Sure, the Mormon cricket is just an insect, but that name, frankly, just bugs the heck out of a Utah lawmaker.
And he wants to change it.
Introduced by Rep. Doug Owens, a Millcreek Democrat, HB348 would require the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food to petition the Entomological Society of America to assign the Anabrus simplex a new common name — ideally one that is “respectful, inclusive and accurately descriptive.”
What’s wrong with the current name?
Well, for one, the flightless bug known for its voracious appetite is not actually a cricket but rather a shield-backed katydid. For another, leaders of Utah’s predominant faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have invested a great deal in recent years to cast off the “Mormon” moniker, a point Owens notes in his bill.
Does the name really violate church guidelines?
Speaking in 2018, church President Russell M. Nelson declared the church’s full name was “not negotiable” and that opting for shorthands like the M-word represented “a major victory for Satan.”
That edict came with caveats, however.
Per the church’s own style guide, “Mormon,” when “correctly used in proper names” or as an adjective in “such historical expressions as ‘Mormon Trail,’” is permissible.
Might the same apply to scientific identifiers?
Either way, Owens is committed to the cause, explaining that the problem is in the specific pairing of the “Mormon” term with an insect many regard as a pest.
Read the full story at sltrib.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.