Where is the Love?

Dorene Lorenz, Charisse Millett, Bella Coley

I am disappointed by how negative this political season has become, and hope we don’t reward that type of ugly behavior.  As a Seward resident, never in a million years did I think I would get caught in the middle of of mudslinging in an Anchorage race, but I have.

Recently, I produced a webisode about public servants who “Get It” entitled It's All about the Love.  It was billed as a gentle reminder that we are blessed to live in a State with a small population, we all need to be kind to one another, and use more sugar than vinegar.  Featuring snapshots of smiling happy faces of politicians from all parties working together, and holding our children close, I thought I had made my point.

The irony that my political statement to keep it fair, clean, and about the positive was ignored by candidate Lynda Zaugg who chose to lift a clearly copyrighted photograph off my official Living Wild ~ Alaska Facebook fan site and use it in a personal, mean spirited negative attack against her opponent is pretty painful.

I’ve never sat down for a meal with Representative Charisse Millett.  I’ve never donated any money to her campaign.  She has never instituted any action that I am aware of on behalf of the non-profits that I volunteer for.  We didn’t go to high school together, we’ve never even traded a pair of shoes.

I like Representative Millett.  I have watched from a distance how she has handled herself in her personal and professional life, and, if I lived in her district, which I don’t, I would be proud to have her as my representative.  She seems to be hard working, dedicated, sound in judgment, and has Alaska’s best interests at heart.

I would not be so forward as to qualify myself as her friend.  I am not a lobbyist.  I certainly am not her “political insider” - I didn’t even have her personal contact information until I became aware of this Zaugg deal - and it was only given to me because it is inappropriate to discuss election information over her legislative e-mail address. 

Lynda Zaugg, however, placed my photo of Representative Millett, myself, and my cast mate Bella Coley on both sides of a mailer boldly suggesting that Millet was “Partying with Lobbyists and Political Insiders Downtown while claiming that she had pneumonia."

It is beside-the-point that the party was the Mayor’s Charity Ball, that Representative Millett volunteers her time as a board member for the Red Cross, one of this year’s beneficiaries of the event, and Millett made a brief show of support then went home early.

What is very disturbing is that hopeful lawmaker Zaugg felt that it was okay to break federal law, make sophomoric disparaging comments about her opponent, and tell bald face lies about people and situations she has no knowledge of. 

This demonstrated lack-of-character is a painful example of what has become commonplace during this election season... because Alaskans have allowed it to happen.  It is time to stop rewarding bad behavior and get our public servants back to a space where they actually serve the public.