It’s been a difficult couple of weeks for our community. News of a political assassination just down the road has rattled many of us, and at times we wonder what the future holds for our society and our country. Here in West Jordan, we can’t set the tone for the entire nation, but we can choose the one we set here in our city. Here, in the “Home of the Good Neighbor,” we strive to protect the basics that make self-government work: free expression, civil debate, and the peaceful contest of ideas, without turning neighbors into enemies.
What binds us together is stronger than what divides us: families and schools, small businesses and service groups, shared traditions and community gatherings in parks where our kids play. In that spirit, we urge all of us to call on the better angels of our nature. Let us listen before reacting, resist dehumanizing language, and remember that the loudest voices online don’t speak for everyone. Let us look for what is true and fair, even—or especially—when it challenges our assumptions.
Together, let’s model the civic culture we want to see. Let’s condemn violence without qualifiers. Let’s debate firmly and respectfully, verify before we share, and speak about opponents as neighbors first. These are simple habits, but practiced together they strengthen both our freedoms and our community. West Jordan can be different—and by choosing these better ways, we will be.
Council member Zach Jacob
