March 8, 2013

The Salt Lake Tribune reported today that President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, along with other faith leaders, met with President Obama to discuss immigration reform. Pres. Uchtdorf is the 2nd Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The First Presidency is the highest governing body within the LDS Church. Pres. Uchtdorf is himself an immigrant from Germany. From the Salt Lake Tribune: “He just said in this value process we need to stand together and make... Read more

March 8, 2013

Authors note: Originally published at FPR on Feb. 4, 2012. Yuriy and Van lived in a much nicer neighborhood than we were used to. Most of the investigators we taught in the Little Saigon region of Orange County, California were poor immigrants who lived in either very humble homes or in apartments of varying conditions. Yuriy and Van lived in an upper middle class neighborhood with few recent immigrants. Yet, Yuriy and Van were recent immigrants, though with a twist.... Read more

March 6, 2013

Shem Foster Henrichsen was born 11 years ago today in Syracuse, NY. Shem is a unique kid. He likes it that way. He wears an Obama t-shirt to school to show his pride. He knows few others like Obama at his school. This fact only encourages him. It is the same reason he wore University of Utah clothes to the University of Wyoming football camp (though he ended the day in tears). He loves baseball, football, and his family. Shem... Read more

March 5, 2013

When I first met with the Wyoming Democratic Party, we initially talked about me running for the state legislature. In 2011, I had spoken with the executive director of the state party about running. I never heard back from him. By the time 2012 rolled around, he was no longer with the party. I had met Lela Graham, the state party’s new field director, that winter at a Natrona County Democratic Party bash at the Casper YMCA. My son even... Read more

March 2, 2013

While it is often said that there are “no atheists in foxholes,” the experience of war can be a destroyer of faith. Rawls wrote that he was raised in a “conventionally religious” home. He finished his undergraduate studies and entered the military as a “believing orthodox Episcopalian Christian.” Yet, by June of 1945, he had, in his own words, “abandoned it entirely.”(Rawls 2010, 261) While claiming to not fully understand this shift himself, Rawls points to three events that took... Read more

February 28, 2013

Today, I made an appearance on The Huffington Post’s HuffPost Live. Not a particularly great appearance on my part. I better polish my live appearance skills. 🙂 Below are the four segments with links to the stories as well: DOMA Mark Wahlberg and Sean Combs Stange Story and depressing story Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) NOTE: They have me listed as being a political science professor at Casper College. That is no longer the case. I did not notice it... Read more

February 28, 2013

HB-77 establishes a lottery in the state of Wyoming. I have been hoping that the bill would fall apart somewhere along the way in the legislature. With every Democrat in the legislature backing it (we hold 13 of the 90 seats in the legislature), I had hoped to not to get involved. However, it has now passed both houses and cleared conference committee after a compromise about how the revenues from a lottery would be used (money will first go... Read more

February 27, 2013

Right now, I am writing about John Rawls and his loss of orthodox Christian faith during World War II. Rawls provides a very personal and touching narrative of some of the events that led to his loss of orthodox faith in essay “On My Religion” (2010). I emphasize his loss of orthodox Christian faith because in many ways Rawls does not reject faith, but instead he turns away from the theological tenants of Christianity. I will be looking at this... Read more

February 27, 2013

Megan is saving up to spend a school year in India. What a great opportunity. I look forward to reading her blog about it. Megan is the daughter of my friend and hero Russell Fox of Friends University. I will let Megan tell you what she is doing in her own words: Melissa, Megan’s mother, did a great job putting the video together. Right now, she is 22 percent towards her goal. Go and help her reach her goal!   Read more

February 27, 2013

Would you like to write about an aspect of faith, ethics, politics, and social justice? Well, I could use your help at Approaching Justice! I am looking for two types of contributors: –Contributing Writers who want to write on a regular basis. This can be weekly, monthly, or whenever the spirit of Tom Joad moves you. –Guest Contributors who want to share about an event or issue related to the themes of Approaching Justice but who may not want to... Read more




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