Here’s a sampling of some of the rhetorical jabs, hooks, and sucker punches offered by individuals I interviewed for articles in 2010.---

Looking back at the work I did this year I realized the most interesting things I ever wrote were said by other people. So in homage to those who have felt passionate enough to really tell it like it is—or as they see it--I present the following quotes of outrage. I would also give a special nod to Michael Whiteman (pictured) for giving me the best quotes of outrage that I couldn’t publish—not even in the City Weekly.

“Look up extortion in your Black’s Law Dictionary and you’ll see justice courts. Because that’s exactly what they do.”

--Michael Whiteman “Nickeled and Dimed,” May 26, on his treatment at a South Salt Lake Justice Court that revoked his public defender

“I mean, someone cutting people up for money? Why don’t you just go rob a bank?”

--Douglas Hudson, “What You Don’t Know About Your Doctor Could Hurt You,” Sept. 22, on Dr. Edward “Joe” Eyring, investigated by the Department of Occupational and Professional Licensing for allegations of malpractice with as many as 20 patients in Utah.

“Most people see these complaints and crap their pants. “I said, ‘No way, I’m fighting this.’”

--Chad Beyer, “Fighting Foreclosure,” Oct. 12, on challenging Bank of America after the bank promised to modify his loan, so he could keep his house while at the same time foreclosing on it.

“The ACLU [of Utah] used to be notorious for jumping into [legal battles] in order to change policy through the court system, since the political system here is ... uh ... somewhat unfriendly to minorities, women, old people, gays, Democrats, heathens, drinkers, long-hairs, street people ... you get the picture. The ACLU is neither a resource of first resort nor even last resort.”

--Randall Edwards, civil rights attorney, “All Bark” April 21, on the ACLU of Utah’s failure to litigate any cases in recent years.

“It’s not about not cheating on your tests—it’s about controlling the production of the next generation of Mormons.”

--Ashley Sanders, student activist and former Brigham Young University student, “Dishonor Code,” July 7, on BYU’s Honor Code.

“You can’t put addicts in charge of other addicts.”

--Inmate X, “Hope,” Feb 3., on the Helping Offenders Parole Effectively, drug rehab program at the Gunnison Prison, which allows certain prisoners to police other prisoners in the program

“This is the model by which we are all strangled. When we accept the capitalist model, we actually make it so that we are exploiting the poor.”

--D.W. Marsh, “The Man Who Talked Too Much,” July 20, on why he chooses to live in poverty.

“That’s the reason the bastards from the RDA have tried so hard to get people out of there. They knew if people were still living there, they would be responsible.”

--Tim Funk, low-income advocate, “Regis Hotel Evictions,” April 21, on the city’s eviction of poor tenants from the Regis Hotel before federal dollars were committed to the building’s rehab, thus taking the developer off the hook for paying relocation assistance to the displaced tenants.

“The Utah laboratory approach seems to me the dream of mad scientists or mad policymakers. Immigration reform has to happen at the national level.”

--Mark Alvarez, immigration attorney, Sept. 14, “Fixing Legal Immigration,” on state solutions to immigration reform.

“It is strictly forbidden to record in the courtroom without express permission of the law, or the judge--and in this case, the judge is the law.”

--Judge Keith Stoney, Justice Court Judge for Saratoga Springs and West Valley City,  “Dog Day in Court,” Sept. 2, speaking against a woman arrested that day for allegedly recording court proceedings. Rules posted outside the court room did not mention any prohibition against recording in court.