A Letter to Todd Weiller R-Woods Cross

This image was put in place of the one depicting an adult male Utahan wearing a shirt that reads, "Porn Kills Love". I didn't want to risk any kind of legal backlash...enjoy.

I'm assuming you've never had sex before, and that your four children are the benevolent products of immaculate conception. Declaring pornography a "public health crisis" not only undervalues the public's right to choose and our First Amendment Rights, but it also marginalizes the importance of sex and relationships. If we all want to be adults about this, your futile attempts to censor the internet isn't about sex or children at all. It's all about control of information being received by the population. I don't know if the words sex and children in the same sentence elicits the same amount of vomit in the back of your throat as it does mine, but we all know Utah is infamous for using children as human shields for bigotry.

I hear a lot of politicians in this state yelling, "Protect our children!", yet the age of consent here is 16 for women. And you still have the audacity to say porn is normalizing violence and abuse against women? Not to mention there are only 50 states, and we are #50 in education spending! I'm sure people didn't think it could get any worse, oh but it does: Utah is also #1 in the nation for child sex abuse. So yes, if this is the state's idea of "children are the future", as the song goes, "teach them well and let them lead the way". Spend the least amount of money on their education as possible. It seems to equate to a straight from school to porn-star pipeline. Perhaps the slogan for an upcoming campaign I'm sure.

Aside from children, it's also affecting adults which are supposed to serve as the pillars of our society. We are #1 for prescription drug abuse as well. This state continues to put up statistics completely contradictory of the things the state's morality police claim to be fighting. So yes, if you want to declare a war on child pornography, by all means, PLEASE GET CHILD PORN AND PEDOPHILES OFF THE STREETS. I hope that's at least one thing we can agree on. The thing is, instead of using this as an opportunity to do some societal good, you're bludgeoning your way through an army of law abiding adults wishing to watch materials involving two (or more) other consenting adults with a child strapped on to your shield arm. It's not like the average person invites all of their friends over to watch a flick, or as you'd like to believe, McDonald's needs to put blocks on its wifi because kids are using the free internet to look at porn. Pardon my language, but who the f#*! goes to McDonald's to look at porn? Who on Earth do you know personally who has done this?!

And the porn industry isn't exactly innocent either. Have you all ever thought about advocating for the right of other men and women who wish to have sex for money and profit for themselves with the absence of a studio set, microphones, bright lights, and the guarantee of being exploited by a business? Some people would call these individuals prostitutes or harlots, so does this make the industry pimps? However, since you guys are paying two people instead of one person for sex, it's different. I guess we're all being exploited, however, the law seems to work in favor of those holding the coin purse (pun intended), so this way, there's also a loophole.

Minority Hiring Practices in Law Enforcement

I am a recent graduate of Salt Lake Community College's Institute of Public Safety. After much thought and consideration, I decided to pursue a career in law enforcement. I am writing in regards to my experiences both in the law enforcement academy as well as those ensuing graduation. I feel it is the right time for America to hear my story and hopefully this will help put an end to some of the discriminatory teachings and hiring practices of numerous agencies around the country.

D.T. 1090: Management & Recognition of Excited Delirium/Agitated Chaotic Event™. This is one of many racially biased classes taught in the police academy. Despite excited delirium/excited delirium syndrome not being accepted by the American Psychological Association (APA) or the American Medical Association (AMA) as being an actual condition, cadets were taught the material anyway. Moreover, cadets were taught, me included, this fictitious condition affects mostly African-Americans. Considering the fact there isn't any scientific or statistical data strong enough to gain support from either the APA or AMA, teaching excited delirium/excited syndrome creates a false racial bias. Excited delirium is oftentimes linked as an outcome associated with use of physical control measures such as police restraint which serves as an indirect means of endorsing/justifying the use of physical control techniques more liberally toward African-Americans.

Considering that I am of Moorish (Black) and Latino ancestry, I found this class beyond highly offensive. When I politely questioned the instructor and explained to him that no one in my family has ever suffered from the disorder, this is when it was revealed that excited delirium is not accepted by any major medical or psychological institutions. Considering that arrest rates are disproportionately higher for minorities (especially African-Americans) than whites, this could perhaps easily explain this discrepancy. For me as a cadet, listening to this rhetoric was not only degrading, but the influence it had on my all White peers was even worse. It changed how African-Americans (Blacks) were viewed and basically states we are more prone to excited delirium, as well as the "condition's" symptoms (i.e., anxiety, irrational behavior, violence, disorientation, etc.) more than other races. It painted a picture, in my opinion, of African-Americans as incompetent fools that basically ask for more brutal treatment because according to the instructor/excited delirium, we are "brutes". It also negatively influenced my suitability for a job in law enforcement.

