Bridging Salt Lake's divide

The recent presidential election showed a nation divided, and to some extent that division runs along religious lines. Salt Lake City, it should surprise no one, has had its own miniature version of this divide almost since its inception.

But while getting the two sides of the nation together to understand and work out their differences seems almost impossible, the city is on a much more workable scale. Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson has created a group called the "Bridging the Religious Divide Committee," and he hopes to mirror what that committee has done at a town hall meeting Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the City Library Auditorium.

Frankly, this is a worthwhile endeavor, and we urge all to attend. It may not be possible to erase all misunderstandings in a city where religion plays such a large role — both real and perceived. But dialog is good, and the people who attend are likely to come away having learned something. At the very least, we hope they come away with an appreciation for civil discourse, which is sorely lacking nationwide.

They also may come away understanding that Salt Lake City's divide is more complicated than many think. Casual observers tend to place the divide between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which owns this newspaper, and those who are not members. But there no doubt is a divide between the people who regularly attend any church and those who profess no belief at all, and there are growing racial and cultural divides, as well.

As this newspaper reported last week, the Salt Lake School District is now made up of 51 percent minority students. These come from 100 different countries and speak a combined 82 separate languages. Many of them are refugees from countries far less developed than the United States, and they are at risk of growing up with a feeling of isolation and hopelessness. Their ability to assimilate is essential for the community's long-term health.

And in Salt Lake City, there is a long-standing perception of a divide between those who live on the east side and those who live on the west. Many on the west side have felt short-changed by city services and unfairly maligned by some, including the media, as having neighborhoods that are poor and crime-ridden.

In short, there are as many divisions among people as there are aspects that define their individualities.

According to news reports, the committee's meetings have been honest and, at times, heated. The committee includes people of a variety of religions as well as atheists. The mayor hopes this week's town hall meeting evolves into one-on-one meetings between families of different faiths and beliefs.

Ultimately, the goal is an increase in understanding and a reduction in tensions. Even a slight movement in that direction would be worth the effort.