Hits & Misses: Utah Problems
Gun laws, 'explicit material' and brewery blues.
By Katharine Biele @kathybiele
Let's Talk About Guns
After each mass shooting in the U.S., Bryan Schott of Utah Policy likes to post this: "Yay, Second Amendment!" It is, of course, a middle finger to the NRA and the now-growing number of Americans who think anything should go in the way of firearms. Silencers are the latest, and Congress might take up legislation to legalize them this week. Yes, right after the mass shooting in Las Vegas—the deadliest one in modern U.S. history. Neither walls, Muslim bans nor Eddie Eagle will stop it. A Washington Post opinion columnist said now is the time to politicize shootings and talk about how to prevent them. So let's talk—not about doing away with the Second Amendment, but about correctly interpreting it. And saving lives.
Try Again
I wonder how many children Sen. Todd Weiler thinks reach for Cosmopolitan as their go-to porn magazine. I further wonder if he or Victoria Hearst—heiress to Hearst Communications, which owns the publication—have ever actually viewed porn. If you think Cosmo is explicit, then you might want to start with TV shows like Scandal, or anything on HBO. ABC4News interviewed Hearst about her billboard campaign which labels Cosmo as "explicit content." OK, fine. It isn't the best reading material for young women, and certainly doesn't give young men a good idea of a woman's worth. But it's not porn, and labeling it as such is just silly. Try talking to your kids about sex. You might learn something.
Shafted
Good on Mine Shaft Brewery for taking on the government. The company, according to the Park Record, filed suit to force Summit County to respond to its requests under the Government Records Management and Access Act (GRAMA)—which is supposed to help the public get information from that behemoth called a bureaucracy. But bureaucrats are good at charging for it or simply denying access. Mine Shaft wants to build a brewery at the business park on state Road 224. Unfortunately for them, The Boyer Co. owns the property and the county says a brewery is not allowed under some agreement. The county didn't respond to the 2014 request in time and Mine Shaft thinks the denial is based on personal feelings, rather than documented agreements. If Mine Shaft loses in court, it will show that governments really don't need to work for the public.
About The Author
Katharine Biele
A City Weekly contributor since 1992, Katharine Biele is the informed voice behind our Hits & Misses column. When not writing, you can catch her working to empower voters and defend democracy alongside the League of Women Voters.
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