Mayor Paul TenHaken sent out this email to employees yesterday about the employee picnic with this closing;
Finally, I will leave you with this great quote as you start your week of service to your city:
“The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired. One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served.â€Â ― Gordon B. Hinckley
Paul TenHaken
Not sure if you know much about Hinckley, but he was the controversial leader of the Latter Day Saints who got caught up in issues with the Morman Church when it came to racism and homophobia. While, maybe a hero to some for trying (I use that word lightly)Â to correct the mistakes of the past, certainly not someone I would be quoting while sending an email to public employees. Just Sayin’.
Since it is an employee picnic, I would have sent this quote instead;
“WINE; a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy!” – Ben Franklin
Yes, that is the ACTUAL Franklin quote, it got changed to ‘Beer’ years later.
Just as bad as Romulan Tal Shiar Sub Commander Peterson & acting legislator sponsoring a bill to rid state universities diversity offices.
I wonder in her time travels to get a haircut if she could research how her stupid legislation has hurt the state in the future?
Or as Bill Maher said recently, “What’s the point of a North and South Dakota? Should just be called ‘redundant’.”
Their increasingly state tax payer incentivized religious, anti-vaxxer home schooling, fake news sites like Brietbart are pushing South Dakota more into a Theocracy and anything like public water, sewer, roads, fire & police departments are all Marxism. What next? Close down public libraries claiming they are Communist indoctrination centers and have a book burning? They need to get a clue and a real education about the different forms of government and quit being so selfish.
1000% wrong on this Scott,
I didn’t expect such bigotry from you.
GB Hinckley was a great man and held the views that the vast majority of Americans when he passed in 2008.
Show your evidence that Hinckley was a racist!
Obama had the same position Hinckley did on the issue of Gay Marriage in 2008 when GB passed away. That hardly makes him a homophobic bigot.
Hinckley was an incredibly kind, generous, and amazing human being that made even his worst detractors admit to liking him even when they disagreed with him.
You are talking out of your ass and you know it!
And it isn’t wrong to use an inspirational quote from a religious leader. Its an inspirational quote, not a passage from scripture. Whats next Tenhaken will have to apologize for a the kitten “hang on” poster?
Even if it was , that hardly is an endorsement of religion, nor does sharing positive messages from your faith break the law.
People of religious convictions get to take part in US society as much as anyone else does.
Extremely disappointed in this attitude Scott!
Neither of us are wrong on this one Peter, it’s just a matter of opinion. You think Gordon was a great religious leader, I don’t think Mormonism is a legit religion, I think it is a bunch of dogma.
I don’t take issue with inspirational quotes, here’s a great one about service to others;
“Help others and give something back. I guarantee you will discover that while public service improves the lives and the world around you, its greatest reward is the enrichment and new meaning it will bring your own life.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger
Sometimes it is just about WHO you are quoting as much as it is about the quote. I guess as a public/non-partisan servant I would not have used a quote from someone that controversial, especially someone who led a religion that is marred in fantasy, racism, extreme sexism and homophobia. I think it sends the wrong message to public employees. In fact, I would go as far as saying I wouldn’t have even attached a quote.
Is he any relation to John H.?
Work is not funny. Many citizens work 2 jobs to support their families and worry it’s still not enough. He who serves as mayor always benefits more than those he claims to serves. Huether became a multimillionaire from consideration awarding contracts for foolish play palaces while he painted streets black instead of properly repaving.
At the rate we are going, no ones quotes will be able to be used because of some perceived injustice by either side.
This is akin to arguments like, I can’t have an opinion on abortion because I am a man or that I can’t speak out on race relations because I am white, etc.
I think a broken clock is right twice a day so just because someone says something that is true or inspiring doesn’t invalidate the message because you don’t like their viewpoints. I just think its silly to worry about such trivial items, this really adds no value and its another example of people getting their pants in a wad over a nothingburger. I think this TYPE of stuff is what is wrong with the news today or any information put out there, it detracts from real news or things that matter. My question is, WHO really cares? If anyone answers the question with “I care”, I would ask you to reevaluate your priorities because it really does not matter, we have bigger fish to fry.
“He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served.†Yep. The owner of the McDonald’s or BK makes bank, and the customer gets a fat gut & clogged arteries.
We are nearing the declassification of the FBI tapes on Martin Luther King. America will soon learn MLK was a terrible human being especially to women. This should not change the power of his message or the importance of his words.
The quote from the mayor is a great message and should not be discarded because of the messenger. I’ve dealt with many city employees and unfortunately few have have lived up to the words the mayor tries to inspire them with.
Is there such a thing as inspiring a public servant? A quote doesn’t work. Try a taser.
The shallowness of our rock star mayor is showing more everyday. It isn’t always the words or messenger but the combination of the combination. This group does not understand the depths of their ignorance.
in that hunger games: wasent salt-lake city the capital of panem
In fairness, I understand why certain people of our community might be bothered by this. Left side is less comfortable with expressions of traditional religious views and is more in favor of a bolder border referred to as the “separation of church and state”
The right half of the culture isn’t bothered all that much with general outputs of semi-religious content. As long as they aren’t imposing it on us, most of us really couldn’t care less.
The list of problems with city government and transparency are long enough without pointing out a quote he probably got in an email or google search for: “inspirational quotes”
You grab a quote from the Dhalia Lama or the Pope and it really wouldn’t bother too many people. Because they understand these are quotes from respected world leaders more so than they are from religious figures. Especially when it is pretty general innocuous stuff.
What bugs me is the homophobic and racist label being thrown on the guy. There is nothing on record to suggest either. And those are pretty serious things to put on someone.
“What bugs me is the homophobic and racist label being thrown on the guy. There is nothing on record to suggest either. And those are pretty serious things to put on someone.”
What? Hey, if a guy needs to go camping, I guess he goes camping, huh? And a “B?” Well, he must be an easy grader…..(“Hey, I heard for an easy and good grade, you are suppose to take Paul’s class. At least that’s what Donald told me.”)
He shows up for a predatory lender wearing a tie. When it’s time to honor the first African-American firefighter in SF, then he shows up wearing a t-shirt covered by a jacket, but unshaven…. Need I say more, Peter?
He’s either bi-polar, or a racist. So what’s his affirmative defense, Peter?