Guest opinion: America is exceptional, and itâs our duty to keep it that way.
by Yemi Arunsi
There is much at stake in 2024, and contrary to popular belief, it transcends elections; itâs about salvaging the heart of our nation.
Growing up in Nigeria, I had a front-row seat to the tumult that plagues so many countries. I vividly recall violent military coupsâthe streets ablaze with rioting and bloodshed. But being a New York native born to immigrant parents, I knew there was a better way. The âshining city upon a hillâ wasnât a cliché, it was a haven where I could escape chaos and be amongst the best and the brightest, the brave and the free.
Yet I often find myself wondering aloud, âIs this the same America that is so relentlessly criticized by our own citizens?â I canât turn on the TV or scroll through social media without seeing a wealthy celebrity or athlete lamenting about how terrible our nation is and how we must atone for our existence. They paint a picture of a country full of warmongering, racism, and hyper-capitalism. Day in and day out, they needlessly feed into this narrativeâand they couldnât be more wrong.
America may be a work in progress, but I can assure you, she truly is exceptional...
Yes, we have our challenges. There is divisiveness across every race, religion, socioeconomic status, and political party. Even in our nationâs capital, lawmakers arenât immune to hostility, as was evident in the events of the past year.
But Iâd argue that we donât need a modification of our values to fix our problemsâwe need a return to them...
As the late John McCain once said, âOur shared values define us more than our differences. And acknowledging those shared values can see us through our challenges today if we have the wisdom to trust in them again.â (Read More)
News Releases
Gov. Cox, President Adams, Speaker Schultz issue statement on NHL
Gov. Spencer Cox, President J. Stuart Adams and Speaker Mike Schultz issued the following joint statement: âToday, Gov. Spencer Cox, Senate President J. Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz met with National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman. Utah has the foundation of being the next major sports and entertainment destination in the United States. With the fastest growing economy, youngest population in the country and a long history as a premier winter sports destination, Utah is excited about the prospect of being the new home to an NHL franchise.â
Utah Senate and House Majority caucuses focus on energy policy
Utahâs all-of-the-above approach to energy has provided reliable, affordable and sustainable power for decades. Investing in the stateâs energy capabilities is a top priority this session for the Utah Senate and House Majority Caucuses. With onerous federal regulations and policies, lawmakers are committed to fighting back and passing policies that ensure Utahâs current and future needs are met.
âOur goal is to build a stronger and more sustainable energy sector for generations to come,â President J. Stuart Adams. âAffordable energy has been a key component of Utahâs economic success and must continue to be a priority. Our state has everything it needs to achieve energy independence: abundant natural resources, innovative industries, cutting-edge research from our esteemed universities, businesses willing to invest and a determined spirit. Utahns deserve to have energy that is reliable and affordable.â (Read More)
Curtis introduces bill to stop taxpayer funding to UN
Representative John Curtis (R-UT) introduced the Determining Excessive Funding for the United Nations for Dereliction (DEFUND) Act to force the State Department to rank United Nations (UN) agencies on how vital U.S. involvement is to our interests. The introduction of this bill comes on the heels of a probe into employees of the UNâs United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) involvement in the Oct. 7th attack on Israel resulting in the largest loss of life of Jews since the Holocaust. (Read More)
Utah Innovation Fund invests $700k in local healthcare, life sciences startups
As part of a new partnership, 3Helix, Rebel Medicine, and Inherent Biosciences were recently awarded a collective $700K in funding by the Utah Innovation Fund, a state-backed venture capital fund. 3Helix and Rebel Medicine come from the University of Utah â with 3Helix a part of the Uâs startup portfolio â and Inherent Biosciences is a joint development with BYU and the U of U. (Read More)
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