Have you heard.....

Today I heard a rumor about myself that had me rolling on the floor.  It concerned my possible future political campaign and what I would do if I was elected.  I am not going to share the rumor, because like many I have heard recently, it is so ridiculous.

I always wonder how or why rumors get started.  Is it because the truth isn't exciting enough, so something has to be made up?  Or would the truth reflect badly on the individual starting the rumor?  I don't like scare tactics in politics.  I have always felt that if a candidate resorts to scare tactics, it is because they don't feel that their ideas or proposed policies have enough weight or validity to persuade the electorate.  As human beings we are quick to act out of extreme emotion and fear is one of the strongest.  I have always found it better to not rush to judgement, but step back and try to look at the facts, read all I can and talk to the individuals involved if possible.

Here are the facts in regards to my running for any office:

1. The next general election is just under a year from now, actually it is 351 days from today.  The time to file for that election does not occur until July 2013.

2.  If I do run for office, and am elected, I can only propose ideas.  It takes a vote of the City Council to put any policy into place or to take any action regarding such.

3. Between now and July, I have Thanksgiving, an Eagle Court of Honor, Christmas, four family birthdays, a son to send on a mission, the Spelling Bee, the 4th of July, and Easter to plan for, not to mention field trips, concerts, athletic events, and all the other normal activities of a mom.  I do not have time nor the desire to be running around making behind the scenes deals with individuals.

3.  While at this time, I may be considering running for office, I know that there are a lot of good, honest, hard-working, qualified people in this community that may also choose to run for office.

4.  I feel it is the responsibility of every citizen to keep themselves informed of what is going on in their community.  We have heard a lot recently about the federal election, but it is really the decisions made by the city councils and the state legislators that will have the greatest impact on our daily lives.  (This blog post from Holly Richardson illustrates a change in law being considered by the legislature that illustrates my point: Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.)


So I ask, if you hear a rumor that concerns you about me or my family, come talk to me personally.  There are a lot going around out there and the ones that I have heard, I can tell you are definitely not true.  Who remembers the gossip game from when we were kids?  Same thing.

3 Nephi 11:29-30

29 For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.
 30 Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things ashould be done away.

We can disagree, but we need to remain civil.  We need to look for what unites us and not just what divides.  It is then that we will find common ground and look for the best solutions.  We need to strive to do this in our homes, our families, our churches and our communities and to encourage our government representatives to do the same.

"Love is the only force that can erase the differences between people" ~ Gordon B. Hinckley (And the Greatest of These Is Love, Ensign, Mar 1984)