, had just occurred. The Salt Lake Tribune had rejected my letter to the editor as not print worthy in their Public Forum section. My expression of dismay and frustration over the president’s plan was not printed. However, I had to do or say something. This led me to a second and third letters to the editor. Part One; Part Two and Part Three are the successive letters, which have led me to here. The letters explain why I only submitted letters one and three. The third was rejected also, hooray for the Internet and blogs. Give them a read and learn more about this Utah Liberal.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Private school vouchers
I know there are special needs children. Public support to meet the educational needs of these children is not in question. It is the correct and just responsibility of society and it's representative government.
The concept of private schools has, in many cases, evolved from one of education with sectarian religious overtones to one of education for profit. I have fewer reservations about education for profit than I do of education instilled with sectarian religious views. I do have a big problem when education for profit twists the concept of private schools into a cause to facilitate the government funding of either. This is the result of the recent legislation passed by the Utah House and Senate.
If you choose to send your children to either of these options to public school and can afford the associated costs then fine. I believe those of you who opt out of the public school system and then want the rest of us to help you pay the costs associated with your decision are spoiled and delusional. In a state which all ready ranks next to last in the country in per pupil funding of public school, it is a misuse of public trust and a pay off to the special interests who have made campaign contributions to the legislators who have voted for the school voucher bill.
I would guess, and after verification with the UEA I will edit this, that less than ten percent of the children of the state are educated privately. The ninety percent of the rest of us should be out raged. Using tax dollars to help increase the profits of "private schools" is a miss use of those tax dollars. Using tax dollars to enhance private schools oozing religious doctrines blurs the separation of church and state principles held within the constitutions of both the State of Utah and the United States of America. Expecting the ninety percent of us who send our children to public school to then pay more tax dollars to legally defend this ill conceive venture is the height of arrogance.
Think of this you 38 members of Utah's Hose of Representatives and 19 Senators who voted for this measure. If the all the members of the senior class of the public high schools within your district all registered to vote and then did so as a block against you, I doubt if any of you could be re=elected. This very notion is now in a grass roots stage of development. I believe that you, Governor Huntsman should also take a moment to contemplate this notion. By the way, how do you members of government think most of the parents of those seniors feel about this issue?
The education of our young people is of major importance to all the members of our society. But legislation which benefits such a select few to the detriment of the vast majority is unjust and should be stopped with the Governor's pen through veto before more tax dollars are spent defending a law which will sure be struck down at judicial review.
Post Script
The UEA was unable to provide the numbers necessary to substantiate my claim therefore I had to go to different factual sources. According to the National Center for Educational Statistic’s and their U. S. Dept. of Education Private School Universe Survey "Private school students represented approximately 10 percent of the total elementary and secondary enrollment in the United States in 2003 & 2004". According to numbers provided by the State of Utah, as of October 1, 2006 there were 506,449 students in public education, 19,290 students in charter schools and 16,386 in private schools. The mathematics works out to be .0658 percent of the students of the state attend private or charter schools. Utah’s rate of less than seven-percent is a bit lower than the national rate of approximately ten-percent. I’ve always liked how math can provide such a unique view of things.
The concept of private schools has, in many cases, evolved from one of education with sectarian religious overtones to one of education for profit. I have fewer reservations about education for profit than I do of education instilled with sectarian religious views. I do have a big problem when education for profit twists the concept of private schools into a cause to facilitate the government funding of either. This is the result of the recent legislation passed by the Utah House and Senate.
If you choose to send your children to either of these options to public school and can afford the associated costs then fine. I believe those of you who opt out of the public school system and then want the rest of us to help you pay the costs associated with your decision are spoiled and delusional. In a state which all ready ranks next to last in the country in per pupil funding of public school, it is a misuse of public trust and a pay off to the special interests who have made campaign contributions to the legislators who have voted for the school voucher bill.
I would guess, and after verification with the UEA I will edit this, that less than ten percent of the children of the state are educated privately. The ninety percent of the rest of us should be out raged. Using tax dollars to help increase the profits of "private schools" is a miss use of those tax dollars. Using tax dollars to enhance private schools oozing religious doctrines blurs the separation of church and state principles held within the constitutions of both the State of Utah and the United States of America. Expecting the ninety percent of us who send our children to public school to then pay more tax dollars to legally defend this ill conceive venture is the height of arrogance.
Think of this you 38 members of Utah's Hose of Representatives and 19 Senators who voted for this measure. If the all the members of the senior class of the public high schools within your district all registered to vote and then did so as a block against you, I doubt if any of you could be re=elected. This very notion is now in a grass roots stage of development. I believe that you, Governor Huntsman should also take a moment to contemplate this notion. By the way, how do you members of government think most of the parents of those seniors feel about this issue?
The education of our young people is of major importance to all the members of our society. But legislation which benefits such a select few to the detriment of the vast majority is unjust and should be stopped with the Governor's pen through veto before more tax dollars are spent defending a law which will sure be struck down at judicial review.
