Sorry, had to rant about two articles in today's SL Tribune in the Utah section (pages B4, B5).

The fist article (by Peggy Fletcher Stack) reports how the TSCC sent "tons" of aid to Haiti after the earthquake, calling the LDS response "massive."

Here is what was sent by the mormons according to Stack:

Food » More than 1 million pounds
Filtration bottles » More than 16,000
Hygiene kits » More than 110,000
Blankets » More than 13,000
Kitchen sets » More than 13 pallets
Newborn kits » More than 9,400
First aid kits » More than 4,300
Medical supplies » More than 25 pallets
Tents » More than 3,000
Tarps » More than 4,000
School kits » More than 800
Quilts » More than 600
Cots » 48
Toys » 2 pallets

I can't say for sure what the dollar value of this list is (what is the cost of 48 cots???) but let's now look at the response of other churches (as of May, 2010) according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy

(http://philanthropy.com/article/11-Billion-Donated-for-Haiti/65479/?otd=Y2xpY2t0aHJ1Ojo6c293aWRnZXQ6OjpjaGFubmVsOm5ld3MsYXJ0aWNsZTphbWVyaWNhbi1jaGFyaXRpZXMtcmFpc2UtY2xvc2UtdG8tMS1iaWxsaW9uLWZvci1oYWl0aS1jaHJvbmljbGUtdGFsbHktZmluZHM6OjpjaGFubmVsOm5ld3MsYXJ0aWNsZToxMS1iaWxsaW9uLWRvbmF0ZWQtZm9yLWhhaXRpLXJlbGllZg==)

Seventh-Day Adventists - $6.9 MM
Jewish Groups - $11 MM
Catholic Relief Services - $135 MM
Islamic Relief - $2.1 MM
Lutherans - $6.5 MM
Mennonites - $13.2 MM
Unitarian Universalists - $1.8 MM
Methodists - $14.5 MM

Is it just me or does the church PR machine occaisionally report these feeble philanthropic efforts that in context turn out to be a pittance. by the way, how much are the Methodists spending on the Methodist Mall of America ???

GRRRRRRR!!!

Across the centerfold is another article (by Melinda Rogers) describing how a bunch of Utah County businessman swindled a 77 year-old grandmother out of $600,000, and then when she discovered the fraud tried to use "religion" to persuade her not to sue. OF COURSE these crooks are mormons, but the article does not mention this!! Why the hell not?? Isn't their SPECIFIC religion germane to this story???

GRRRRRRR!!!

C'mon SL Tribune, c'mon Peggy and Melinda jeez!