“Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier. We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt
Jane and I had dinner with some long-time friends the other night. They asked if we had heard of Utah Representative Trevor Lee. I said I had. This couple recounted what they had done to try to persuade Rep Lee to respond differently to an issue that he had been vocal about.
It began when Ali noticed a social media post of Lee denigrating some Muslim women and their children, who were carrying flags on their way to a celebration at their mosque. The flags had no slogans, nor were they negative about America in any way. But Rep Lee felt a need to complain that there wasn’t an American flag in sight with these women.
Lee is the same representative who has introduced several controversial bills targeting immigrants and people whose lifestyles differ from his, including one to change the name of Harvey Milk Boulevard to Charlie Kirk Boulevard. This, despite the large majority of businesses and city representatives in downtown Salt Lake strenuously opposing the change. Some reasonably suggesting that a street near UVU would make much more sense. Interestingly, Harvey Milk Boulevard is not even a state road and under Utah law, municipal “streets, courts, parks, thoroughfares and other public places” are under a city’s jurisdiction. And Lee represents an area some 30 miles north of the street in question, which begs the question—what are Lee’s motives in pushing such a bill?
Ali called Rep. Lee and discussed her concerns with what he posted and received no sympathy from him. She finally invited him and his wife to have dinner or lunch with her and her husband, after which they could visit the mosque so he could learn more about these people and what they were celebrating. He said he might be willing to dine with them, but had no interest in visiting the mosque. Ali replied that it was all or nothing and he hung up. Later, Ali’s husband Bill, wrote him a letter, kindly explaining that unless he was a Native American, he was in this country because someone in his family immigrated here, and that his ancestors undoubtedly faced challenges and some level of discrimination when they arrived. See his letter below.
Bill then investigated if there was a candidate challenging Lee in the forthcoming Republican primary. He found one, met with him, and discovered his position on a variety of issues aligned with his own. He then contributed financially to his campaign. Ali and Bill are politically moderate, usually vote Democratic, and are active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. And they are as white American as they come.
I was inspired and impressed with what Bill and Ali did when confronted with someone in power who is advancing a harmful agenda based on values opposed to theirs. Rather than feeling helpless and doing nothing, they acted in ways that were constructive and hopeful. Actions that may make a real difference. Bill and Ali are only a few of the friends who I see do remarkable things—writing, calling, meeting with politicians and people in power—spending time at the state capitol working to inform interns and assistants on important issues. It is the way forward. I am grateful for them and hope to be more like them.
Thanks to Bill and Ali for letting me publish this account and getting the details right by proofing and editing. Original color photo purchased at Shutterstock.
