I must admit, the obnoxious and mean-spirited ad featured prominently on the front page of last week’s Fountain Hills Times (“Leftists ruin towns”) felt like a gut punch, as the two women candidates featured with their faces crossed out – Mayor Ginny Dickey and Town Council candidate Cindy Couture – are women of honor, kindness and intelligence, most deserving of our votes and enthusiastically supported by a wide swath of Fountain Hills citizens.

I’d love to think that my town is a friendly, welcoming community where good citizens and neighbors come together in a spirit of cooperation. That would make for a great town. This ad, however, reveals a very dark side to our town that threatens to tear us apart.

So, what really ruins towns (and democracies)? Bullies. Bullies spread lies, rumors and ridiculous conspiracy theories. They show up at civic meetings to shout, disrupt and threaten elected officials who may see things differently. They drown out civil public discourse. They resort to name-calling as they offer no solutions, just grievances against “the other.” They, with their hateful rhetoric, discourage honorable civic-minded citizens from running for office. They sow divisiveness, fear and anger wherever they go.

Don’t let the bullies win – they’ll ruin our town. I’m doing my part by voting for Ginny Dickey for mayor and Cindy Couture for Town Council. I invite you to join me.