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Author Archives: ptmadmin
The LDS Church should surrender its tax-exempt status
Being free of taxation is not what makes a church, or a person, do the right thing.
In his recent opinion, “Government shouldn’t decide which churches ‘deserve’ a tax exemption,” my dear friend and long-time colleague Bill Duncan dutifully defends against critics of tax exemptions for religious institutions. But times have changed, so, new rules.
I could write a book explaining why our side, institutionally, should step away from old ways to protect what we’ve already lost, get out of culture wars that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints never should be a part of, and let the Lord, not governments, protect us.
Posted in Editorial Commentaries
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Removing Classrooms from the Battlefield: Pratt’s Dark Legacy and the Redemptive Promise of School Choice
Removing Classrooms from the Battlefield: Pratt’s Dark Legacy and the Redemptive Promise of School Choice[1]
Daniel E. Witte, Esq., and Paul Mero[2]
Utah’s new school voucher law has meant many things to many people. For the 43 percent of our Hispanic and African American public-school students who do not graduate with a diploma, the voucher law represented a sense of hope and opportunity. For anti-voucher advocates who have a romanticized view of public schools, the voucher law is un-American and a threat to our democratic values.
Posted in Freedom Series
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News Articles and Op-Eds
Harvard Kennedy School of Government, May 25, 2018, “Negotiating a Coalition of the Willing: Curt Bramble and the Utah Immigration Fight,” HKS Case 2127.0 (Winig/John F. Kennedy School of Government)
The Washington Post, Friday, March 11, 2011, “Immigration reform, the ‘Utah Way’” (Hockstader)
Salt Lake Tribune, Sunday, March 1, 2009, “Mero’s No Common Ground Initiative” (Walsh)
The Herald, Tuesday, August 2, 1983, “BYU newspaper will focus on conservative challenges” (Caras/Ross)
Posted in Bibliography By Type
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Personal Writings/Creations
“How the contenders stack up,” a comparison chart of institutions thought of the “fundamental unit of society, designed for “The Natural Family: A Manifesto” book, published by Sutherland Institute, 2006.
The Natural Family: A Manifesto, special edition, jointly published by The Howard Center and Sutherland Institute, 2005 (Carlson/Mero).
“Back seat drivers henpeck current belt debate,” most likely a draft submitted unsuccessfully as an op-ed, no date.
“Potheads make bad laws,” original draft of placed op-ed, attached to a lengthy email response thanking me for the op-ed, April 12, 2018, response by Michael Jones.
Posted in Bibliography By Type
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Writings on behalf of Employers
“Saving Education & Ourselves: The Moral Case of Self-Reliance in Education,” Sutherland Institute, March 2003.
“Neighbors in Need: A New Approach to Compassionate Poverty Relief,” Sutherland Institute, May 2002.
“How Congress Supports and Funds Organized Homosexuality,” American Priorities, 1994.
“How Congress Supports and Funds Organized Homosexuality,” Congressman Robert K. Dornan, July 1995.
“First Freedoms Compact,” Sutherland Institute’s FairToAll.org campaign, launched October 8, 2013.
Posted in Bibliography By Type
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Books Authored
“Unworthy: An Autobiography of the Imposter,” Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, October 2018.
“The Natural Family: A Manifesto, Spence Publishing Company, 2007.
“Exceptional Utah: Leading America in Faith, Family, and Freedom,” Sutherland Institute, 2013.
“Preserving Sacred Ground: A Responsible Citizen’s Approach to Same-Sex Politics, edited by Stanley D. Rasmussen, Sutherland Institute, 2009.
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Mentions in Books
“Lesbians, Gay Men, and the Law,” edited by William B. Rubenstein, The New Press, NY, 1993.
“There Goes the Neighborhood: How Communities Overcome Prejudice and Meet the Challenge of American Immigration,” by Ali Noorani, Prometheus Books, 2007.
“Kiss and Tell: Surveying Sex in the Twentieth Century,” by Julia A. Ericksen with Sally A. Steffen, Harvard University Press, 1999.
“Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement,” by Kathryn Joyce, Beacon Press, 2009.
“The New Know-Nothings: The Political Foes of the Scientific Study of Human Nature,” by Morton Hunt, Transaction Publishers, 1999.
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Single Folders/Single Subjects (located in storage)
Yellow folder: Western Scholar materials (BYU student newspaper created by Steve Reiher, Flora Parker, and Paul Mero).
Green folder: PTM schoolwork from BYU.
Red folder: Homeschool materials and communications with the school district and Commonwealth of Virginia, circa 1988.
Plain folder: Mero church talks/remarks.
Blue/Green folder: Culture Watch Leadership Bulletin (a project of Projects for America, Mero first 501c3).
Lime Green folder: Photos.
White folder: PTM mental/emotional/personality assessments.
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Letters from LDS Church Leaders
(Mostly “thank you’s” and well-wishes)
Dallin H. Oaks, December 17, 2014.
Notes from Solemn Assembly, June 17, 1984.
The First Presidency, June 14, 2007 (Carlson).
Merrill J. Bateman, November 14, 2006.
Boyd K. Packer, June 20, 2006.
Russell M. Nelson, March 24, 2011.
Neil L. Andersen, January 27, 2010.
The First Presidency, January 14, 2010.
Jeffrey R. Holland, January 8, 2010.
The First Presidency, March 16, 2009.
The Relief Society General Presidency, June 4, 2008.
Jeffrey R. Holland, June 15, 2007 (Carlson); cc’d Dallin H. Oaks and Bruce C. Hafen.
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Not Approaching Zion
Every other month, we receive a copy of LDS Living magazine, I suppose because we shop at the Deseret Book store. Each issue is filled with uplifting stories about LDS personalities or LDS who have overcome great hardships with inspiring stories. Notwithstanding those People magazine-type articles, LDS Living is a commercial for the LDS Church. But not just the LDS Church. LDS Living is a commercial for LDS products — you know, food storage, Holy Land tours, comfort foods, religious conferences, event venues, and, of course, products from Deseret Book. And, not oddly but uniquely, addiction treatment centers and fertility clinics advertise on its pages. read more