By Sarah L. Ostler
One of the first things a person notices about BYU may be the conservative political views adopted by many students. According to some students and faculty members, however, a small voice from the other side of the spectrum wants and needs to be heard.
Eugene England, professor of English, has taught at BYU for 21 years. He said he thinks that in those 21 years, the student body has become increasingly conservative. England is a Republican, but he said he has concerns over the increasing intolerance of liberal views and the tendency for liberal students to feel they would be ostracized if they spoke out.
“One of the most troubling elements … is the growing Mormon tendency to find absolute or at least superior, even divine, truth in the Republican Party platform,” England wrote in his essay “Why Utah Mormons should become Democrats.”
England said when two sides to an argument are not viewed, good ideas and discussion opportunities are lost. He would like to see the student body debate and think more. He advises students to study the country’s history and recognize the importance of a two-party system.
“Mormons should tilt the balance,” he said.
England said too many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints view parties as they do the LDS Church — that they will somehow denounce their religion if they vote against their party.
“Political parties do not have truth — they have perspectives,” England said in an interview.
Richard Davis, professor in the political science department, said moral issues need to be considered when choosing sides on any issue.
“Republicans have bemoaned that moral standards have dropped, yet they have controlled the White House for most of the past 20 years,” he said. “Republicans tend to give lip service to these items in order to get votes, but economic issues are much higher on the party’s agenda. This is exactly why the Christian Coalition is so dissatisfied with the Republican Party right now,” Davis said.
Students come to BYU thinking their views will be protected, England said. But they don’t realize that they learn more when people disagree with them.
“Our government goes through shifts — it’s based on change,” he said. “We carry out debate, and out of argument comes improvement.”
Some students who consider themselves liberal, said they feel alienated in classrooms where discussion is dominated by conservatives.
“Other students shout out the views their parents have told them, and assume they are speaking for the whole class,” said Rachel Hutto, 21, a senior from Oklahoma City, majoring in political science. “Mormon is not synonymous with republican. You can be an upstanding member of the Church and be a democrat.”
President James E. Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency of the LDS Church, is a democrat who served in the Utah State Legislature. Davis said the First Presidency has encouraged members of the LDS Church to participate in the political party of their choice.
Democrats and republicans dominate the government, but there are other parties as well. Each has its own philosophy and opinions.
Chad Nelson, 21, a junior from Martinez, Calif., majoring in philosophy, said he did not want to register under any party. He favors looking at each issue individually and making decisions based on his feelings.
“It seems to me that there is a lack of concern about issues,” Nelson said. He cited economic inequality as a big problem.
Nelson said he knew that most BYU students would be conservative, but he said he didn’t realize how aspects of the LDS gospel, such as social morality, would be viewed as unimportant. Students pay their tithing, go to Church and avoid R-rated movies, but there is a disregard for our economic responsibility for our fellow men and women, he said.
“Republicans aren’t inherently for economic inequality,” Nelson said. “But there is a belief that if you make your money honestly, you are entitled to any lifestyle you can afford. I think the gospel says we should shun luxury — share with the poor. That seems to be disregarded here.”
Nelson said he thinks that Social Darwinism is creeping into the LDS gospel — not in the teachings, but in the members’ views and actions.
“If you look upon the rich as higher than the poor, it’s detrimental to the building up of Zion,” he said. “The beginning of downfall and destruction in the Book of Mormon was class distinction.”
England said political division is becoming religious, and he explained the importance of a two-party system in his essay.
“For about 25 years Democrats have been a steadily dwindling minority in Utah, and thus Republicans are developing the attitudes and practices of one-party rule. Those attitudes and practices are more dangerous than the actual beliefs or programs of either party,” according to England.
When Utah first sought statehood, LDS Church officials went door-to-door assigning families to political parties. Back then, the church mostly comprised democrats and harbored bad feelings toward the anti-polygamist republicans. Now, however, republicans are in the majority.
“The principle I am arguing for suggests that while Mormons in Utah should become democrats, those in democratic strongholds like Massachusetts and Chicago should become republicans,” England wrote.
He also wrote that freedom is based on separation of power, checks and balances and the two-party system.
“If those checks and party system are kept strong and balanced, they create a process of government that is the surest guarantee of our liberties and of civil peace,” he wrote.
According to England, people, especially members of the LDS Church, should seek to preserve the freedom of religious practice even if they find the practices therein to be offensive.
“Spiritual and moral coercion not only violate the most central value of the Constitution but the central values of the Mormon religion, the very ones that lead us to revere the Constitution,” he wrote.
Students at BYU are often so caught up in the idea that they are republicans, they often lose site of the issues at hand, Nelson said.
“Conservatives like to think of the church as republican. But when President Kimball spoke against war, hunting and having weapons of mass destruction in Utah, those conservatives suddenly had their own agenda — voted for those very things,” he said.
Hutto said she does not believe all Republican views are in agreement with LDS Church doctrine. Nor does she think Democratic views are. Students need to look at both sides every time.
“I don’t think the majority of students actually think about politics,” she said.
The Internet offers many sites for various political issues and parties. Yahoo, for example, has links to opinion, party platforms, frequently asked questions, and much more for anyone wanting to know more about the different parties.
While they find the political views of BYU’s student body obvious, both Hutto and Nelson said professors remain objective.
“I find it amusing because so many students are staunch republicans and they would be surprised to discover that many professors are a little left of center,” Hutto said.
While Hutto said she thinks professors do a good job of being unbiased, Nelson said he thought teachers are influenced by the majority of the class.
“When an entire class is slanted strongly to the right, I sense professors feel they can’t take sides without causing problems,” Nelson said.
Davis said he has had students who have been upset when he tried to maintain balance in the classroom.
“Unfortunately a few students in political science classes feel unrestrained due to the environment and boo or make derogatory statements when someone like Clinton or Kennedy is mentioned,” Davis said. “It is unfortunate we do not have more political diversity here because that kind of behavior would be confronted by other students.”
