First of all, I'm grateful for my opportunity to run against David Rail and congratulate him on his victory. Our campaign was a dignified effort to serve our city.
Initially, I decided to run to see firsthand the full circle of government. As my campaign progressed and I witnessed our election process in action, I wasn't surprised, but I was disappointed. Disappointed to see the high degree of apathy. Why don't more Provo residents take an active part in the decisions that affect every facet of their lives? We all have concerns related to education and our quality of life, but too often we complain loudly, criticize decisions but still maintain that we are "too busy" to be involved. Then when votes are cast and a decision is made, we become unethical, cruel, unfeeling and non-supportive of the very people we elected. Our vision is only for ourselves, our children and our immediate family and not for what would best benefit our community as a whole.This past political race is a prime example of what people expect. We are quick to say how unethical the race was, but no one stepped forward to stop the hurtful accusations. To counteract these accusations, more money poured in and on and on. The only ones who win in this type of election are the big-money players. These players only represented a small portion of our community (and some outside of our community), but they now have the mandate to make decisions that will continue to impact our everyday lives.
Thank goodness the outcome of the Provo race was not all bad. I encourage all to use their valuable time and energies in the same constructive volunteer roles as we do in our churches and our education facilities. I am personally proud of all the citizens who did get involved.
Barbara Kinghorn
Provo