Recruitment letters sent to Mormon students have stoked debate and become a hot topic for conversation around town recently.Much of the discussion has centered on Northwest College's use of public funding to target a select group of religious students. It's healthy to have those conversations and ask the tough questions — was it a misuse of funds? A violation of the Constitution? Or simply a well intentioned recruiting effort gone awry?It's also interesting to listen to the public dialogue occurring at the Northwest College campus and around Powell, recognizing that everyone certainly is entitled to voice their opinion.A troublesome outcome of the current debate, however, is possible discrimination against members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.With cowardice and venom typical of anonymous online commentators, a few made snide remarks about the LDS faith. Those in the LDS community responded to the NWC story on various news Web sites, some questioning Powell's religious tolerance. On one site, a commentor identified as a Northwest College student said an “anti-Mormon” sentiment exists on the college campus.Last week, as debate flared up, Northwest College Professor Steve Thulin said he was concerned that an anti-Mormon attitude may surface as a result of the negative response to the recruitment letters.“None of this discussion is about Mormonism. It doesn't have anything to do with our Mormon students — they are wonderful people … Any negative, even slightly negative, treatment of our Mormon students would be so unfair to them,” Thulin said.We hope that the controversial situation at Northwest College doesn't breed discrimination against Mormon students and community members.The conflict boils down to a public institution sending a religious recruitment letter — but the type of faith in the letter should not determine the type of response to it.

Recruitment letters sent to Mormon students have stoked debate and become a hot topic for conversation around town recently.

Much of the discussion has centered on Northwest College's use of public funding to target a select group of religious students. It's healthy to have those conversations and ask the tough questions — was it a misuse of funds? A violation of the Constitution? Or simply a well intentioned recruiting effort gone awry?

It's also interesting to listen to the public dialogue occurring at the Northwest College campus and around Powell, recognizing that everyone certainly is entitled to voice their opinion.

A troublesome outcome of the current debate, however, is possible discrimination against members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

With cowardice and venom typical of anonymous online commentators, a few made snide remarks about the LDS faith. Those in the LDS community responded to the NWC story on various news Web sites, some questioning Powell's religious tolerance. On one site, a commentor identified as a Northwest College student said an “anti-Mormon” sentiment exists on the college campus.

Last week, as debate flared up, Northwest College Professor Steve Thulin said he was concerned that an anti-Mormon attitude may surface as a result of the negative response to the recruitment letters.

“None of this discussion is about Mormonism. It doesn't have anything to do with our Mormon students — they are wonderful people … Any negative, even slightly negative, treatment of our Mormon students would be so unfair to them,” Thulin said.

We hope that the controversial situation at Northwest College doesn't breed discrimination against Mormon students and community members.

The conflict boils down to a public institution sending a religious recruitment letter — but the type of faith in the letter should not determine the type of response to it.