Fountain Hills election being dragged into the gutter
OPINION — Fountain Hills residents should be concerned by the increasingly ugly tone of this year's mayoral campaign.
A political advertisement produced by ROT (Reclaim Our Town) in support of mayoral candidate Gerry Friedel employs language and symbolism that many residents find offensive and demeaning. Rather than focusing on policy differences, the message seeks to ridicule and disparage Friedel's opponent, Councilmember Brenda Kalivianakis. Friedel has been asked to denounce it, but he has been as silent as a Fountain Hills summer night.
The problem does not end there. Another ROT-endorsed candidate, Ben Larrabee, an employee of Turning Point Action, the political arm of Turning Point USA — an organization frequently criticized for divisive political rhetoric — has publicly misgendered Kalivianakis. It is part of a pattern of personal attacks and disrespectful conduct that has become all too common among some of ROT's supporters and allies.
Reasonable people can disagree about taxes, development, public safety or the future direction of our town. Those disagreements are healthy. What is not healthy is the normalization of rhetoric that seeks to mock, demean or dehumanize political opponents.
Kalivianakis has spent years serving Fountain Hills as an elected official. Residents may agree or disagree with her positions, but every candidate and public servant deserves basic respect and decency. I haven't agreed with all of her decisions, but she is by far the most pragmatic, respectful and principled candidate in this race.
The question facing voters is larger than any single election: What kind of political culture do we want in Fountain Hills? One based on ideas and debate, or one based on personal attacks and contempt?
Elections come and go. Reputations endure. Voters should remember who chose to elevate the conversation and who chose to drag it into the gutter. I know I will.
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