Vote

Ok. I am getting pretty unabashed in my views here. But election time is coming near, and I've never felt more passionate about a cadidate. For those of you who missed the golden opportunity to meet Pete Ashdown you can make it up to me by voting for him. If you are still holding to some party line logic, here's a little something to help. Peace out. ZB
Why Mormons should vote Democratic
By Fred Voros
Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated:10/28/2006 03:55:02 PM MDT
"Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in the platforms of all major political parties," declared the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is certainly true of the Democratic Party.
Mormon descriptions of a just social order read like a Democratic manifesto. The Book of Mormon decries a society in which every man prospers according to his genius, and every man conquers according to his strength (Alma 30:17). It condemns those who ignore the plight of the hungry, needy, naked and sick (Mormon 8:39).
This brother's-keeper principle animates government programs pioneered by Democrats. In 1937, Franklin Delano Roosevelt saw "one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished" and acted.
LDS scripture warns incessantly against economic stratification: " . . . it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another, wherefore the world lieth in sin" (D&C 49:20). Yet Republican tax cuts on one end of the economic spectrum and aid cuts on the other have widened the gap between rich and poor. Thanks to our Republican Congress, the world lies a little more in sin.
LDS scripture also calls us to "renounce war and proclaim peace" (D&C 98:16), and condemns offensive wars (Alma 43:45-47; Mormon 3:8-16). Yet the Republican administration misled America into invading Iraq, a nation that had not even threatened the U.S. Nor does LDS teaching justify the administration's fall-back rationale that the invasion was justified by our attempt to impose democracy.
In 1942, Church President David O. McKay declared, "Nor is war justified in an attempt to enforce a new order of government . . . however better the government . . . may be."
Astoundingly, the Republican Congress is borrowing money - from China, Saudi Arabia and federal trust funds - to cover the war, lavish tax cuts and their own profligate spending.
Even on abortion, the Democratic position is friendlier to LDS Church teachings. Mormonism does not teach that life begins at conception. President Gordon B. Hinckley declared that abortion inevitably brings "sorrow and regret."
Yet Church policy makes allowance where pregnancy results from rape or incest, where the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy, or where the fetus suffers from fatal defects. In such cases, Latter-day Saints are to consult with priesthood leaders and seek confirmation of their decision in prayer before proceeding.
The 2004 Democratic national platform says Democrats uphold Roe v. Wade; "strongly support family planning and adoption incentives"; and believe abortion "should be safe, legal and rare." This position grants Latter-day Saints freedom to follow the prophet.
The Republican position does not. The 2004 Republican platform declares that "the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed." In other words, it would prohibit all abortions. Consequently, a Latter-day Saint's decision to seek an abortion may be allowed by church policy, approved by priesthood leaders, confirmed by the Lord in prayer, but forbidden by the Republican Party.
We need both parties. As the First Presidency foresaw in 1891, "The more evenly balanced the parties become the safer it will be for us in the security of our liberties; and . . . our influence for good will be far greater than it possibly could be were either party overwhelmingly in the majority."
This will never be achieved in Utah, however, until Mormons see the light and vote their values. By which I mean, of course, vote Democratic.
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* FRED VOROS is a lawyer living in Salt Lake City.

Nest

Yup. That's my house. It's pretty cute. I like it. Ash and I found it during a 45 minute crazed housing search in Provo. We got lucky. We have the main floor with two large living rooms, a spacious kitchen, two bedrooms, cellar, and lots of awesome features like the big picture window festooned with stained glass, the fireplace, the wood stove (that is so far our sole sourse of heat thanks to wood harvested at the ranch this summer), super high ceilings that are wooden and look like a cabin, red formica in the kitchen nook, and our great landlords/neighbors the Polos. I live here with Ash, Mo, and Pack. They rock. I got a lot of furniture from my grama which makes for it feeling a little more like a real house. It's a super close bike ride or walk to both campus and downtown Provo. Just now I rode my bike to the post office, sewing store, bagel shop and back. There is a bakery across the street. Mmmm. So come visit! I gots a double bed! and a couch! Here's some more views, and details from my room.

Ashdown

Well, voting season is in the air, time to don your bright orange jackets and woodsie camo pants and head out with a rifle and some hot cocoa. . . hunting for the issues, the answers, the candidates. Well folks, I'm here to make your job easier. I'm providing free for the taking meeting with Pete Ashdown, the democratic candidate running against Orrin Hatch, this Saturday right here in good 'ol Provo.
Originally my roomie Ash and I thought we'd have it at our humble abode, but quickly realized that wouldn't suffice. So here are the deats:
Saturday, Oct. 28th
3 pm
Gallery One Ten, 110 S. 300 W. Provo
Come be informed, bring your questions, see your friends! Bring your friends!

