I can’t understand why so many people are ignoring this simple truth: the whole point of having voting districts is to provide proportional representation to all our varied communities of interest. If we go with the deliberately deceptive argument that every district should include a wide variety of citizens, then we have no reason to bother with districts at all. If each representative can speak accurately for every possible interest, the Utah Legislature might as well be 75 people from anywhere in Utah. Likewise, the U.S. Congress could be 435 people from anywhere in the country.
But we know Utah is not a monolith. It’s 3.6 million individuals. Why is that fact so forgettable when you’re on the side with the power?
And why can’t you see the circularity of arguing that “elected representatives of the people” should draw district maps. The whole source of the current controversy is that the people in the Legislature are not actually representatives of the people. They’re representatives of a subgroup of citizens hand-selected by — oh, yeah — their representatives. If we don’t support a politically neutral districting process, we’re trapped in this loop forever, ensuring that minority voices are never heard. Why are Utah Republicans so happy to perpetuate this un-American scenario?
What we’re asking for is not a politically fashioned district map that gives Democrats more power. We’re asking for a map designed around communities of interest, so that each voice is as important as every other. That was the plan I learned about when I studied U.S. government in school. It’s a good plan. But it does require that the people with the power are grown-ups who have the guts and honor to govern with respect for all Americans.
Hydee Clayton, Millcreek
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