Editor:

If it were up The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it would be able to regulate speech on every square inch of downtown Salt Lake City, but it isn’t. However, it seems the courts don’t think that the city can reserve a walkway, but not maintain the public’s right to free speech on it. I agree with them.

Just because most of the people in this city are members of the LDS Church and live by a certain code of morals does not mean that they can use the city council to dictate these morals to the minority. Our Bill of Rights is meant to prevent this very thing from happening.

In his April 16 column, “Breaking Free of the Free-Speech Doctrine,” John Morley says, “The majority of Salt Lakers who want a quiet place to talk and participate in public life are being denied their right to enjoy it.” You don’t have a right to a quiet place to talk and participate in public life. I don’t remember that being anywhere in the Bill of Rights. I do remember there being a little ditty about making no law prohibiting speech.

Really, how do these preachers on Main Street hurt you so much? Can’t you just go walk into Temple Square and be safe from all of these evil words they spout? Why are they protesting in the first place? Maybe they are sick of Mormons buying up their city and trying to stop them from expressing their ideas. I know I’m sick of Mormon men like Morley who want to silence the minority, bring their “truth” to the “ignorant.” Maybe they do indeed have something to protest. I don’t think that is for you or for me to decide.

Jared Johnson

Senior, Pre Computer Science