Democracy House
Many people feel the political system doesn’t work for them, and they feel powerless to do anything about it.  They’re right about the failings of our political system, but wrong about their impotence, in the view of philosopher Jeffrey Nielsen.  Democracy recognizes that ordinary citizens are wise enough and virtuous enough for self-government; in fact, respect for our human dignity demands it.  Crucial to a genuine democracy is the political literacy that allows every citizen to become actively engaged in her/his own governance.  In this presentation, Jeffrey Nielsen explores the meaning and origin of democracy and how ordinary citizens can reclaim their legitimate power. 

Jeffrey S. Nielsen (Orem)
801-226-9056 (wk, hm)
democracyhouse@gmail.com

Everyday Ethics
Is it right to lie? No? What about to a violent scoundrel? Why? Should public policy create the greatest good for the greatest number of people, or protect minorities and the downtrodden regardless?

The great ethical theories of Western philosophy don’t just belong in a college classroom. They are directly relevant to your everyday life. And learning about these theories is fun! Join in this discussion of how to solve thorny issues you face using ethical principles you can learn easily. Presenter David Keller, of Salt Lake City, is Director of the Center for the Study of Ethics and Professor of Philosophy at Utah Valley University. 

David Keller (Salt Lake City)
801-863-6363
david@keller.cc

From Dumb & Selfish to Smart & Caring:
How to Use, Rather Than Be Used, by the Media

According to the latest statistics, the average U.S. teenager uses 7 hours and 14 minutes of media a day. Society is inundated with media influences aimed to develop consumers with short attention spans, yet there are virtually no available antidotes. This short workshop/presentation provides the skills to use media experiences, from video to ipods, as a source of critical thinking, eventually reclaiming essential human values and authentic individual creativity. "Democracy is the best form on government only when truth is the number one value of a society."  (Plato, The Republic)

John Schaefer (Salt Lake City)
john@mediadivide.org
801.455.1456 cell

The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching
About two-thirds of the world’s population reside in countries where Buddhism thrived in the past or thrives today.  This presentation explores the original teaching of Buddhism, which underlies and is common to all Buddhist sects, as distinguished from subsequent developments found in various parts of Asia and elsewhere.  Yukio Kachi, a retired professor of philosophy from the University of Utah and schooled in Japan and the United States, will help audience members gain a basic understanding of Buddhism and how it differs from and is similar to teachings from other religious traditions.

Yukio Kachi (Salt Lake City)
801-581-3488 (wk) 801-466-8418 (hm)
ykachi@philosophy.utah.edu

Lifeline of the West: Deciding the Future of the Colorado River
Without the Colorado River, the West would not be the livable place it is.   The river’s use, restoration and protection provide Utahns with water, hydro-electric power, economic development, recreation, and aesthetic and ecological values.  And yet the Colorado River’s ecosystems are in danger.  What should be done to save the river and ensure its health?  How can ordinary citizens grapple with the immense questions involved?  Robert Adler, professor at the University of Utah’s College of Law and author of Restoring Colorado River Ecosystems: A Troubled Sense of Immensity, engages audiences in grappling with these ethical, legal, and ecological questions.   

Robert W. Adler (Salt Lake City)
801-581-3791 (wk)
adlerr@law.utah.edu 

Our Built Landscape: Treasures or Trash?
This presentation with Diana Major Spencer examines how our built environment—our houses, office buildings, churches, schools, museums, and historic sites–affects our “sense of place.”  As development and changing needs of our communities challenge the existence of some of these structures, how do we decide what to keep?  What issues should we consider as we confront tough choices about what to restore and what to tear down?  Examined in the presentation will be the historical roles of the LDS Temple, the Utah State Capitol, and the Governor’s Mansion in Salt Lake City, as well as stories behind less well-known buildings such as the Casino Star Theatre in Gunnison.  A slide show will include buildings inside and outside of Utah involved in current controversies.  The presenter, a retired professor of humanities from Snow College,  will invite audience members to discuss their feelings and opinions about buildings under threat in their own home towns.

Diana Major Spencer (Mayfield)
435-528-7966 (cell) 435-979-2798 (hm)
docdms@gmail.com

The Past, Present and Future of the Middle East

The importance of the Middle East is reinforced in the daily media as we read of escalating oil prices, incidents in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the war in Iraq and threats from Iran.  In addition, many are concerned about the role of Islam in the current world.  We are also reminded of the billions of dollars Arab countries are investing in U. S. companies.  These developments make it imperative that we have a better understanding of the history, current issues, and future possibilities of this interesting and critical area of the world.

