Scarcity Mentality: Who is Most Important?

. . . WHO? Really -- Who is the most deserving of freedom in this country? In the world? Who is the least? If we are all supposed to be equal, then why is everyone desperately making a case for their group's causes, or even for a cause of a group or groups they are representing -- whether they be defined by socioeconomic status, religious beliefs, race, gender, or some other manner of identification? How did we get to this desperate place of fighting over freedom, as if we must snatch it before it disappears? Have we become so distanced from the actual meaning of freedom that we consider it a prize to be won by the the person who gets the most attention? Even when our efforts are focused on others whom we consider the most deserving or the most needy, why are we competing? Have we so carelessly abandoned the precious gift of freedom in favor of greed, as if we are clambering for the last bit of sustenance on the earth?

I know -- most of the answers have to do with RESOURCES and the means of attaining them. Between my work and my life as a single working parent, I am not a stranger to the fear that comes with focusing on lack (of $$, especially), and attending to fear . . . and I also know that resources are limited in many parts of the world. We have, indeed, been careless in our human tendencies to do whatever it takes to survive -- even if it means knocking out our neighbors. These base (as in base-of-the-brain) motivations evolved from our survival-of-the-fittest ancient ancestors, who had not yet developed the ability to reason or consider the needs of others beyond their own. The residual impact on the modern brain is that, like my 15-year-old noted recently, humans are the only animals whose inventions and nutrition choices work against them. Our children may be the first to have shorter life-spans than their parents (see this). We are the only species to use cognition in consistently self-destructive ways, in spite of constant advances in science. Without incorporating values into our lives and practicing them,  to over-consume, to waste, to destroy -- even when it is not our intention, and to take more than we need.

I am also in deep distress regarding the recent election results here in this chaotic jumble of states (that I am not able to call United right now). I am also in a process of deep reflection regarding the current climate of hatred and blame. 

A simple concept I learned as a child has expanded into an anchor of hope for me, especially when I feel that there is not enough goodness in the universe to overcome the harm we do to each other and the earth. It began with something my mom taught us in our home. She warned us to avoid having a scarcity mentality, and to celebrate the success of others instead viewing someone else's gains as our losses. 

I have never forgotten the limitations of a scarcity mentality, even when it has been most difficult for me -- like the times I did not make it for, get into, or win something because someone else was better than me . . . or they got a break . . . or they knew someone . . . or other reasons not known to me. Other times, it has been tempting to feel like an accomplishment was less meaningful if many people succeeded (i.e. everyone got an A in a class) than if only a few people achieved the same level of success.

I have since come to understand that not having a scarcity mentality encompasses much more than being happy for someone else when they win.

Disclaimer: Before I continue, let me be clear about Donald Trump's recent gain. This will not be celebrated by me, since he harmed too many people to "win" a position. He has not contributed to a foundation of abundance, which requires safety to flourish. Instead, he has magnified fears and emphasized scarcity. His agenda of bullying or sweet-talking people into following him is based in fear, and it will not withstand or abide the agenda of real freedom -- "liberty and justice for all." *

I have learned through some pretty heart-wrenching experiences how expansive an abundance mentality is, and how it is the answer to all problems where people are concerned about distribution of resources. Each time that I have witnessed or been directly involved in a situation that has been approached with an abundance mentality, there has been an increase of energy, strength, and resources to pour into the solution. To be honest, these occurrences have been rare in my experience. Most organizations I have belonged to have encouraged (maybe without realizing it) competition and division more than unity. This does not mean that competition functions only with a scarcity mentality, but it takes a lot of humility and hard work to create an atmosphere of unity and love in a competitive environment. 

While some of my abundance-guided experiences have been in a spiritual setting, I consider these water to wine or loaves and fishes experiences transcendent of the expectations embedded in a particular religion or group. However, choosing an abundance mentality does require belief in something larger than what seems readily and tangibly apparent. Abundance solutions rely on the integration of diverse qualities to create something better than we could each create on our own, or within a closed group. Abundance will not thrive, or even develop enough to survive, if a problem is approached with fear. It requires compassion and understanding -- including openness to the viewpoints of others -- to incorporate a solution based on abundance. 