Post Script
The UEA was unable to provide the numbers necessary to substantiate my claim therefore I had to go to different factual sources. According to the National Center for Educational Statistic’s and their U. S. Dept. of Education Private School Universe Survey "Private school students represented approximately 10 percent of the total elementary and secondary enrollment in the United States in 2003 & 2004". According to numbers provided by the State of Utah, as of October 1, 2006 there were 506,449 students in public education, 19,290 students in charter schools and 16,386 in private schools. The mathematics works out to be .0658 percent of the students of the state attend private or charter schools. Utah’s rate of less than seven-percent is a bit lower than the national rate of approximately ten-percent. I’ve always liked how math can provide such a unique view of things.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Who, What & Why
My name is Frank V. Pedroza and I am a Utah Liberal. I grew up in a middle class family. I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church, but now refer to myself as a Jack Catholic. My parents voted for both Dwight D. Eisenhower and John Fitzgerald Kennedy. I remember where I was the day President Kennedy was assassinated, fourth period gym class as an eight grader at Kearns Junior High School. I attended the University of Utah however I did not graduate. I was a member of the Utah National Guard 19th Special Forces Group Airborne United States Army during the Vietnam War years. I have been married and divorced. I have two fine grown sons of whom I am very proud. I voted mostly Democratic but not a straight ticket. I regret a vote for Richard M. Nixon as a young man. I have been in the sales field most of my adult life and have owned and operated a few small businesses.
I was born in Utah and have lived here most of my life. But since I am not of the predominate faith here and have lived in California for six years I am not your typical Utahn. My live experiences have led me to become a Liberal. This is not a dirty word in my opinion and in fact I am proud to say I am a Liberal. This means I am for most social programs, Pro Choice, a woman's right to chose and make decisions regarding her own body. I vastly prefer Democratic over Republican leaders. I am for the preservation and protection of the Constitution of the United States of America. I am for a independent judiciary as provided for in said constitution. I favor a balance federal budget, something which I've been told was a conservative virtue but they seem to have forgotten on the federal level. I was never for the invasion of Iraq. President George W. Bush's administration's handling of the Iraq war is appalling at best and rises to high crimes and misdemeanors at worst.
Because all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men do nothing I must speak out. Because the Salt Lake City Tribune believes a sound bite, 200 word maximum Letter to the Editor, that probably won't be published, is all it's readership can comprehend and digest at a time I must write these words. Because a bigoted, opinionated group and their loud obnoxious leader is given credence and television news time and newspaper print space I must stand up and say loudly there is another opinion. Because every year when the state legislature convenes I cringe at the thought and consequences of some of their proposed legislation. Because every time I have to go to a special store hidden away from public view, to stand in line to pay over priced and double taxed amounts for the spirited drink of my choice I must say something. Because the mostly Republican leadership at all levels of government here can see public polls which show seventy percent of their constituents do not want to spend tax dollars for a private business venture and spend the money anyway I will ask why. Because those same representatives are in the legislative process of using tax dollars for private school businesses while Utah's public school funding per pupil is close to last in the nation I will rise up to challenge such folly. Because legislation targeting a select group of people for fewer rights is not what the founding fathers of the United States of America intended when they declared their independence I will speak my peace.
I was born in Utah and have lived here most of my life. But since I am not of the predominate faith here and have lived in California for six years I am not your typical Utahn. My live experiences have led me to become a Liberal. This is not a dirty word in my opinion and in fact I am proud to say I am a Liberal. This means I am for most social programs, Pro Choice, a woman's right to chose and make decisions regarding her own body. I vastly prefer Democratic over Republican leaders. I am for the preservation and protection of the Constitution of the United States of America. I am for a independent judiciary as provided for in said constitution. I favor a balance federal budget, something which I've been told was a conservative virtue but they seem to have forgotten on the federal level. I was never for the invasion of Iraq. President George W. Bush's administration's handling of the Iraq war is appalling at best and rises to high crimes and misdemeanors at worst.
Because all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men do nothing I must speak out. Because the Salt Lake City Tribune believes a sound bite, 200 word maximum Letter to the Editor, that probably won't be published, is all it's readership can comprehend and digest at a time I must write these words. Because a bigoted, opinionated group and their loud obnoxious leader is given credence and television news time and newspaper print space I must stand up and say loudly there is another opinion. Because every year when the state legislature convenes I cringe at the thought and consequences of some of their proposed legislation. Because every time I have to go to a special store hidden away from public view, to stand in line to pay over priced and double taxed amounts for the spirited drink of my choice I must say something. Because the mostly Republican leadership at all levels of government here can see public polls which show seventy percent of their constituents do not want to spend tax dollars for a private business venture and spend the money anyway I will ask why. Because those same representatives are in the legislative process of using tax dollars for private school businesses while Utah's public school funding per pupil is close to last in the nation I will rise up to challenge such folly. Because legislation targeting a select group of people for fewer rights is not what the founding fathers of the United States of America intended when they declared their independence I will speak my peace.
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