I have been a long time admirer of Dr. Lawrence Lessig.  I have had the opportunity to listen to him speak in person.  I once even applied for a job working for him(I didn't pass a phone interview this guy). So when I heard that he might run for president I was excited. For those of you who have not heard about Lessig's campaign, it is a single issue campaign, campaign finance reform.

There is something inherently contradictory in Mormon culture that I need help grasping.

With school starting for many/most in the U.S., and around the world, including myself, I wanted to speak to the importance of education, and what is stands for in the LDS faith, and in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Some early members of the church practiced the gift of tongues in an unusual way. The ritual began when one person fell into a trance-like state and spoke in an unintelligible “language,” generated by mysterious impulses within the speaker. Another participant would claim to have felt the spirit give them translation of what was said. Both participants would then confirm the message.

Americans are as socialist as Bernie Sanders:

There is an interesting fact that recently occurred to me.  There has been a large amount of yelling and discussion amount conservatives about Domestic security, protecting our boarders, the need for a stronger military, etc.  This of course is nothing new, and it has been this way for many years.  What occurred to me recently is that I would LOVE to know where they get these ideas.  Let’s look at the facts of the matter, and see how accurate it is.

Confusion around immigration law has caused many Americans to support unrealistic immigration solutions. U.S. immigration law is set by statute passed by the legislative branch.  Some parts of immigration law have been shaped by the courts as well. The president is responsible for implementation, which requires a number of decisions that are not necessarily spelled out in the legislation.

I’m a Latter-day Saint. I’m progressive.

I didn’t put qualifiers of religion or politics on either for a reason.

Cross-posted with permission from FEMWOC: Feminist Mormon Women of Color.

Recently, several young activists and groups of activists have come together to launch a platform called “Campaign ZERO.” The website states: 

[This post relates a true story and has been edited to protect the identity of the author's adult child. Names have been changed.]

It’s a quiet evening. You’re sitting watching a little TV and relaxing as the day winds down. Your daughter Cheryl comes into the room and sits near you, but not too close. She is there, but not saying much. You turn off the TV and engage her in conversation. You ask about her classes, what she has been doing, and engage in other small talk. Slowly, somewhat hesitatingly, she superficially answers. After a little verbal interchange, she gets to the point of her conversation.