-
Recent Posts
Archives
- October 2024
- September 2024
- March 2024
- October 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- February 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- May 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- April 2021
- June 2020
- January 2020
- November 2019
- July 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- October 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- September 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- December 2011
- October 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- October 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- September 2008
- September 2007
- July 2007
- January 2007
- January 2004
- September 2003
-
- Bibliography By Type (20)
- Editorial Commentaries (50)
- Freedom Series (12)
- News (21)
- Personal Commentaries (14)
- Radio Commentaries (234)
- Video Commentaries (6)
Category Archives: News
Why this former ‘professional culture warrior’ believes the LDS Church should give up the fight
For decades, Latter-day Saint Paul Mero fought the good fight, as he sees it, as a “professional culture warrior,” first in Washington as a congressional aide in the 1980s and 1990s and later in Utah as the president of the conservative Sutherland Institute think tank from 2000 to 2014.
Immigration, education, liquor laws — Mero waged war in all these arenas but none for as long and as hard as the issue of LGBTQ rights and acceptance.
And he’ll be the first to tell you: His team lost.
Posted in News
|
Comments Off on Why this former ‘professional culture warrior’ believes the LDS Church should give up the fight
‘That doesn’t mean that President Oaks understands politics’ — LDS duo argues against Respect for Marriage Act
In The Salt Lake Tribune’s latest “Mormon Land” podcast, Mero and Reid explain their belief that the Utah-based church should stay out of politics and the so-called culture wars. Here are excerpts:
What was your initial reaction when you heard about the church’s support of the Respect for Marriage Act?
Mero • It certainly surprised me because it’s in total contradiction to church doctrine. You know, we oppose same-sex marriage for doctrinal reasons and you would think that any church would make any move that would support its doctrine. read more
Posted in News
|
Comments Off on ‘That doesn’t mean that President Oaks understands politics’ — LDS duo argues against Respect for Marriage Act
‘Mormon Land’: Our church is wrong on the Respect for Marriage Act, say two well-known Orthodox members
When The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced its support of the Respect for Marriage Act, which is designed to codify same-sex marriage while safeguarding religions from embracing such unions in their policies and practices, many members, especially LGBTQ allies, rejoiced.
Not all of the faithful, however, agreed with the historic decision.
Paul Mero, former president of the conservative Sutherland Institute think tank, for one, says the Utah-based faith’s backing of LGBTQ rights in recent years led to this unwise and unnecessary move. And Stuart Reid, a former Army chaplain, state senator, and public affairs representative for the church, says it’s misguided to tacitly endorse civil same-sex marriage when the practice is viewed doctrinally as an “abomination” to God. read more
Posted in News
|
Comments Off on ‘Mormon Land’: Our church is wrong on the Respect for Marriage Act, say two well-known Orthodox members
What is the ‘Utah way’? Depends on who you are.
If you are involved at all in Utah politics, you most likely have heard about the “Utah way” of doing things. But what exactly is the “Utah way?”
The New York Times referred to the firing squad as “a Utah way of death.” The arrival of Frontrunner ahead of schedule and under budget was described as being “kind of the Utah way.” Gov. Gary Herbert declared that “turning a blind eye and doing nothing” to help “our neighbors, our friends, and our family members” was not the Utah way, shortly before the House of Representatives rejected his Healthy Utah proposal. The phrase was used by political commentator Paul Mero to describe the Utah Compact and by Keith McMullin, CEO of Deseret Management, when referring to Utah’s business-friendly policies. Most recently, the Utah way has been trotted out when discussing the ballot initiatives during last year’s November election. read more
Sen. Mike Lee urges Utah governor to drop state defense of ‘unconstitutional’ law
While most of the comments on Lee’s post were sympathetic to his opposition of SB54, some questioned the purpose of a U.S. senator communicating with the state’s governor through social media.
Paul Mero, president of Next Generation Freedom Fund and former president of the conservative Sutherland Institute, wrote that the question of SB54′s constitutionality should be settled by the courts. But Lee’s post, Mero said, was “stirring up the crazies” who have made support or opposition to SB54 a litmus test. read more
Posted in News
|
Comments Off on Sen. Mike Lee urges Utah governor to drop state defense of ‘unconstitutional’ law
If this is a joke, it’s not funny
Robert Gehrke column on Trump nomination of Utahn Ron Mortensen to a federal post.
“I know he has experience working with refugees outside of the country. I don’t know about his experience with refugees inside the country,” said Paul Mero, who hired Mortensen when Mero was president of the conservative Sutherland Institute. “In fact, the only thing I really do know is that he’s very anti-immigration and anti-refugee.”
Sutherland Institute looks to broaden reach as conservative think tank
It hasn’t been business as usual at the Sutherland Institute in hopes of upending politics as usual in Utah.
Those words appeared in the Deseret News 12 years ago as Sutherland’s then-President Paul Mero overhauled the conservative, free-market think tank to make it more relevant. Mero accomplished that task in his 14 years at the helm.
But the outspoken political advocate and Sutherland parted ways nearly two years ago, leaving the 21-year-old organization without a visible leader. Though it lobbies state legislators
Posted in News
|
Comments Off on Sutherland Institute looks to broaden reach as conservative think tank
Paul Mero steps down as head of Sutherland Institute
Paul Mero, who had served as the Sutherland Institute’s chief executive officer for 14 years, is out after being asked to step down by the conservative think tank’s board.
“It is what it is. There were just disagreements between me and the board and the board chairman about the organization and about how we execute our plans in the future,” Mero said.
Those disagreements surfaced earlier this year and were “insurmountable,” he said, declining to be more specific.
President of Sutherland Institute stepping down after 14 years
“Paul has served faithfully and effectively as he has led Sutherland Institute from its infancy to becoming the most influential conservative voice in Utah,” Swim said. “While the board feels this change is necessary as we move into the future, we are grateful for his dedicated service. We will continue to be guided by our seven governing principles that allow faith, family and freedom to flourish in Utah.”
Board ousts Paul Mero as Sutherland Institute president
The board of the Sutherland Institute, the state’s most prominent conservative think tank, has asked its longtime president, Paul Mero, to resign after long-simmering disputes apparently reached a head.
Mero, who ran the institute since 2000, said the disagreements were over “organizational matters” and executing the plans the group had made.