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A Utah State University professor is asking a tough question: Does Utah’s strong culture of doing good actually make it easier to justify bad behavior towards women?
Susan Madsen, who directs the Utah Women & Leadership Project, explores the concept of “moral credits” — the idea that good acts can offset negative ones, like a karmic balance sheet.
She points to research showing that more religious cultures often have larger gender pay gaps, partly because they’re more likely to sexually objectify women while minimizing their power in public.
The examples hit close to home: A Utah manager might pay a father more because he’s “supporting a family” (moral credit) while paying an equally qualified mother less because “her husband works” (moral withdrawal).
Her bottom line: “Doing good should not justify bad behavior.”
Read her full analysis of how this dynamic might be holding Utah women back.
And let me know: Do you see moral credits at work in your community? How do we separate genuine goodness from self-serving moral math?
— Sam Morse, Newsletter Editor
Last week’s Q: What would it take to “disagree better”?
“It seems civil discourse is impossible without the same example from the ‘leadership’ at the top of government. This should be the first aspect of what we should be talking about.” – Karl Vizmeg
“The hypocrisy is mind-blowing. Where was the outrage on June 14, 2025, when Minnesota Democratic House Speaker Milissa Hortman and her husband were murdered in their home by a right wing nut job?” – John Fair
“I think this is more of the same disingenuous Left Speak. …They lied about Covid, created Russia gate. In addition they threatened a sitting Supreme Court judge, and it was 2 leftists that attempted to assassinate Pres. Trump. And NOW you want us to come together and sing kumbaya and hold hands? Typical leftist hypocrisy.” – Thomas Armitage
“In 15 months my wife will be eligible for citizenship. It has been an arduous 23 year struggle. Now mass deportation is the policy of the land. I cannot disagree better, because I dare not enter private or public conversation for fear of jeopardizing our status. For myself and those who are vulnerable to detention and deportation, there is no ‘disagreeing better.’ We can only keep our heads down and our voices silent.” – Anonymous
“Racism, misogyny, sexism, antisemitism, ableism, ageism, etc. are never OK. For me at least it is impossible to have any kind of dialog with someone who champions this thought and action pattern. …Saying that Black pilots, surgeons, teachers are less qualified because of their skin color is proof of a diseased mind.” – David Jay Crispin
Utah Voices
Unlike President Trump, I refuse to hate my fellow Americans
“I refuse to hate my neighbors, and invite my fellow Utahns to resist the messages of division being sold to the public,” writes LeeAnne Mendenhall, of Draper. “I will continue to love my family from both sides of the political aisle. I will continue to be friends with people from both sides of the political aisle. If we disagree, let’s do so in a way that won’t harm our friendship. If we disagree, let’s find a solution instead of pointing fingers. Let’s choose to be American, together.” -Read more.
Everyone’s a free-speech hypocrite
“The right has long balked at the use of social pressure to punish conservative thinkers by, for instance, getting them fired from their jobs. …Now comes the inevitable role reversal. A few days ago, Vice President JD Vance urged those who saw people celebrating Mr. Kirk’s assassination to ‘call them out,’ including by calling ‘their employer.’ I don’t like having to make a case for human rights such as freedom of speech by appealing to self-interest; these are supposed to be rights whose importance transcends one’s personal needs. But for political partisans, it’s often the only argument that cuts through. So here’s my practical warning: The weapon that you reach for today will be used against you tomorrow.” -Read more.
We need leaders who renounce violence. What can we expect of Sen. Lee at the upcoming USU Turning Point USA event?
“Even after Sen. Tina Smith tearfully begged [Mike Lee] to stop normalizing political violence, he refused to apologize,” writes Thomas R. Grover. “He still hasn’t apologized. None of this is to say that Sen. Lee, or his dark ‘based’ internet alter ego, should be banned from speaking on campus. The First Amendment protects Sen. Lee’s right to preen in cringeworthy hypocrisy, and our right to respond in disgust. This is a matter of accountability, not censorship. At a time when America needs leaders to renounce war and proclaim peace, we all deserve better than ‘Based Mike Lee.’” -Read more.
Let’s follow the logic of banning fluoride in Utah and ban other harmful chemicals
“Pesticides are known to travel through Utah water systems, leading to population exposure,” writes Kian Robison, of Salt Lake City. “Many of these pesticides are known contaminants that produce adverse human health outcomes, and many are known to stay in these water bodies long-term. If Gov. Cox and the Utah state legislative body are serious about maintaining personal choice in what Utahns ingest in their water supply, Utah should ban any pesticides with scientific evidence of harm. The failure to do so would be regulatory inconsistency.” -Read more.
Share Your Perspective
Multiple cases indicate that measles is spreading throughout Utah. In fact, earlier this week, up to 11 infants were exposed when they visited the same clinic as an infected person, according to the Bear River Health Department.
In a time of vaccine skepticism, we’re curious, how are you keeping your kids safe? And if you’ve chosen to keep your kids unvaccinated, are there steps you’ve taken to hedge against infection? Let us know.
From Bagley’s Desk
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