Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is happy to help Donald Trump round up undocumented immigrants.
Hits & Misses
By Katharine Biele @kathybiele
Miss: Sort and Deport
We saw them coming, and yet America opened its arms to the second coming of Japanese-American internment. This time, though, pretty much any nonwhite residents should watch their backs as Trump's immigration goons approach. In Utah, this includes Gov. Spencer Cox. Sure, he says the state welcomes refugees and legal immigrants, but will it? Not all—in fact very few—undocumented people are criminals. A National Institute of Justice study found "undocumented immigrants are arrested at less than half the rate of native-born U.S. citizens for violent and drug crimes and a quarter the rate ... for property crimes." Never mind, crime was a great motivator, much like fear, in this last election, and Cox is riding the wave of disinformation and self-preservation.
Miss: ID Checks
Here comes Rep. Kera Birkeland again, riding the wave of transgender hatred that surely will keep her safe from men in women's bathrooms. Now the Morgan Republican wants real enforcement and assurances that no transgender people will be changing their official IDs. It's a big deal, for sure. An estimated 0.6% of adults—about 1.4 million people nationwide—identify as transgender. In Utah, it's 0.36%, according to the Williams Institute. The University of California at San Francisco estimates that 1 in 30,000 people are transwomen, while 1 in 100,000 are transmen worldwide. You can see why Birkeland is worried. For every 29,999 people going into a bathroom, you can expect to see one transwoman there doing something nefarious. Apparently, we're not as worried about transmen because we're OK with women in men's bathrooms. It's bound to be interesting, since the Utah Supreme Court has ruled that trans Utahns have a right to change their personal legal status.
Hit: Star Light, Star Bright
While Utah's urban centers and LDS temples beam their lights to the heavens, Southern Utah is planning to douse the electric displays and open the skies to the stars. The Stellar Vista Observatory and Kane County Water Conservancy District, with the support of former Rep. Mike Noel, are looking at an observatory to enhance educational opportunities and tourism. Utah "has the most extensive naturally dark night skies and the greatest concentration of internationally recognized Dark Sky Places anywhere in the developed world," says Lisa Stoner, coordinator for the Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative. Noel is the manager of the water district, which gave pause to a few commenters at the Deseret News. But even if Noel somehow benefits from the observatory, so will countless students and visitors. In his own words: "It's a chance to foster a love for science among the young minds of our community, sparking a passion that could shape the future."
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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