{"id":17242,"date":"2011-09-26T13:30:58","date_gmt":"2011-09-26T18:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/?p=17242"},"modified":"2011-09-27T00:05:55","modified_gmt":"2011-09-27T05:05:55","slug":"which-mormon-are-you-voting-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/2011\/09\/which-mormon-are-you-voting-for\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Mormon are You Voting For?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Huntsman<\/p>\n

One of the gloriously enriching experiences in marriage – at least in my marriage – is all of the truly wonderful people that my wife has brought into my life. One of these persons is Sarah Bringhurst Familia – a brilliant, homeschooling mother, who also happens to be a pillar of global citizenship. Since marrying, she and her husband have lived in a number of exotic locations, including Utah, California, The Philippines, Ireland, Italy, and most recently Tunisia. With both a degree and lots of life experience centering around the Middle East, she’s a trenchant observer of current affairs in the region. Her interests take her all over the place, however, and she recently posted this piece which I thought the Times & Seasons crowd would enjoy (you can follow her own blog\u00a0here<\/a>):<\/p>\n

Which Mormon are You Voting For?<\/strong><\/p>\n

by Sarah Bringhurst Familia<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the question of the hour. And if you forced me\u00a0to choose between Huntsman and Romney, I\u2019d have to say that a president who speaks Chinese would probably be more useful than one who speaks French. But eight long years of Bush and then a Mad Tea Party have almost completely sapped my patience with the G.O.P.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, there\u2019s another Mormon running for President. His name is Yeah Samake. Like the original Mormon presidential duo, he is clean-cut, wholesome, and charismatic. And his\u00a0French<\/a> makes\u00a0Romney<\/a> sound like an episode of Prairie Home Companion\u2019s Guy Noir. Throughout his political career, Mr. Samake has focused on \u201ctransparency, public participation and strict financial accountability.\u201d Sound good? Well, don\u2019t get too excited. He\u2019s running for President of Mali.<\/p>\n

\"Samake\"<\/p>\n

Until my college roommate spent the Christmas holidays one year in Timbuktu, I didn\u2019t know it actually existed. I thought it was more like Shangri-la, or Atlantis, or the Lost City of Z. But the city that for us is synonymous with \u201cthe ends of the earth\u201d is a real place in a real African country called Mali. Mali has a rich history and culture, but economically is one of the very poorest countries in the world. A look at Samake\u2019s stand on crucial campaign issues gave me pause for thought:<\/p>\n

\n

Stand Against the Old Ways<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Provide principle-centered leadership<\/li>\n
  • Insure efficient use of scarce resources<\/li>\n
  • Stamp out corruption<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Political Platform<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Food Sufficiency – irrigation, clean water supply<\/li>\n
    • Education – caring for teachers, active learning curriculum, distant education<\/li>\n
    • Health – infrastructure building, training, telemedicine<\/li>\n
    • Economic Development – security guarantee, promote foreign investment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n

      Does it make our First World problems seem a bit less consequential to think that in some countries clean water and sufficient food are key campaign issues?<\/p>\n

      \"Samake<\/p>\n

      Samake was born to a poor family that believed in education. He and his family worked and sacrificed so that he could receive an education, and then go on to college. After moving to New York City, he found and joined the Mormon Church, and subsequently did graduate work at B.Y.U.<\/p>\n

      For many people from developing countries, achieving economic prosperity in the United States marks the pinnacle of a long journey. But for Samake, it was only the beginning. He chose to take his education and expanded world view back to his home country. When he was elected mayor of Ouelessebougou in 2009, the city was one of the worst-developed in Mali. Two years later, Samake\u2019s principled leadership has brought it into the top ten in the entire country. His strategy is to work on the grassroots level by holding local leaders accountable and helping them to gain the trust of their constituents.<\/p>\n

      Samake\u2019s approach combines firm integrity with practical solutions and boundless optimism. He has spent significant time campaigning among expat Malians in the U.S., as well as soliciting donations from his B.Y.U. and Utah networks. Here\u2019s a great speech he gave at a fundraising dinner in Salt Lake City in May:<\/p>\n