Skillicorn’s comments go against openness and shared community
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By John Mack | Fountain Hills
I moved to Fountain Hills in 2017 because I wanted to live in a place that reflected the Midwestern values I was comfortable with — openness, neighborliness and a strong sense of community.
I was also drawn by Arizona’s history of conservative libertarianism, reaching back to Barry Goldwater. That tradition always seemed to mean that Arizona communities like Fountain Hills would welcome people with different views, so long as they shared a love of country and respect for freedom. And, for many years, that’s exactly what I found here.
Recently, however, I have been troubled by the words of Vice Mayor Allen Skillicorn. He has said Fountain Hills should be a “red” town, and in a recent article in the Arizona Republic, he stated he “takes pride in helping move the ball forward” when it comes to making Fountain Hills more MAGA and Republican.
To me, statements like these sound like political tests for belonging. That is deeply concerning, because they run against the openness and shared community that first drew me to this town.
Politically, I am a mix. I would describe myself as socially liberal and fiscally conservative. I love this country and have deep gratitude for its freedoms, and I have been nothing but a loyal citizen. I believe in free trade, a strong national defense and the necessity of impartial rule of law. I was glad to move to Arizona in part because of its Goldwater tradition, and I am old enough to have been shaped by Jimmy Carter’s belief in morality, Ronald
Reagan’s defense of freedom against oppressive government and John McCain’s unwavering love of country.
That’s why these recent statements trouble me. They make me question whether people like me — true patriots, committed to America’s ideals, but not part of the MAGA movement — are still welcome here.
