True "Vision"

The pertinent definition of "vision" from Webster's is "the ability to anticipate and make provision for future events, foresight." This kind of true vision can be very helpful in city government, and is derived from an understanding of human nature, the decision-making process of business, societal patterns of behavior, economic cycles, etc. But in this sense, nobody's "vision" is perfect.
Some people are confused about the meaning of this word, and think it means to force future events to conform to the way they want things to be. We find examples of this throughout history, from Napoleon and Mussolini to past and present office holders in Eagle Mountain. Individuals and their rights are expendable, sacrificed to the great "vision" of those who think they know better.

Some claim that because they were among the first to take up residence in Eagle Mountain, or because they were the first to possess political power in Eagle Mountain that all others who come to live or invest in Eagle Mountain after them are compelled to conform to their "original vision," or the way they want things to be in the city.

This posture is arrogant, reveals a misunderstanding of the word "vision" itself, is inherently undemocratic - it is in fact a form of tyranny - and is unfair to those who come to the city later but bring with them different, perhaps better, ideas. It also denies the existence of forces beyond the ability of municipal government to control, and the right of each individual to decide what "quality of life" means to them and to make their own choices accordingly.

We are all entitled to work to create our own destiny. When we buy a new home, each of us has a dream or a mental picture or, to use the term loosely, a "vision" of what the yard will look like or how the home will be furnished after we have applied all of our innovation and effort. It is appropriate for us to act upon those dreams and bring them into reality, for we are operating within our domain and within our rights on our own property, we can make decisions to suit our taste our means and our priorities.

It is not appropriate to project or impose our dreams or our mental image into our neighbor's home, yard or life. Such respect for others people's property and other people's choices serves as a fundamental principle underlying the grant of limited authority to government in this country, from our nation's Capitol, to Eagle Mountain, Utah.

Dreams to which the force of governmental power is applied are only appropriate within very limited spheres. For those governing a municipality like Eagle Mountain, it is appropriate to invoke the power of government -- derived from the consent of the governed -- to make the dream of a crime free community come true, to provide water and sewer to each household, to keep certain business activity segregated from residential neighborhoods, and even to dream that all the potholes are repaired.

It is questionable however whether a politician's dream of all homes having certain architectural features, of forcing people to live on smaller lots so there will be large undeveloped spaces, or of coercing all citizens to support the arts is an appropriate exercise of the limited powers delegated by the people to their city government.

When, in the course of events, things do not turn out according to one's vision, it is not the events are not flawed, rather that person's vision has proven defective. Citizens of Eagle Mountain should be leery of politicians and special interest groups who want to force "our future" conform to their "vision."