THOSE LOOKING FOR EQUAL TREATMENT
SHOULD AFFORD EQUAL TREATMENT TO OTHERS
Editorial by CHARLES JAY, Personal Choice Party Presidential Candidate

When I was campaigning at the Utah State Fair, a woman came up and asked me what I was going to do for the Hispanic community. My first reaction was that I was going to do the same thing I would do for anyone else - eliminate their income tax, reduce spending drastically, bring more competition, through privatization, for services government usually delivers, and respect everyone's right to make personal choices in their own lives.

That wasn't good enough for her. She wanted something "special". I told her the more appropriate question was one I should actually be asking her, which was, 'What is the Hispanic community prepared to do for itself?'

Yes, that kind of question has a tendency to stump people whose customary expectation out of a politician is that he or she pander to their interests, fashioning some kind of 'sweetheart' deal in order to get a vote.

I am obviously not a typical politician in that way. I'm interested in treating everyone equally, which means that even though I may tailor a message here or there, I'm not constructing policies or programs designed to benefit one religious or ethnic group over another. That would be like subsidizing one company in the auto industry - it's just not fair to the others. So I don't do it at all.

Now I have a whole new question for people like that woman - What will the Hispanic community do to afford EVERYONE else the same kind of treatment they want for themselves?

That's a REAL stumper, as it turns out.

I say that in light of a recent Salt Lake City event billed as "Gubernatorial Candidates' Vision for Latinos in Utah", in which something occurred that was subtle, and perhaps unnoticed by anyone in the audience, yet provided a revelation that transcends political parties, candidates, and ideologies.

This event, held at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, was sponsored by, among others, the Utah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Utah Hispanic Latino leadership Committee, the Utah Hispanic Legislative Task Force, the Mi Voto Cuenta Project, the Utah Coalition of La Raza, the Telemundo and Univision affiliates, and a couple of newspapers - La Prensa and Mundo Hispano. All of these groups purportedly work for equality and are fighting an uphill battle, to be sure - in a state like Utah, which is approximately 2/3 Mormon, there would have to be a real concern about the rapid growth of the Hispanic population, since it would threaten the LDS Church's voting majority.

So why then would a group like this discriminate against someone else?

Ken Larsen, the Personal Choice Party's candidate for governor, was not even invited to this gubernatorial get-together. He showed up anyway, as is his right as the only other candidate with ballot access in the race aside from Republican Jon Huntsman and Democrat Scott Matheson. He did receive an opportunity to speak, but was only allowed half the time of the other two candidates. And Larsen was not part of any of the event coverage.

In a letter Larsen wrote to La Prensa, he expressed these thoughts to the editor:

"I picked up a copy of your paper. On the front, you show the pictures of my fellow candidates, but you pretend I do not exist. How can you claim to stand for nondiscrimination of minority citizens when you are willing to discriminate against a minority candidate? If I am elected Governor, I will work to end all forms of discrimination. I would hope that in the future you will practice nondiscrimination as well as you preach it."

Of course Ken's point is very well-taken. And the answer to his question is probably very simple - it's the way this publication, and the relevant members of the Hispanic community in Utah, have chosen to PERCEIVE Ken's candidacy and the Personal Choice Party. Evidently we are perceived as marginal. A minor party. The MINORITY, if you will.

Just like those Caucasians in Utah might marginalize those in the minority community comprised of Latinos, I guess.

I understand the concept of self-interest in politics. But Ken Larsen was not looking for anything "special". All he wanted was an equal part of the process.

That sounds like something that should resonate with Hispanics.

I'm sorry to report that it doesn't.

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CHARLES JAY is the Personal Choice Party's candidate for President. He is on the presidential ballot in the state of Utah and is running a write-in campaign in other states. For further information on the Charles Jay--Marilyn Chambers campaign, please visit http://www.charlesjay.com. More information on the Personal Choice Party can be obtained at http://www.personalchoice.org.

CJ For America -- P.O. Box 534, Elkhart, IN 46515-0534


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