I found Jerre Wroble’s editorial about Rocky Anderson’s declaration for president and founding of the Justice Party overly harsh [“Windmill Drill,” Dec. 13, 2011, CityWeekly.net].

As a member of the board for High Road for Human Rights, I witnessed Rocky’s untiring dedication to the cause of social justice. The organization attempted to fill a significant gap in the global human-rights movement by establishing a framework for productive advocacy against abuses by employing social media and grass-roots networking. Although it was not able to accomplish much of its ambitious agenda, High Road did make impressive inroads and established a lasting model for other better-funded organizations to emulate. During much of High Road’s existence, Rocky did not draw the salary he more than earned with his 80-hour workweeks, deciding instead to devote these resources toward the organization’s fragile operating budget. It’s difficult to launch and to continue a nonprofit during a major recession, but Rocky gave it his all, as he does with everything he takes on.

Agree with him or not on specific issues, there is no better example of someone who possesses the courage of his convictions. Cynics may view this as tilting at windmills, but cynicism fuels, and is fueled by, the political impasse destroying our future. Living one’s ideals and speaking truth to power are absent virtues we so desperately crave in our leaders. It’s refreshing to consider an alternative, no matter how impractical or impolitic.

Robert Newman
Salt Lake City