I have seen this play out with efforts to help the poor and needy, to improve the environment, to solve major public and mental health problems, and to expand services of all kinds to people in need. I have even seen it in politics, although the mainstream media does not usually publish these examples. Whether it happens among family members, friends, employees, among members of communities, it is about recognizing the benefits of sharing knowledge and resources. 

It is, in essence, about the value of sharing. The willingness to be generous attracts and creates in others the desire to share. 

One website is dedicated to the abundance mentality, and evidence is provided to back up the claims: http://www.diamandis.com/data

Of course, this approach is not a substitute for recognizing real problems that need to be addressed, but rather it is an attitude that naturally leads to real solutions for problems.

Without an abundance mentality, I would not have hope for the future. I am grateful for those who have expanded my understanding of abundance, and who have increased my ability to love well beyond the limitations of my fears.

What I was Thinking One Year Ago

These are some of my initial thoughts that I recorded in my journal when I discovered the news of the latest LDS policy update, clarified officially by church leaders here.

November 7, 2015

It is a sinking feeling, like suffocating . . . like someone has been trying to confine me in a dark hole . . . and I have been struggling to be free. It is not a new feeling, but a familiar mixture of emotion that has been stirring inside me for years. The LDS ship I once felt safe in, used to be tight for me in a cozy way. Now it just feels tight.

All of my mixed emotions are rising to the surface in a way that will not let me be still.

It started out as frustration and disgust 

. . . and then the feelings began unfolding 

. . . sort of in this order, but also kind of in a circle:

- not-surprised-but-shocked, all in the same moment (whatever that emotion is)
- denial
- anger
- confusion
- grief
- deep, deep sadness
- compassion
- rage
- non-acceptance
- more non-acceptance
- acceptance that this is happening, but not what it means.
- peace that there is meaning in the process

I do not know what to express, and what to save for another day. 

Another Day thoughts (from November-December 2015):

Many of the LDS church’s decisions – particularly those that are politically controversial - seem to be driven by fear instead of inspiration. They insist that there has to be a "them" for the "us" to succeed. This is not right. This type of reaction comes from ancient survival mechanisms at the base of the brain. It is not human to treat people this way. 

Scarcity, shrinking from abundance. 
Hierarchy, holding back equality. 
Rigidity, resisting flexibility.
Fear, fighting against love.

We can do better than this with our highly developed brains and our capacity for compassion. 

Although I do not feel confident that I will remain a member of the LDS Church, I am an integral part of the system because I value my background, and I am genuinely connected to many Mormons. I am not one of those people who can just silently leave the church without leaving a part of my soul. As I step back from an institution that no longer feels safe to me, I will not avoid or abandon - not my values or spirituality, and not people. I will continue to seek spaces where those who believe differently from each other can sit together and see each other, where there is no "us" vs. "them." In those spaces, "us" is everyone. I am still able to find that in individual and small group environments, but the general political arena is filled with too much hate for me to feel safe - whatever side people choose on a number of controversial issues.

But this is not just a political issue. It is so very personal, and I must share my feelings about it in some way. Even if I am not ready to share all of the specific circumstances that make it personal, I want to speak my truth in the ways I can at this time.

From my perspective as a researcher, issues within the LDS Church system that have never been addressed (or have even been blatantly ignored) are surfacing now because they desperately need attention. Perhaps the organization - including those at the highest levels - needs to pause and take a deep look into the mirror of its own traumatic history - not the least of which includes being persecuted for attempting a very non-traditional marriage pattern, and its people feeling like strangers in their "promised land." As a system, it seems that the church, out of the necessity to survive after fleeing constant danger, never had the opportunity to slow down and acknowledge the horror it - they as individuals, families, and congregations - collectively experienced. They were treated as "others" in some pretty brutal ways, and there are lingering effects that continue in the form of defensiveness and oppression, circulating throughout every level in the church system.

This latest LDS church policy update seems like an attempt to "separate the wheat from the tares" in order to preserve a traditional family ideal that does not include or represent the multitude of ways to be a loving family in our world - past, present, or future. It is hurtful and damaging. It is the work of men, not God. The God I believe in would never use shame and devaluation to get people to conform, or to “protect” children. The God I put my hope in every single day would not punish children and loving families in this manner. I consider myself a highly spiritual person, and I rely on a power far greater than myself to guide me. I do not feel guided by this madness, professing to be holy when it is not holy.