I also had to constantly endure instructors asking in a demeaning manner, why I had chosen law enforcement as a career. I was treated as an inconvenience and felt that I was unwanted by not all, but the majority of the school's instructors. It wasn't a curiosity about my decision, it was a finite questioning of my decision. I'm too small, too soft spoken, I don't fit the regular "profile" of a police officer, etc. Instead of cultivating my differences, they were used as a weapon against me. Upon graduation, I received horrible peer reviews completed by anonymous class peers. In response to my criticism of the class taught on excited delirium, a classmate accused me of "playing the race card" and having an unwillingness to learn. I received another review stating I was unmotivated...I am confident in saying that none of this is true considering that I worked hard and put myself through college, earning a bachelors degree, as well as through the police academy. These racist and untrue statements stay on file forever, and have continued to cost me jobs some 30+ applications later. Below, is a list of all of the places I've applied to in Utah.

Graduation hasn't been any better. Despite the message of law enforcement being we need more women, more college educated officers, more diversity, etc., it hasn't held true when it comes to actual hiring. I am ranked high, pushed through the motions of hiring for months, and turned down for the job each time. I reiterate, I've placed in over 30+ applications in Utah alone. I've applied to the Salt Lake County Sheriffs Office 3x, and last time I was told that I wasn't hired because I verbally told them I was fired from Wal-Mart almost over 4 years ago instead of writing it on my application during the interview. These were Sergeant Moleni's exact words to me. If this information was found through investigative measures, or I failed to disclose, I would've understood the agency's decision. Bountiful did not even bother to schedule me an interview after the written/essay and physical tests. I am an English major and I passed the physical...I'm not sure why I wasn't invited back. Especially considering that I was the only Black there, and one of maybe four people who did not look European/White. Clearfield would have to be the strangest of case–After passing the written test and interview portion, I was actually extended a job offer. However, it was later rescinded they said because of information I willingly disclosed. When I applied again, I was barred from trying out again without a reason given as to why. Park City refuses to even give me an interview when job openings are available. While I am not perfect, I am far from a criminal. The only blemish I have on my entire record, both juvenile and adult, is a contempt of court charge for having telephone contact with my ex-girlfriend during an investigation because she alleged I assaulted her. I want to put heavy emphasis on the fact that all charges were dismissed. Contempt of court is the only mark and I have NEVER assaulted anyone.

I have been treated as if having a contempt of court and being accused of crime (not convicted, but accused) is the worse thing that could ever happen. Despite the fact that there have been cops hired with mental illnesses, racial biases, grand theft auto, drug charges, and other serious offenses. The real issue I believe is that I'm not being hired because I had a 4 year lesbian relationship and this has to be disclosed due to the contempt of court charge for cellphone usage and because it's supposed to be a cop's job to be honest. This is in addition to the peer reviews and other negativity. I honestly am not sure why I haven't been picked up. I've had numerous bad experiences with getting employed here in Utah as a cop. I've been on several occasions mistaken for someone coming in as a complainant or an offender despite being in interviewing attire, and constantly asked if I came to Utah because I have something to hide in a non-joking manner. My whole experience here has been negative when it comes to law enforcement. I got invited to a Johnny Cash cover band show, being from Tennessee, I love Cash. Well, it was in Coalville and I was the driver. The officer pulled me over for going 4 over the limit, told me I didn't look like someone who'd be coming down this way, pulled me out of my car, asked if I've ever been arrested for drugs, and what I was doing on the highway...All of this for a 5'2, 118 lbs. female...I definitely do not believe this would've happened if I were white.

Airport Police, American Fork, Bountiful, Cedar City, Centerville, Clearfield, Cottonwood Heights, Dept. of Natural Resources, Draper, Granite City School District, Glenwood Springs CO, Intermountain Healthcare Police, Lehi, Layton 2x, Lone Peak, Midvale, Murray 2x, North Ogden, Orem, Park City 3+, Park City Sheriffs, Provo, Salem, Salt Lake City Sheriffs, Sandy, Saratoga Springs,  Spanish Fork, South Jordan, State of Utah (Special Agent), Syracuse, UHP 2x, Unified, Utah Dept of Corrections, UVU, Woods Cross, West Valley, Weber County Sheriff's, and countless more. University of Utah won't even hire me for security. The rest have been out of state. I will have to look through my email to find the rest. I'd also like to say I've been an active participant in the law enforcement community. I attended 2 memorial runs for fallen officers, scheduled ride alongs, etc.