J. Bonner Ritchie (Provo)
801-377-0688
jblois@hotmail.com

Politics Without Partisanship--If It Were Possible, Would We Want It?
As obscenities and denunciations fly around today’s Congress, and internet bloggers vent their anger in cyberspace, many Americans decry the rancor of today’s partisan politics.  They worry about a polarization of the country and a degradation of political discourse.  But partisanship in America actually has a long history that reaches back to the nation’s founding.  From those ratifying  the Constitution to congressional leaders debating the Civil War, American partisans attacked each other with a fury beyond even our imagination. With this in mind, Matthew Mason, a professor of history at BYU, will discuss with the audience:  What are the circumstances that give rise to partisan feeling?  Is partisanship inherently wrong?  Can it have positive effects?  If it’s harmful, what might we do to minimize it?  

The Limits of Dissent: Lincoln and the Constitution
From his days as an Illinois lawyer to his turbulent days in the White House, Abraham Lincoln staunchly defended the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law.   He insisted that American citizens must submit to laws and Supreme Court decisions they consider hateful or wrong, even as they worked to change those laws and decisions.  It’s ironic, then, that Lincoln’s enemies, then and since, have seen him as a usurper of the Constitution, particularly during wartime.  They have believed, for example,  that his abridgement of civil liberties for Northern antiwar dissenters and his policy of emancipating slaves meant that he was playing fast and loose with the rule of law in relentless pursuit of victory in the Civil War. Lincoln’s example raises some of the same questions twenty-first century citizens are facing, which Matthew Mason, a professor of history at BYU, will explore:  What are the limits of dissent in wartime?  Under what circumstances should compromises to civil liberties be accepted? And how should citizens deal with laws they consider unjust? 

Matthew Mason (Springville)
801-422-3408 (wk) 801-489-7010 (hm)
matthew_mason@byu.edu

Religion and the Environment: Finding Common Ground in Utah

This conversation explores environmental stewardship and its relationship with a variety of religious beliefs, especially Mormonism.  George Handley, a professor of humanities at BYU, focuses specifically on how religious teachings can help Utahns find a shared cooperative model for solving our contemporary environmental problems.  The central question addressed will be:  How can we love the land with equanimity, being fair to all concerns, all stakeholders? Professor Handley will bring into the conversation statements by the Dalai Lama, the Pope, evangelical Christians, and excerpts from Mormon scripture, as he explores the link between religion and the land.

George Handley (Provo)
801-422-7151 (wk) 801-356-3718 (hm)
George_Handley@byu.edu

The Rule of Law and Citizenship: What happens when the law of the land clashes with our moral beliefs?
From the Fugitive Slave Act to Roe v. Wade, citizens have wrestled with the duty to obey laws they perceive as unjust.  However, what constitutes a just law, and how does a law-abiding citizen respond to injustice? Where do our priorities reside when our personal beliefs clash with the rule of law? Drawing upon the writings of Plato, Thoreau, Martin Luther King and others, Louise Excell leads this exploration of competing loyalties. 

Louise Excell (Springdale)
(435) 772-3206  (hm) (435) 652-7508 (Dixie State)
excelll@dixie.edu

Islam as a Lifestyle
Muslims and non-Muslim speakers often concentrate on the jurisprudence and metaphysics of the faith or on generalities that are common to all religions, without adding to the non-Muslim’s knowledge of the important dynamics of Islam as a lifestyle. This presentation with Ghulam Hasnain will focus on a discussion of those daily practices that are fundamental to a practicing Muslim’s life and the concepts and principles behind them.

Islam From the Shia Perspective

Overtly, there are many similarities between Sunni and Shia Muslims, but there are also historical divisions no less significant than between Protestants and Catholics within Christianity. This talk will present Islam from the Shia perspective, including the history, politics, concepts and principles of the faith.

Ghulam Hasnain (Salt Lake City)
801-671-6709
saltlakeamerican@yahoo.com

The Sum of Our Past: Revisiting Pioneer Women
For many, “pioneer Utah women” brings to mind a stereotype–a courageous, hard-working, devout woman who willingly sacrificed for family and church.  While there is truth in this image, this presentation explores the more complex picture that emerges from the pages of Utah history.  Judy Shell Busk, an author, retired English teacher, and descendent of pioneer Utah women, will discuss one chapter from her book, The Sum of Our Past, depending upon the preferences of the audience.  She will involve the audience in relating historical experiences to present conditions.  Among the varied choices from the twenty-four chapters are “Prominent Mormon Women,” “Danish Immigration,” “Native Americans,” “Polygamy,” and “African-American Converts to Mormonism.”  Copies of the selected chapter will be made available in advance to interested audience members.