People of all kinds need to feel connection and belonging, especially those who have been deprived of it or excluded from it through abuse, neglect, discrimination, or other forms of oppression. Every single person should have the opportunity to experience unconditional love -- love I have witnessed in many types of “non-traditional” parenting situations, including families with two moms or two dads. I do not have personal experience with every type of family structure, but I do know that if you are human and you do not have a specific disorder that limits your brain's capacity to allow for a demonstration of love, you can be a wonderful parent. People with severe physical limitations can love their children. Even with all of my shortcomings, I have experienced great love in a parenting situation that feels anything but traditional -- in more ways than most people know. It sickens and saddens me to see this type of discrimination against so many who could be leading (rather than being considered apostate by) the LDS church when it comes to the practice of Christ-like love. 

These courageous couples come to mind: http://voicesoflove.org/

My friend, John Bonner, comes to mind. His letter to LDS Church Leadership was recently published in the Salt Lake Tribune (http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/3147309-155/op-ed-see-us-and-know-us). 

Expanding the definition of family to include any combination of members that are capable of providing real love to a child is not a threat to society. This is not what truly increases the possibility of harm to children. We know this from what we are learning (through trial and error) about open adoption and foster care, including some incredible stories of gay couples involved in these parenting situations. So what is the real risk to the children in our societies? Children are more likely to be harmed when parents are lacking protective resources, such as safe housing, education, healthy food, access to good healthcare, and strong support systems. Children are especially at risk of being harmed when they are deprived of love and are labeled in a shame-based manner as "less than" - even when other protective factors are in place. When this labeling occurs in a religious context, the potential for internalizing shame increases with the intensity of expectations, especially those that stem from strict rules maintained by a tightly knit religious system. This has been happening in the LDS church with many issues, but it is so blatant with the latest message, communicated to innocent children and many loving parents in marriages.

LDS members actively involved in "same-gender” sexual relationships have already been considered sinful, according to the teachings of the church. That belief has been problematic enough, causing great agony among some of the most dedicated and sincere members of the religion. Many have chosen not to actively pursue a lifestyle that goes against church standards. Some of these people have been more obedient and faithful than I could ever be in that situation, and far too many have literally died trying to live a “straight” lifestyle when it went against the authenticity of their being. And those who have decided to be actively gay, or who have openly expressed their transgender experiences, have been judged as weak and not "choosing" the best path for them. Adding judgment of children to the cross of shame that these people are already bearing is unbelievable to me. I guess that is where the feelings of shock and confusion come into play.

Authentic love is not a virtue that can be confined, and I have witnessed how expansive love can be when people allow it to flourish – whether it be in or out of a religion, in or out of a traditional family. Abuse, however is one of the most confining behaviors that exists, and yet it does not receive adequate attention in the LDS church.

If a church is so concerned with protecting children and protecting the family, then its focus on sex needs to shift from concern about the sexual activity between adults of the same gender to the sexual abuse that is occurring on a regular basis within the LDS church. The perpetrators are often considered “worthy” priesthood holders, and the abuse often occurs in “traditional family” homes. While I am very aware that this type of abuse can happen in any situation, the insidious manner in which it plays out when a man of any age who “holds the priesthood” is the perpetrator, and children are silently suffering – hiding -- in their so-called “safe” homes – often “blessed” and “protected” by the very people that hurt them (I am well aware that both women and men can be hurtful, and I am also aware that family members are not always the perpetrators) . . . this is what needs to be vigorously addressed.

Directly addressing sexual abuse in families and cultures where it is still a common form of oppression needs to be a top priority in the highest levels of leadership and organization of a church that so loudly claim to value families and children.

The focus on continually suppressing and attempting to control sexual thought and behavior has not seemed to decrease sex-related problems in the LDS church, including pornography use, relationship infidelity, and sexual abuse. While there may be a healthy way to use pornography to enhance sexuality - and I believe there are humanistic forms of it - most of it is based in an industry that is dehumanizing, oppressive, and abusive. Those involved in it are often disconnected from their emotions and the people they are viewing, in such a way that violent tendencies are increased. 

