Readers not afraid to speak their minds

Others expressed a love for the mother tongue: "Oh and your reasonong(sic) about the illegals sounds just as stupid as it is. At least our ancestors had the courtesy to learn English." From another reader, "America is for Americans. America is for people who speak english very good." (How do you argue with this?)

Of course, there were the frontal personal attacks: "Frank and LaVarr, you two are pathetic." "Idiots!!!" "Both of you make me ill and I hope the Deseret News doesn't share the same biased and irrational thinking as you do. It's a shame that there will actually be readers who side with your idiocy." (Apparently not too many do.)

Here is my personal favorite: "If they gave an award for absurdity, you sir, would be a perennial winner."

LaVarr and I are doing our job if we can provoke intelligent and thoughtful debate.

Webb: It's always fun to have a column posted on the Web site or e-mail list of a national special interest group and get nasty messages from all over the country. Isn't technology great?

This column is a little awkward to write because the big, exciting state conventions (well, at least the Republican one) were Saturday, but our column deadline was Thursday, so we had no clue about convention results. So we're taking a break from political race commentary to clean up some odds and ends.

• Lobbyists are generally considered low-life creatures (right, Frank?) who skulk around the Capitol hallways, cell phone in one ear and limbs in a continual reflexive arm-twisting motion. But there are some good guys. One of them is Leon Sorenson, president of the Utah Medical Association, who retires next month, having survived his 38th legislative session earlier this year. Wow! Thirty-eight years of legislative craziness, and he still has his sanity and his hair. More important than that, Sorenson still has his integrity. The gentlemanly Sorenson enjoyed a stellar reputation among legislators and other officials as a lobbyist who could be trusted, who didn't play games, who always provided accurate, fair information. Sorenson started work on the Hill in 1966 as a legislative research analyst. He directed the office of legislative research for a number of years before joining the UMA. He will be missed.

• Just to be snoopy, I stopped with a colleague at the open house for the Democratic Party's nice new headquarters several days ago. I ate a little Democratic food and admired the nice digs inhabited by Donald Dunn and his crew. The new offices won't help them win any elections, but they can enjoy losing in style. By the way, I saw no sign of Frank. I'm beginning to question his Democratic loyalties.