LETTER: Cult opinion was too off-base

To the editor:

I thoroughly enjoy reading The Statesman; I think it tends to be a great newspaper offering many interesting articles. However, after reading Liz Emery’s article about the LDS religion being a cult, I am somewhat disinclined to read it in the future. I feel that this newspaper should be completely unbiased in its publications. Emery’s article was a complete slam against the LDS church and its members, whether she intended it to be or not. I found it completely disrespectful and I am in awe that it was published. If an article like this were published about a number of other minority groups, it would be found inappropriate and she would be forced to make an apology for her biased, rude statements. So what, because it is about the LDS religion it is OK for her to write this because it is not a minority here? No, it is not OK. I would argue that a lot of readers were offended and/or infuriated by this article, as I know I was. It was over the top and not based on facts, but rather opinion. Now I understand this is in the opinion section, but some opinions are best kept to oneself, especially when it would be seen as offensive and incorrect to a large portion of the audience who will read it. If Ms. Emery thinks the culture here is “obnoxious” because of the predominant religion, perhaps she should relocate to somewhere with different views. I would appreciate if this continued to be an unbiased publication, rather than one which publishes articles slamming one group or another. 

Lyndsey Griffin