There has not been a system-wide improvement regarding how to teach children and youth about sexuality in a healthy way, including how to acknowledge people without focusing on how “appropriate” their appearance is. If anything, the emphasis on the lustful and detached aspects of sex - as a fear-driven method of teaching people to avoid it - has magnified sexual objectification and taught people a confusing, conflicted language that sounds a lot like “God loves all of his children equally, but if a girl is wearing a sleeveless shirt, she is not as good as one who is wearing sleeves.” This type of teaching has reinforced impossible appearance standards (not to mention a male-dominated patriarchy) and encouraged a nearly impossible temptation paradox, where sexual desire and curiosity exist in such a disconnected manner that people are unable to manage the intensity of their desires with realistic coping mechanisms. If sexual abuse is added into that equation, the risk for isolation and self-hatred is exponentially increased. 

And what about "same-gender attraction" added into that suppression-control-shame equation? What is the message that keeps getting pounded into Mormon pulpits and minds, while the gospel of Jesus Christ is shoved to the side? This is what I hear buzzing through the conflicted Mormon hive: "We unconditionally love you gay people, but you are still less holy . . . less worthy than us if you don't try to be less gay. And just to be clear, we will keep reminding you that if you admit that you are acting on your gay feelings, you are not allowed the same privileges as those of us who publicly identify as heterosexual." 

I find it incredibly unjust and unmerciful to people who are loving parents - no matter their sexual orientation or marriage status or anything - to deprive their children of name blessings and baptism, if that is what is desired. Do not get me wrong -- I am not against the LDS church changing the age of baptism to an older age for everyone (no matter what family situation one is in), since eight-year-olds are generally not capable of understanding their decisions outside the context of their parents’ interpretation of the religion. However, my awareness has suddenly been heightened regarding the fact that I have children who were able to get baptized into the LDS religion without question. Even though I was divorced, the right my children had to get baptized was not put into question for an instant. Even the father of my children, who was baptizing them, was not judged unworthy based on his living situation. It was assumed that neither of us were as sinful as someone who was living with a romantic partner, unmarried. If it has been today, it is likely that it would be assumed that we are more worthy than an actively gay couple. What made me more worthy than a couple living together who is not married? What makes me any better than two moms or two dads raising a child? 

Honestly, I think I would be a better mom if I had any kind of partner living with me and supporting me - as long as he or she was not abusive, we worked well together, and that person loved my children. I really mean this – I would be happy with a partner of either gender. And the reasons have very little to do with sex. 

This policy update that assumes levels of worthiness based on sexual orientation is fear-driven and it clearly discriminates against many people who are often far more worthy of the parenting task than I am.

I hope I can be supportive of anyone who is suffering because of this recent change of policy. I hope I can show the love that I feel so deeply, and yet which I do not feel I can adequately express to those who might need it most at this time. I hope you know who you are.

My Fast for November 6-7, 2016

November 6, 2016

I am fasting today and tomorrow about the U.S. presidential election, considering the massive amount of confusion and uncertainty that is clouding facts and kindling hatred. I recognize that the climate of fear that has surfaced as divisiveness among candidates and their followers (and all of those who are undecided) represents much bigger issues than the election of one person. 

My purpose in fasting at this time is really about decreasing violence in our communities, our country, and throughout the world. I am also working on decreasing harmful tendencies and behaviors I personally struggle with every day. 

I am not physically capable of refraining from food or water, so I am choosing to refrain from habits and communication -- including two specific behaviors  -- that I consider harmful to myself and others. 

I hope to channel my prayers, efforts, and energy in a way that they will contribute to the collective efforts of others who are seeking sources of strength beyond and within themselves at this time. I hope to join those who are committed to overcoming fear that fuels the hatred and violence currently dividing the United States, as well as many areas of the world. I hope we can transcend our need to compete, to defeat, and to be right, so we can focus on the need to understand and love each other. 

I hope to expand my mind, spirit, and heart through commitment to these actions: 

1) Seek and remain present in spaces that encourage compassion/connection, such as the mountains, my home, and the place where I play music with friends. 

2) Choose connection and compassion (over  correction, criticism, or dissociation)

3) Practice gratitude and humility by turning to personal sources of strength inside and outside of myself - especially when confronted with feelings of anger or hatred towards another. I choose to try centering practices and connection to loved ones before acting on harmful tendencies. 

What guides me?