Autumnal times

I love the fall. I love the air that can turn like a gypsy from enveloping mellow warm to a sharp lick that bites under your nose and chin. I love the daily shifting palette in the sky, on the mountains, and in the streets as greens slide to yellows and oranges to russet, then brown. I love days shrouded in a wet gray cloak, and those infused with a harvest sun. I love scarves in the morning and tees by afternoon. I love needing tea before bed and slippers on my feet. I love voluptuous gourds in my soup and stove smoke lacing the roof. A few weeks ago I took a lovely fall hike up to the top of Horseshoe Mountain near my hometown, with my sister (in from New York) and my friend Magnus (here from Norway). It was a riot of color, with seasons from late summer to early winter (it snowed on the top!). Needless to say we had a most enjoyable time.
Other fallish activities have included a host of suppers made from fall veggies (usually curries!); getting doughnuts from the bakery across the street and taking Saturday morning walks through the streets of my neighborhood so brightly festoned with colorful leaves; riding my bike fast in the morning turning my nose and cheeks red; knitting a new scarf; sleeping with two down quilts and the window open (well it's broken so I have no choice); generally delighting in the fine quality of this beautiful time of the year. So here's wishing you all a most enjoyable fall.

Go easy now. . .

Well, they've done it again. Hem has delivered. I recently trotted down to my local music vendor and purchased their new release (Sept. 5) Funnel Cloud and have been listening to it ever since. Since my discovery of Hem (3 or 4 years ago?) they have topped my list of all time favorite bands. They are gentle, transportive, comforting, clear. I went so far as to coordinate a yearly trip to NYC to hear them play in their home neighborhood in Brooklyn (WELL worth it).
This new album lives up to it's predecesors (Rabbit Songs, I'm Talking with My Mouth, Eveningland, No Word From Tom) with my personal favs He Came to Meet Me, Hotel Fire, & the title track.

East of the Beehive

After nine weeks of living in a yurt and being a teen boy, I decided it was time to scrub up and take my annual bite out of my former big apple home. So after a few frantic days finding a house (in 45 mintues), packing, etc. I took off to see my older sister and celebrate her birthday in NYC. My little sis came the next day so it was the Bennion gals together at last. The city was fun, but I found myself feeling nauseated by the amount of consumption and money flow I felt teeming around me. After a summer of simple living I had culture shock for the first time in a city I know and love. (Louisa and Adah closing up at Jacks, the coffee shop my sister manages in the West Village) So I did what any self respecting scared rabbit would do and ran for the beach. I went out to Long Beach, Long Island to stay with my brother-friend Jesse and his rad family. It was just right and we enjoyed quite boardwalk strolls, fish dinner by the water, and a most excellent day on the sand (despite the TERRIBLE burn on got on my tummy. . . that part of my body was still snowy white). We had a terrific bash for my sisters birthday at the pent house of a friend on Central Park West that we always stay with, lots of amazing food, people, and views.
It was great to spend time with the sistas, see some art, eat good food, and find a few things you can't find in Utah.

I took Adah to all my favorite spots in the Met, including the awesome Seraphim in the ancient near eastern wing. . . then we got lost at the Egyptian temple. . . and that's Jesse with some of his amazing art.

The second week of my vacation was spent most delightfully on my annual reunion trip with my three best girl friends from college. We meet each summer somewhere new and explore together. This summer Cape Cod was our destination and we packed ourselves into Courtney's tiny turquoise truck and hit the road. We camped at a lovely little camp ground secluded in the pines, within walking distance of the beach and the fabulous ponds of crystal clear fresh water that dot the cape. Despite the astronomical costs ($70 a night just to camp!) it was a charming place. We enjoyed extensive swimming and lounging time, strolling in quaint villages, oggling boats, a sailing trip with a friend, fresh fish, square dancing on the dock (where I found myself in line to do the Virginnia reel with some folks from my mission!), and general bliss.


