(This is a letter to the Editor of the Daily Herald)
The "Religious Brief" article that was published on September 11th was very informative and reflects a tone of religious tolerance that I enjoyed greatly and would like to see more of. Maintaining articles that represent the intents and ideologies of some of the surrounding religious groups is something that ought to be continually emphasized. If we fail to understand the beliefs of the people who we live by, how will we ever hope to establish a society capable of cooperation and the reduction of violent disturbances that take so many different forms?
This article reflected the intent of a couple of religious groups that I have a very limited knowledge about. The India fest that is going to be hosted by the Krishna Temple, was an event that I wasn't aware of, but now I definitely plan on attending. I'm extremely happy that this article was published and was so informative and encouraging. Hopefully you continue to publish information on religious gatherings that could give us insight into other beliefs.
Another point that I enjoyed being reviewed was the movement of the Utah Valley Ministerial Association to condemn the Qu'ran burning that was planned, but canceled. Many stereotypes are formed through remaining silent to movements like the one in Florida. However, open activism against religious intolerance is the only chance that we have to diffuse conflict. The use of the media is inseparably connected to this as an instrument, and in this case was used in a positive manner.
In conclusion, I'm grateful for the religiously tolerant attitudes that were projected using this news source. I certainly hope to see more articles of this nature in the future. However, I think that this section should be expanded into something that is more complete. Perhaps some expansion into news about other religious minorities and majorities ideologies from an objective perspective would be interesting.
Note: change "Qu'ran" to "Qur'an."
ReplyDeleteGood Point. I too would like to hear an objective perspective on minority religions. In saying this, it is also important to be open-minded and not assume one way or another. Just as people generalize mormons, we need to make sure we don't fall into the same trap of generalizing other religious minorities.
ReplyDeleteAustin I felt like you really captured the spirit of the article in this letter. I think that when the editor reads this article, he can be confident that you understand what he was trying to say.
ReplyDeleteGreat letter to the editor! And some of the most powerful letters to the editor are ones written in response to something. The challenge is that it may be too long for them to publish...what I recommend doing is trying to shave just 5-10 words off of every paragraph. Just make it a little tighter, a little more concise, and you increase your chance of getting published.
ReplyDeleteThank you Professor Cowley! I'll be sure to take this into mind in any letter to the editor that I write in the future, as well as correct it in the Final Draft of my Great Works portfolio. Thanks!
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