I am in the midst of a faith crisis, but this does not mean I do not have faith. This does not mean I have forgotten how much I rely on a source far greater than myself for all that sustains me. I may not know exactly who God is, but I pray constantly, knowing that this Being is more than just a father in heaven, and at the very least includes a mother . . . and possibly other influences. I know that the Source from which I receive is not limited to my own understanding, and I believe there are unseen forces guiding our choices, whether they are based in light or shadow. I also know that the very tangible problems plaguing our world today will not be addressed without people being aware of them and taking direct action to resolve them.

Participating in this fast is one way for me to channel my desires into action, and to increase my ability to be effective in the spaces I am already attempting to take action. 

My thoughts on the 2016 Presidential Election

An advantage to having severe insomnia combined with an intense obsession with research is that I have had a lot of time to carefully consider this presidential election. The following thoughts are a compilation of various journal entries over the past several months, so do not expect continuity!

Excerpts from computer journal (which includes the "potential Facebook post" draft section of my Gmail account) -- September - November 2016:

There have been years where it has not mattered to me, and other years where I have felt like it was crucial to vote for a specific candidate. The 2008 and 2012 elections were significant for me, and thankfully my choice to vote for Obama exceeded my expectations. I will cry when the Obama family leaves the White House, and my heart will be forever impacted by Michelle's speeches and President Obama's fearless candor in relating to the people of this country.

This year, it matters more than anything to me that people pause and consider why they find it so difficult to accept Hillary Clinton as a valid candidate.

Honestly, I would find more comfort in being told that we were all on something similar to the "The Truman Show" than I find in considering people's logic during this bizarre election season (see Ezra Klein's analysis,"It’s a strange election" http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/11/2/13496614/clinton-transparent-trump). I cast my vote by mail this week, and I am at peace with voting for Hillary Clinton.

I have tried to be an observer instead of jumping to conclusions in recent months, learning as much as I can about the relevant policies of the country I have been inhabiting most of my life (except the three times I lived in Canada and the one time I lived in Mauritius). This is not because I have been undecided regarding my vote. However, it is only in the last few months that I have made a real effort to get to know the details of Hillary Clinton's extensive service with and to the people of this country, as well as to people all over the world. I have been reading, listening to, and watching as much as my brain can absorb about her, and I am encouraged. I have appreciated the balance and thoughtfulness with which analysts of many kinds have attempted to share unbiased views. (Again, wisdom shared by Ezra Klein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hIFDaGs8l8)

However, there is so much that is unsettled inside me. I have reached a point of sadness -- beneath my frustration and anger -- regarding the lows we feel entitled to go to in order to defend our positions or boost our own egos about our political views. It is tragic to witness the lack of careful consideration regarding the election of someone who might lead a country. Too many assumptions are made out of fear and hatred, often packaged in conspiracy theories instead of fact.

But there is something happening way, WAY outside of the partisan politics, and I am not able to accept it on any level. I am talking about public behavior that perpetuates (in its attempt to justify, excuse, and deny) the continuance of sexual violence. Donald Trump may appear to be honest in his unedited, vainglorious behavior. His egomania seems to have the power to either mesmerize and hypnotize, or traumatize those who come into contact with it. For others, there seems to be a frightening apathy lurking around, a kind of paralytic ambivalence about whether or not to support him.

I often imagine having Donald Trump as a client, mainly to convince myself that he is an actual human being. Even though his behavior indicates that he would never consider therapy, there is a very insecure child inside, who is throwing an enormous tantrum. He is an anomaly, regarding how easy he has made it for most people to recognize his moral character -- at least what he chooses to display as his identity. From a psychosocial perspective, I see Donald Trump as a kid who struggled to resolve developmental identity crises as early as toddlerhood. I am curious about this giant kid's ability to be so completely honest in his presentation of dishonesty. I am almost entertained, but more disgusted and sad to observe a person so unabashedly lacking integrity, so recklessly rooted in a lack of self awareness.

Donald Trump has allowed us to recognize (well, most of us -- I can't believe there are still 

some who are able to see Trump as a valid candidate) -- as a public figure, at least -- that 

he is not capable of performing the most basic duties involved in leading anything without 

serious damage. This does not mean that underneath all of his grandiosity there is not a 

good Trump inside. But we can clearly see that he is not fit to stand (literally 

and figuratively) in the office without making a fool of himself and harming a lot of people . 

The line has to be drawn somewhere when it comes to logistical concerns, not to mention 

the whole problem of Trump's denial of being guilty of sexual assault (among a number of 

other crimes). 