First night campfire. . . la plage. . . bluettes for breakfast. . . the warf in Provincetown

Due to a family emergency however, our dear Laurel had to leave for Vermont in the middle of the trip, so Court and Erin and I made our way unexpectedly to Concord, New Hampshire to stay with Court's mom. Suddenly it was fall, dark rainy skies, a few of the dense leaves changing, and New England charm. The highlight of this time was a whale watching trip of the NH and Maine coast! We saw three Fin whales (60 feet long!), a Minky whale, and a whole pod (30-40) dolpins leaping and playing around us (there where even baby ones!). Pretty much it fulfilled all my marine biologist dreams from fourth grade, I was giddy as a school girl.
Our journey back to the city took us through New Haven
where we stopped for Thai with our dear from Paul who is in grad school at Yale. The perfect end to a beautiful trip.


New Hampshire green. . .rainy Mass turnpike. . .Paul. . .fog on the coast

Le Raggazze di Birch Creek

In the 40 year history of Bennion Teton Boys Ranch, and the subsequent three of Birch Creek it has been soley and institution for the betterment of strapping young lads. This year, I took on organizing and directing the first ever girl's session! Same program, same hard work, same living in yurts and showering outside, just different gender. This has been a life long dream of mine (in fact when we first got the girls in the van and where driving them down I leaned over to Kelly and whispered "Kelly, I'm driving a van, and it's filled with girls! And we're taking them to the ranch!") and I couldn't have done it without the incredible program already established by Adam Bateman and Eric Peterson.

The girl were incredible. They were strong, worked hard (I never had to tell them to keep working), brave, hilarious, talented, and inspiring. They started with a backpack the first day up Horseshoe mountain, and they all summited (and all spent the night outside not in a tent for the first time in their lives)!

At the top of Horseshoe and still smiling

The girls worked HARD, they bucked bales, moved pipe, dug out bigs rocks and made fences out of them, hauled wood to the dump, dug out horse manure and mulched a garden with it. . .they done me proud.

Dirty toes were just the tip of the ice burg, gone were the days of needing a shower every day!

In addition to all the work there was lots of fun had including campfire songs (hello, it is camp!), a day at the lake, african dance, documentary watc hing (hitting the apartaid issues with the teens), pinata hitting, horseback riding, tie-dye . . . you get the picture. Pretty much the best camp ever.

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Jeanne and Lauren making tamales, my cuz Heidi and I, Hannah leaps at the yak, the cool crew.

Back from the ranch

Well, after long last (I know, I'm probably fired from the blogging life after this lapse of activity) I am officially back within a close enough range of the internet vein that I can sit and post a bit about the rest of the summer. I need to post a blog dedicated to the fabulous girl's session of Birch Creek Service Ranch. . . and I would do the same about the second session, but somehow my camera ate ALL the photo's I took from that session. So I'll try to do it justice in words alone.
Then there will be a report on my vaca to the east coast, and some documenting of my new home. So keep checking, I promise this blog will be at least a little more exciting in the near future. Until then, VIVA LA PLAGE!!!

Coyote Gulch

The landscape of my childhood is found in the curving sandstone canyons of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument area in southern Utah. Some of my earliest and best memories are of countless backpacking trips down there with my family and assorted friends. I think I first spent the night in the Calf Creek campground at age three, and it's been a long time affair ever since. I've participated in weddings, baptisms, vision quests, reunions, art happenings, jobs, and other assorted events in Death Hollow, Sand Creek, Coyote Gulch, Upper Calf Creek, and numerous other canyons. Needless to say I'm always more than happy to lead a group of campers down there each session, and this time our trip to Coyote was no exception.
We got to the trail head late, so we only hiked about twenty minutes in the dusk till we plopped down in the last open sand patch before we hit sandstone.

Goodmorning sandpatch, Neil, Topher, Matt
The next day we traversed some sandstone moonscape, till we came to a spot where you can lower your packs, and then squeeze through a crack made by a large slab against the cliff.


Boys looking over the cliff, squeezing through the crack, and packs getting lowered.
We spent the remainder of the day playing in the water, skipping stones, catching frogs, and then hiking about 7 miles to our camp in the Jacob Hamblin Arch alcove. Dehydrated beans and fresh spring water never tasted so good. The next morning we got up and hiked out Hurricane wash.


Neil showing how it's done; Steven's Arch; Conner likes lunch; me, my new hat, and jr. counselor Eli (who in a teen game of 'husband, lover, muse & friend' I chose as my husband, and then he chose me as wife! we're only 9 years apart. . . )


The boys take a much needed desert shower, the weirdest bug the boys found

Morning hikers, Jacob Hamblin Arch (named for my 4th great grampa).