If there is one thing I know I know about Democrats in Utah, it is that many of us feel isolated and shy away from political debate as to avoid pointing out the fact that we are liberal and that we don’t think Mitt Romney is the savior of the republic.  Why is this? Richard Nixon spoke of the “silent majority” but I dare say that in Utah, on-the-ground liberals are the silent minority.

So why, exactly, is this the case? Well let us all go back to our high school days – those awkward years when you were gangly and, for the guys, your voice was changing.  How often did you step out and take a stand on something? How often did you actually take on that bully that stole your lunch money? How often did you sit back and think it will be better sometime down the road? I would be willing to bet that you sat back and took it, like we all did, because we felt that, for the most part, no one would support us in actually stepping out and doing something.

Well, politics and activism is kind of like High School – the only groups that have any influence are the ones who get together and, for lack of a better term, form clicks that can sit in one section of the lunch room. Now, as a liberal and a Democrat in Utah, it somewhat pains me to say that we are the loner that sits under the bleachers. I know there are proud liberals out there, liberals who don’t care what people think and speak their mind at dinner parties but, for the most part, liberals sit under the bleachers and sit quietly for someone else to prove that it is ok to be liberal – often to no avail.

I am here to say that we need to change that – we must prove to each other that we are here and that we are proud to be liberal.

How do we do this? Simple, organizations such as the Salt Lake County Democrats must place a greater emphasis on building a sense of community. As near as I can see, Salt Lake County Democrats only meet for “high importance” meetings – things like committee meetings and conventions dominate the landscape – even the informal politisauce still has an air of higher importance because it is done the day before convention.  In short, there are no get togethers, no meet ups, no random days out in the park.

For it is those things that build the party. The reason I started to become so involved in the party was because I was initially introduced through very informal gatherings, not because I was invited to dinner after dinner or because I went to fundraisers until the cows came home.  I got involved because I felt that there was a community out there that supported me and would allow me to flourish.

We must place a greater emphasis on building the party through these grassroots means – and when elected for Second Vice Chair I will work hard to make sure that we have more of these informal meetings to show fellow liberals that they are not alone, to show that they can stand up and that they will be supported.

But first I need your support – Please vote for me, Curtis Haring, for Second Vice Chair. The election is April 18th and will be held at Cottonwood High; registration begins at 8:30.  For more details, click here.