Judy Shell Busk (Richfield) 
435-896-6941 (h)
judybusk@excite.com

Thinking about the Unthinkable and Talking about the Tough Stuff: Making Sense of Nuclear Weapons and Other Big Issues That Confront Us

Note: If you want to host a presenter for this topic, "Thinking about the Unthinkable and Talking about the Tough Stuff: Making Sense of Nuclear Weapons and Other Big Issues That Confront Us," contact Annette Rose, 801-583-3930, who will help you arrange for one of the four presenters below (Cheney, Borgenicht, Dickson, or Endres) to attend your program.

Please do not contact the speakers directly. If don't have a preference, leave it up to Annette Rose, the coordinator for the group, to make the selection.

A number of issues now confront us that seem overwhelming to most citizens. These include nuclear arms and other weapons of mass destruction, terrorism and the war on terror, global warming or climate change, and global poverty and economic disparity. In every one of these cases, people feel frightened and paralyzed about discussing the issues and deciding on individual or group actions.  Most citizens simply avoid the issues altogether or occasionally trivialize or joke about them. Either way, they tend to avoid extended thought or discussion about action. At the same time, we find that some global problems, such as nuclear arms, become “normalized” by being part of popular culture in a way thatdetaches them from their full import. This we hear whenever people casually talk, without much thought, about “nuking” someone or another country.

 

In our Public Square presentation and discussion, we use the issue of nuclear arms proliferation/control/war as a path into a broader examination of “unthinkable” and “non-discussible” issues. In fact, “nukes” are once again on the minds of the citizens of Utah as well as for others around the United States. We want to spark thought and discussion about an important set of concerns that were largely dormant from the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 until just the past couple of years. In fact,the long-term effects of nuclear radiation on the human body and the environment have generally been minimized or ignored. As we convene groups around the State of Utah, we will use powerful quotations, still and moving images, music, and cartoons about nuclear weapons to address even broader questions about the culture of fear and avoidance, and how to get a grip on it. Especially, we will pose questions to encourage everyone to explore things they might do to address the big problems that face us.

 

Annette Rose contributed to the research and development of this topic.
To schedule this discussion, contact: Annette Rose (Salt Lake City)
801-583-3930
theroses@xmission.com

Utah Faces of Judaism
Utah’s Jewish experience in the West is one of adventure, challenge, adaptation, and resolve.  Through historical narratives, slides, photographs, and discussion, this presentation by Eileen Hallet Stone takes Utahns on a journey that includes stories from Utah’s Jewish pioneers and families, politicians and farmers, merchants and immigrants, soldiers and Holocaust survivors.  An interactive presentation, the stories will help promote understanding of the rich Jewish history in Utah, as well as the importance and value of diversity. 

Eileen Hallet Stone (Salt Lake City)
801-485-7338 (wk) 801-487-6970 (hm)
ehswriter@aol.com   (Ck)

Utah History Through Native Eyes:  Learning About the Noochew (Ute People)
This presentation by Larry Cesspooch invites the audience to learn about the Noochew (Ute People) and experience Utah history through their native eyes.  The audience will be asked to respond to the three time periods below, as if they were Nooch (Ute).  The speaker will help bring out the most important effects each time period had on the Noochew: Life Before Non-Indian Contact; 1600s—The Spanish Influence; and 1850-1865—Contact with the Latter Day Saints

Larry Cesspooch (Roosevelt)
435-353-4818
thrunateyes@ubtanet.com

Wallace Stegner’s Utah
Wallace Stegner published five novels with western settings (three of them in Utah), two books about Utah history, and numerous articles about life in the Beehive state. Although born in Iowa, Stegner lived in Utah from 1921 to 1930 and from 1934 to 1937, and considered Salt Lake City to be his home town; he felt that his later homes in Iowa, Massachusetts, and California never equaled those of his youth along the Wasatch. This presentation by Robert C. Steensma deals with Stegner's views on the rich diversity of Utah's history, its peoples and its environment, as well as the problems its people will face as the state population grows. Many of the problems he foresaw as long as fifty years ago have been realized: water shortages, suburban sprawl, assimilation of ethnic and religious groups, and preservation of wilderness.

Robert C. Steensma (Salt Lake City)
(801) 466-5469
rsteensma1@msn.com

What’s In Your Attic? Decoding the Past Through Cultural Artifacts
Historical artifacts are the primary source material upon which we build our vision of who we are and where we’ve come from.  Fully 90% of Utah’s cultural artifacts remain in private hands, so preservation of this material is essential if it is to continue to connect us to our roots.  In this discussion with Randy Silverman, the Preservation Librarian at the University of Utah’s Marriott Library will talk with audiences about why their artifacts are significant and how to preserve them.

Randy Silverman (Salt Lake City)
801-585-6782 (wk) 801-487-6970 (hm)
randy.silverman@utah.edu