A sad state of affairs.

As most of you know I am a resident of Eagle Mountain UT. I love Eagle Mountain and have many friends who live there with me. It is a quiet little community that is growing at an incredible rate. It is estimated that they will grow by 10% a year for the next few years at least. In 1996 they had about 250 residence and according to the US Census Bureau in 2008 there were approximately 22,309 people living here. The population is largely young families. In a 2007 statistical survey, more than 85% of residents rated their quality of life as “good” or “excellent.” This brings me to the point of my blog this morning.

This week we had a municipal election. It was a vote for Mayor and for 2 city councilmen. Not a "big" election some would say. I disagree. It is my opinion that what impacts us the most is what takes place on a local level not so much state and national. With the populationof Eagle Mountain at 22,309 and assuming each home has 2 parents and 3 children I came up with the following voter information.

Potential registered voters - 8923

Actual registered voters - 7578

Number that don't care to vote - 1345

Now These 1345 for the most part are uninvolved and uninformed people who are probably to stupid to vote and I am fine with them not participating anyway. There is no end to the damage that can be done by a large number of stupid people. I am sure that in that group are some great people who for one reason or another have a good reason why they have not yet been added to the voter registry. The other 1339 can be left out of the voting pool and I do not care.

Registered voters - 7578

Votes cast - 1655

Total voter turnout - 21.8%

Less then one in 4 people voted in this last election. In the Book of Mormon Mosiah points out that it is not usual for the voice of the people to choose that which is wrong or bad. However 21.8% really is not the voice of the people. It is becoming clear to me that the voice of the people is "I don't care, I am to busy with my little world to care about anything or anyone else." It is kind of ironic that this is about the same percentage as the home teaching numbers I was seeing when I was the High Priest group leader.

I sit in Sunday school or at different activities with people and hear about how bad things are in "the world" and how hard it is to raise kids. Just yesterday Kenneth came home and said that the Westlake library has more books on gay marriage then they do on us history. I have not been down and counted them myself but Kenneth is pretty good with his facts so I will assume he is right. When you tell someone that they shake there head and say what is happening to us. Why is there so much evil and wickedness in the world. I submit to you that it is the good men and women who turn their focus inward and have left the "gates of the city" unattended. For example, the school board makes the decision on what happens in our schools. I am sure that they do not select each book that gets put in the library however I wonder if anyone has submitted complaints to them about this. I have not. I do not know what their agenda is nor do I know what their track record is. I have allowed just the watchmen of my children's education to go unchecked. I have allowed the watchmen for my community and nation to go unchecked and the as such we now have the fox guarding the hen house.

It is a sad state of affairs and a dangerous one. It is time that the people wake up and take action if it is already not to late. (Ps. Start by doing your home teaching!)