A rabbi, a Mormon and a black mayor...

[PaloAltoCougar]

Very interesting CNN article about three close friends from very different backgrounds. The Mormon is SUU President Michael Benson, whose brother, lapsed Mormon cartoonist Steve Benson, is the object of the rabbi's reactivation efforts. I've been a fan of the mayor, Cory Booker, for awhile.

[ERCougar]

Very interesting CNN article about three close friends from very different backgrounds. The Mormon is SUU President Michael Benson, whose brother, lapsed Mormon cartoonist Steve Benson, is the object of the rabbi's reactivation efforts. I've been a fan of the mayor, Cory Booker, for awhile.

Great article. Obviously, Benson is a local celebrity here and I first heard about Booker in a Netflix documentary a couple of years ago. Cool that they had crossed paths so long ago.

[YOhio]

That's a great article. Funny that Booker and Benson bonded over sobriety.

[Maximus]

Very interesting CNN article about three close friends from very different backgrounds. The Mormon is SUU President Michael Benson, whose brother, lapsed Mormon cartoonist Steve Benson, is the object of the rabbi's reactivation efforts. I've been a fan of the mayor, Cory Booker, for awhile.

wait, they are trying to reactive steve benson? in what? doesnt he run exmormon.org

[SeattleUte]

Very interesting CNN article about three close friends from very different backgrounds. The Mormon is SUU President Michael Benson, whose brother, lapsed Mormon cartoonist Steve Benson, is the object of the rabbi's reactivation efforts. I've been a fan of the mayor, Cory Booker, for awhile.

lol If a rabbi reactivates Steve Benson it will confirm my suspicion that he has a screw a little loose.

[HauteCoug]

I was just coming here to post this. I loved reading it - the way they're all able to tease each other and joke around and enjoy their differences is so refreshing.

[TripletDaddy]

I learned this week that Saratoga Springs, the town that has been engulfed in wildfire this week, elected a black Mormon female mayor. She seems quite young, as well. She has appeared on the news quite a bit as a spokesperson for the well-being of local residents.

Female mayors in Utah are less common.
Black female Mormons in Utah are also less common.
I would venture that she is the only black female Mormon mayor in the world.

[hostile]

http://abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=16634670&sid=81

Mayor Booker again at the scene of an accident.

[wuapinmon]

I learned this week that Saratoga Springs, the town that has been engulfed in wildfire this week, elected a black Mormon female mayor. She seems quite young, as well. She has appeared on the news quite a bit as a spokesperson for the well-being of local residents.

Female mayors in Utah are less common.
Black female Mormons in Utah are also less common.
I would venture that she is the only black female Mormon mayor in the world.

Hmmmmmm, I'd have to investigate Brazil before joining your venture. But, it's probably pretty likely that you're right.

[grapevine]

Mark married Gordons granddaughter in a marriage that united the Hinckley Benson families. United I don't know if it is the word brought them together that way. they got divorced though. He I guess has a decent relationship with Steve. I doubt Steve will come back to church. On the BYUI website Gordon making reference to the empty chairs talk said Steve was arrogant. September 1999 devotional. Have to hear the audio. Interesting. I know some people that said Steve made comments that he as a grandson had a right to make. Thing is the church is still true in spite of what he said. His spirituality has suffered though.

[LA Ute]

I learned this week that Saratoga Springs, the town that has been engulfed in wildfire this week, elected a black Mormon female mayor. She seems quite young, as well. She has appeared on the news quite a bit as a spokesperson for the well-being of local residents.

Female mayors in Utah are less common.
Black female Mormons in Utah are also less common.
I would venture that she is the only black female Mormon mayor in the world.

She is running for Congress and would be the first black female Republican in Congress. I guess she'd be the first black Mormon in Congress too. How times change.

[SeattleUte]

I was just coming here to post this. I loved reading it - the way they're all able to tease each other and joke around and enjoy their differences is so refreshing.

What do you mean refreshing. You see that here every day.

[UtahDan]

What do you mean refreshing. You see that here every day.

Honestly, I think this is more the norm than the exception. The only place I have lived where people acted like they were embattled over their religion is Utah. I'm sure there are other places, but where there is a large plurality of beliefs people more curious about each other than anything else.

[HauteCoug]

What do you mean refreshing. You see that here every day.

Honestly, I think this is more the norm than the exception. The only place I have lived where people acted like they were embattled over their religion is Utah. I'm sure there are other places, but where there is a large plurality of beliefs people more curious about each other than anything else.

Day-to-day, there's no question that this is more the norm. But how often do we see this represented in the media in this way? That's the refreshing thing: to look at a relationship between friends who love and appreciate the religious differences they hold and see it reported in such a positive way. It's not that it includes someone who is LDS. Rather, I just love seeing individuals come together and unifying in such a way.

And I agree UD - the behavior represented in the piece is representative of what I grew up around in CT.

[smokymountainrain]

She is running for Congress and would be the first black female Republican in Congress. I guess she'd be the first black Mormon in Congress too. How times change.

She is a long shot to win it, however.