United Utah Heroes

United Utah Heroes

heroes.jpg

Since the forming of the United Utah Party last year, I have had the privilege of meeting many wonderful people dedicated to public service.  We are most familiar with those who dedicate their time and talents to run for public office.  For me, I have had the rare opportunity of knowing personally the many more people who are working behind the scenes. 

Their reward is not the honors of public office, something they themselves will never hold.  It is not money.  They donate more than they will ever receive.  It is not recognition, which they rarely get.  I have learned these things are not what motivates them.

These volunteers work to find, recruit, encourage, and support wonderful people who are willing to step forward as candidates.  They coordinate volunteers, plan events, do research, raise money, craft our messages, manage various media, put together newsletters, and carry out so many other tasks.  These people keep United Utah running smoothly and help share our important message with fellow citizens across the state.  I am grateful for all of them and the tremendous contribution they make.

Like we need them, we need you.  You have your own passions, talents, and interests that will help keep us moving forward and in the right direction.  Find out what you can do by going to our volunteer sign up page.  Or, contact us directly with ideas and thoughts of your own!  

Hear from our United Utah Heroes and what motivates them to volunteer.  Truly inspirational!

Tucker Smith:  "The current political landscape is undeniably polarized, to the point that each side of the aisle believes the other side is their enemy. This is unacceptable. We are citizens of Utah and citizens of America, and we all have the same goal—to leave America better than we found it. We need to catch sight of this goal as Utahns and Americans if we are to persevere and progress as a country. While I agree with many facets of the party platform, the deeper drive that is pushing me to join the United Utah Party is the belief that this party is the best vehicle to restore civility, compromise, and conscience into the political discourse."

Russell Duncan:  "I joined the UUP to promote the ideas of life, liberty, and justice for all. We need to work harder to protect the rule of law, and promote religious freedom. I want to support healthy public dialogue, and to find good and honest leaders who share these American ideals.  The two major parties have failed us, in D.C. and in Utah. Both have been hijacked by extreme and hyper-partisan movements, their mainstream leaders bowing to divisive populist rhetoric. Good governance should not be about finding the Republican solution or the Democrat solution. Its about finding the solutions that work.  The UUP is not just a centrist party. It does not fit neatly into the Right-Left spectrum - which is the point. It is moderate more in its approach than in its ideology. The rule of law, good governance, and moral leadership are not partisan issues." 

John Jackson: "I enjoyed the experience of manning booths at Draper Days and the Salt Lake County Fair. It was an opportunity to discuss what I like about the United Utah Party with people. United Utah seems to be a party that values civility and allows people to think for themselves, not one in which the party dictates beliefs when selecting their candidates and forces its choice on the people; that is not democracy. I like a party that will let me come to my own conclusions. I'm grateful that there might now be a party that is more in line with what I think America is all about."

Chris Fee: "Boy, was it hot! Working a double shift (6 hours) at the Utah County Fair was hard on my 72 year old body. But how dare I complain? My ancestors fought for this country and not for the monopoly of the Republican or Democratic Parties (the big R & D). One of those ancestors deserted a  British frigate and joined the Pennsylvania revolutionary forces, at the risk of being hung as a traitor. There is something wrong, seriously wrong with the R & D Parties in Utah, to say nothing of the rest of the nation. As a volunteer for the United Utah Party, I am not asked to do and sacrifice what my ancestors did. So six hours talking to people, most of whom, like me, are disappointed if not completely fed up with the big R & D, isn't too much for me to do. God permit me to do my part to unite Utah with the United Utah Party! May God bless America."

Eric Smith:  "I am really worried about how dysfunctional our political system has become. The current system encourages those who are the most angry and the least willing to compromise. People with more centrist views, who are actually the majority of voters, get drowned out. And since those holding office can’t compromise or don’t want to, we end up with the majority party trying to force through their ideas without involving the other party, and those in the minority party just trying to play obstructionists. This is no way to come up with long-term, good solutions to problems, or to encourage more citizens to get involved with the political process. I have joined the United Utah Party because centrist voters need a voice and because we need elected officials who will put the needs of the people ahead of the needs of the party.