Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, John Adams, Patrick Henry, John Paul Jones….names of people who stood for something. But we never would have remembered them or their names, had they not also stood up for something.

The most noble virtue possessed by human beings is the capacity for selfless sacrifice for a cause in which he/she believes wholeheartedly. More specifically, a cause that is worth fighting for, despite the odds, despite the obstacles, despite whatever one's more prudent judgment might be cautioning them.

Some people in Sultan are trying to rationalize and minimize certain behavior as the result of misguided intentions; that the "good" versus "evil" seeping out of this election's woodwork are people just being themselves.

I would agree with that. And that's the problem.

I see it in terms of what people have done, rather than what they are saying. In the last few months certain individuals desperately trying to hold onto their power base have perpetrated upon others living in and around Sultan some of the acts given below. You be the judge as to whether or not individuals who commit such acts are "merely misguided" or "bad". And because these acts have been perpetrated against a very select number of individuals who -- surprise! -- are standing up to the town bullies, the frequency and nature of the deeds would lead a reasonable person to eliminate them as "coincidences" and put them squarely into the category of a patterned behavior.

• Water and sugar poured in gas tanks
• Tires ruined with spikes and other large, sharp objects
• Personal property damage (broken mailbox, window, etc.)
• Frivolous legal actions initiated (which cost many thousands of dollars to defend, frivolous or not)
• Nasty-grams sent to "harassee's" employers (one to a new employer of a fired city employee; another one with a serious accusation of unprofessional conduct)
• Filing false Criminal complaints
• Vicious verbal attacks in council meetings
• Theft of an activist's group name
• Attacks on First Amendment rights

And the list goes on…

All of the above events, and others unnamed, are not the result of "misguided intentions." They are the acts of bad, mean-spirited people, people who have something to gain -- usually financially -- by harassing others to achieve an end goal.

It's a disgrace that things must improve with the burden placed on the backs of the few, rather than the many pulling together to change our future. Most of us moved here because of the area's natural beauty and would like it to remain so. Of course development will come. But the majority of people living here now would prefer growth with grace, and a city of which we can all be proud.

November 6^th marks the most important election this city has ever had. The people we vote to represent Sultan should be those who reflect our future vision for Sultan; people who are running primarily to serve the city at large rather than their own small agenda. But at the very least, they should be people who would never, ever think of doing any of the acts listed above. Or associate with those who would.

Self-sacrifice and noble causes: They don't just happen on the silver screen or in history books. They happen to real people living real lives. Some things are worth fighting for.

Please vote next Tuesday. Stand up and make a difference. It's not just our right, it's our responsibility.