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By Kent Larsen
Who Should Be 'Mormon Of The Year?'
NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- With the new year approaching, Mormon News will
look back at the major Mormon news stories and people that made news
in the past year. As part of this review, we are starting a,
hopefully, annual process to name the "Mormon of the Year," the
person who has had the biggest impact, good or bad, during the past
year on Mormons and on the way Mormons are perceived by others.
For most LDS Church members the answer to the question of who is the
"Mormon of the Year" is simple and clear, and basically the same each
year -- the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, Gordon B. Hinckley, clearly has the biggest impact (assuming
we are talking about mortals, of course). So, since that much is
clear, we have decided to change the question slightly. The "Mormon
of the Year" is then:
The person, other than the Prophet, who has had the biggest impact,
for good or bad, during the past year on Mormons and on the way
Mormons are perceived by others.
Of course there are a couple of other qualifications. First, the
person must be Mormon some how - even if that only means that his or
her parent was a member of a Church that believes Joseph Smith
restored the gospel. Second, the person must have been living at some
point during the year 2000.
Our process for naming the Mormon of the year is fairly simple. We
will, at least for this first year, let our readers choose the
"Mormon of the Year". The process will work like this: First,
starting today, Mormon News will take nominations, sent to the
following e-mail address:
MOTY-nominations@MormonsToday.com
In addition to the name, please include a sentence or two describing
why you think this person should be considered, and please include a
link or reference to a news story from this past year indicating that
impact. It should be easy to find such a news story in Mormon News'
archives (use the search feature on this page. News stories from other sources are
also acceptable.
We will keep an updated list of those nominated on the MormonsToday
website at the URL:
http://www.mormonstoday.com/subjects/MormonOfTheYear.shtml
On December 15th we will close nominations and open voting at that
same web page. Voting will consist of ranking nominated people in a
'top ten' list. Each place on the list will be given a number of
points, and the person with the most overall points will win.
To get things started, I've compiled my own list of 10 nominees to
start (in alphabetical order):
Gary Crowton
As the replacement for famed BYU Coach LaVell Edwards, who retired
last year, Crowton only had to do as well or a little better than
Edwards had last year to be accepted as adequate. Instead Crowton has
led the Cougars to their first undefeated (so far) season since their
National Championship in 1984. See:
Crowton Will Be Named BYU Coach Today
Mormon News 7Dec00 S2
Eugene England
Known for his untiring attempts to bridge the gap between liberal and
conservative LDS Church members, W. Eugene England died August 17th
of brain cancer. His example made a lasting impression for Church
members of how to live in a community with conflicting views. See:
Remembering England
Mormon News 25Aug01 A2
Tom Green
While not now an LDS Church member, Tom Green has been in the news
this past year as much as any other Mormon. The Utah polygamist, once
an LDS Church member, appeared in newspapers worldwide during his
trial on bigamy charges. Although Green wouldn't see it this way, he
gave the LDS Church more opportunity to disavow itself of polygamy
than it would otherwise have had. See:
Polygamist Green Given Five Years, $78,000 Judgement
Mormon News 27Aug01 N5
Orrin Hatch
Hatch continues to have a major impact on U.S. policies, including
his groundbreaking decision to support the use of federal funds for
stem-cell research. With Hatch leading the way, all five Mormon
senators eventually supported stem-cell research, and the views of
many conservatives were moderated on this issue because of his
decision. See:
Hatch Favors Stem Cell Funding, Draws Pro-Life Ire
Mormon News 6Jul01 T2
Paula Houston
Lawyer Houston was named Utah's Porn Czar to handle citizen
complaints about pornography and help Utah's local governments draft
laws that meet constitutional muster. The unique nature of her new
job led to national attention.
LDS Church Member, Utah's 'Porn Czarina,' Gets National Attention
Mormon News 9Mar01 T2
Elbert Peck
For fifteen years Elbert Peck led Sunstone magazine, despite
criticism from conservatives and continuing struggles to keep the
magazine growing. In spite of the criticism, Peck has maintained his
belief that Sunstone provides a needed and enduring role in the
Mormon community. See:
Long-time Sunstone Publisher Elbert Peck Resigns
Mormon News 14Jun01 N4
Naomi Randall
A longtime leader of the LDS Church's Primary organization, Randall
was best known for authoring the favorite LDS hymn, "I am a Child of
God," in 1957. Randall died May 17th at age 92. See:
'I am a Child of God' Author Naomi Randall Dies
Mormon News 21May01 P2
Mitt Romney
When Romney took over the Salt Lake Organizing Committee in January,
1999, he became one of the most visible Mormons in the world, known
for rescuing the 2002 Winter Olympics from a bribery scandal that
could have put it in the red. And since the 2002 Games he is
preparing for is in the Mormon heartland, he has also become visible
to many Mormons. See:
Deseret News Profiles Mitt Romney
Mormon News 7Jul00 S2
William Sadleir
Sadleir pulled off one of the biggest Mormon commemorative events in
history, focusing the attention of news media on two continents as
well as hundreds of thousands of Mormons on a small group of ships
commemorating the immigration of more than 80,000 Mormon pioneers
from Europe to America. SeaTrek2001 was simply the biggest Mormon
event since the 1997 Mormon Trek re-enactment. See:
SeaTrek Sails; Commemoration Gets International Attention
Mormon News 8Aug01 N6
Mark Wattles
CEO of Hollywood Entertainment has managed to turn around his company
and raise its stock price during the year from under $1 a share to a
high of $12 a share. See:
Hollywood Entertainment Fighting Investor Fears
Mormon News 19Sep01 B4
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