If you live in Utah you know there is a predominant political party, to which I belong and am a
member in good standing for the most part, unless some really important person decides to
kick me out. I have always been a member of the GOP, a member who firmly believes in
conservative principles and values, so it is with dismay that I watched the recent events at our
nation’s Capitol where armed thugs posed as nationalists and attacked the sacred symbol of the
free world. I have to ask, what in the world has happened to my political party? Has it been
taken over by crazies? Rioting, vandalism, and anarchy all belong to the other political party,
right? It is not like I don’t know how to live with moderately crazy people. I associate with many
of them on a regular basis. Here is an example.
If you live in Utah you know there is a predominant religion, also known as “the church with the
very long name,” to which I belong and am a member in good standing for the most part, unless
some really important person decides to kick me out. We have our share of crazies in every
congregation, also known as a ward. If you do not belong to the predominant religion, I will
explain the definition of a ward. If you do belong the church with the very long name, you can
skip the next paragraph because you already know all this stuff.
Here is the definition of a ward. A ward is a geographical boundary drawn on a map in such a
way to ensure that every congregation has its share of crazies. I offer the following as proof: if
you look at ward boundaries on a map, they gerrymander all over the place. This is because
they have to jog here and there and around the block to make sure that your ward captures
your share of crazy people. Every now and then the powers that be change the ward
boundaries. Why? Well, if your share of crazies move out of your ward boundaries, in fairness
those borders have to change to make sure you keep your share of crazies. There. Now you
know the definition of a ward (I like to say it is sort of like a mental ward).
My point is that I have lived with some eccentric sorts of people, but what went on in
Washington, D.C. was just too much. We have to look around and ask if something that
horrifying could happen in Utah? To be fair, it’s not like we didn’t have a protest down here in
sunny St. George. We had a riot and both of our rioters showed up. I suppose someone got
worried and sat on their tile roof on a lawn chair wearing camo, but by that time our rioters had
gone home to their hot tubs.
Speaking of camo, did you get a look at the body armor and other ridiculous costumes worn by
terrorists at the Capitol? What was up with the guy wearing horns? The rest of the world
already thinks we are idiots, and it was as if we just wanted to prove that fact. When did it
become okay to attack police officers, smash windows, and illegally occupy public buildings
because you don’t like the outcome of an election? But it is all much more serious than a bunch
of people dressed up like Halloween. This catastrophe became deadly: lives were lost. This is
not my political party!
We have become so fractured that I don’t know if it can be fixed. I fear that the Republican
Party has been hijacked by the extreme right, and the Democratic Party has been hijacked by
the extreme left. The result is that there is no meeting ground, no deals to be made, no
compromises where everyone gives a little and gets a little. The American people are the losers.
I want civility, respect, and a degree of courtesy in government. I want thoughtful and reasoned
solutions to our problems. I want our differences to be discussed, debated and decided by
consensus. I want to see more patriots and fewer politicians.
Oh yes; one more thing. It is worth mentioning that when the hubby and I moved from Ogden
to St. George, my old friends in Ogden told me that the powers that be immediately had to
change the ward boundaries. I rest my case.