If there is one moral statement that is 100% true, it is this: it is NEVER all right to sexually violate anyone. No one has the right to be sexual with another person if that person does not (or is not able to) choose it. To even consider someone who is guilty of doing this as a valid presidential candidate is a dangerous form of denial.

The Hillary Clinton I have come to understand reflects what Michelle Obama recently echoed Martin Luther King, Jr. in stating, “Who are we? . . . We are a nation founded as a rebuke to tyranny. . . . We are a nation that said, ‘Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.’ ”(Phoenix, AZ - Oct. 20, 2016)  https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/10/20/remarks-first-lady-hfa-rally-phoenix-az

If I am wrong about my opinion, I am willing to accept the consequences. Sure, there is that possibility that Hillary Clinton somehow did something bad enough to label her a criminal. However, I find it compelling that people who actually know Hillary trust her. There is value to the opinions of those who have actually worked with her or who have benefited from her tireless work to improve their well-being.

We can all benefit from the exercise of reflecting on our personal biases, and the environments that reinforced them as we grew up in our various cultural contexts. How do we really feel regarding a woman becoming President of the United States? Is a woman who many do not consider cool enough . . . or warm enough . . . or masculine or femine enough, a valid option for leading a country? Would a woman behaving like Trump make it anywhere past a psych ward? How would you feel if you were being blamed for your husband's past mistakes? Are people uncomfortable because Hillary does not live up to the impossible standards of being absolutely perfect in every act and appearance in her entire life (sound familiar, women?). I am sad that these expectations are parroted among Hillary supporters AND protestors, whether it is a disclaimer like this one, "I know she is not perfect, and I don't really like her, but she has my vote . . . ," or some wild suspicion based on a wildly suspicious opinion piece like, "I knew it. Hillary is evil, just like Obama!"

I am especially sad that people will go to extensive lengths to find a pathetic strand of evidence that HIllary Clinton is a horrible person. I was equally sad when it was done (and continues to be done) with President Obama. I was even sad at the amount of hatred expressed towards George W. Bush in 2004, and I did not even consider voting for him. I was in a social work program in North Carolina, and there was a hate party planned for people who opposed George W. This was planned by social work students. I was so sad about it, even though I voted as a Democrat, that I sent out an email with my concerns.

Of all the reasons I would never vote for Trump, the most important to me is the traumatic impact he has on people . Politics can become so ridiculous at times, that we just need to check out of the media hype. But it is nearly impossible to block or shut off the impact of the harm inflicted and re-inflicted on people by Trump, and in such a careless, cruel manner. Even close friends and family members of mine have wondered why I am making such a big deal about the insanity of this election. It is not really about the election. My concern is about the masses of people who justify voting for someone who is so clearly harmful, when Hillary Clinton's heavily scrutinized past reveals nothing that would disqualify her from being a candidate. In fact, she has more combined and consistent political experience than any candidate running for the same office. Further, she has remained true to her life's mission to prioritize the needs of children and families all over the world.

it is all too easy to dismiss and deny the severity of the impact of sexual abuse and assault on EVERYONE who lives in a place where it occurs -- so yes, that is everyone in the world, pretty much -- to any degree, whether in public or private. This is more than enough of a reason to disqualify a candidate for the highest office of a country. So why, why, why . . . HOW is it that so many people choose Trump?

"To vote for Trump as a protest against Clinton’s faults would be like amputating a leg because of a sliver in the toe; cutting one’s throat to lower one’s blood pressure."

-- David Frum (Senior editor at The Atlantic and the chairman of Policy Exchange. In 2001-2002; speechwriter for President George W. Bush.)

I am not a Republican, but I this quote is the reason I keep hoping to see among Republicans I know. It is painful to read some of this article, knowing that I do not agree with David's views on the Clintons.

However, I was actually moved to find sound reasoning and humility in a good portion of David Frum's analysis. In a sea of chaos and deception, so close to election day, this is a view that makes some sense. If you are a Republican who has concluded that voting for Hillary Clinton is a greater nightmare than supporting someone who publicly creates nightmares on a daily basis, I urge you to pay attention to the words of someone who demonstrates integrity without compromising his views, and who has not lost sight of the values he associates with his political party.

I am with her, for her, and I think I would like her if I knew her. #hillarygotmyvote #utahnsforhillary #iamwithher