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Letter: If Romney and Cox are serious about unity, they need to stop behaving like politicians and become leaders

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sen. Mitt Romney gets ready to take the stage during the Utah Republican Party’s 2021 Organizing Convention at the Maverik Center in West Valley City on Saturday, May 1, 2021, where he was booed by Republican delegates numbering more than 1,900.

As a state delegate, I attended the Utah Republican party convention May 1.

While I disagree with booing, if both Gov. Spencer Cox and Sen. Mitt Romney were serious about unity, they would give us something around which to unite. In short, stop behaving like politicians and become leaders.

The governor said that there were delegates who hate him. Maybe. Hundreds of attendees there disagree with many of his policies but for most people, that is not hatred. That’s simply political dissent.

In the past, the governor labeled people demonstrating against his governorship “enemies.” Leaders don’t do that. Leaders embrace those with whom they disagree and listen. They don’t lecture about unity. They live it.

Sen. Romney whined about people in the convention who don’t like him. Leaders don’t care about that. In spite of voting for the president’s policies more than 70% of the time, Romney has decided that he, Romney, is the great arbiter of character. Many of us are angry with the senator because judging others’ character is not his place. Politicians think they can judge others. Leaders do not.

Listen to Sen. Mike Lee’s speech from May 1. Principles. He knows there are people who don’t like him. Some people hate him. As a leader, he doesn’t allow that to concern him. Not one mention of any of that. As a leader, he continues to cast votes based on constitutional principles.

Note to politicians. Serious about unity? Become leaders. You will see unity.

Mary Burkett, St. George

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