UA student Sutton begins political career with mayoral race
Miles Bryant
Issue date: 10/31/08 Section: News
Sami Sutton has never known what it's like to be a normal college student.
"School started the same day I filed [to run for mayor])," she said. "It's pretty much class, work, class, home, homework, sleep, and then I just add the mayor thing in with it."
This is the lifestyle Sutton chose when she was in ninth grade and decided she wanted to one day run for president of the U.S.
"Everyone laughed at me and laughed at me and laughed at me, and finally someone was like, well, maybe you should get some experience before that," Sutton said. "So a couple of years ago I decided to run for mayor."
Throughout her campaign, Sutton has learned many things, including that being laughed at and made fun of is inevitable in politics.
"I've learned that people are way more prejudiced than they think they are," she said. "A lot of people won't vote for me because I'm 19. They just won't even listen to me. A lot of people won't vote for Adam [Fire Cat] because of his name, because he changed it and because of his occupations. That's just insane that that's why you won't pick someone."
Sutton and Cat often are put in the same boat by the voting mob, and Sutton's learned a lesson from this.
"Don't listen to what people tell you. Just go for it," she said. "That's one thing I've learned. I've read some of the blogs, and a lot of them are really mean, especially toward me and Adam. You just have to look at that and say, 'Whatever, at least I'm going for it, at least I'm putting myself out there, at least I'm trying to get to my goal.'"
Like many of the candidates, Sutton said she believes it's important to look at the issues aside from the person. Sutton gives her mayoral campaign a student's perspective on the "student to city" dynamic, and Sutton is frustrated that student participation in the city is limited.
"A lot of the students don't get to have a say in what goes on with the city," she said. "I figure you're here nine months out of the year, so you should have a say. I mean, you basically live here. I don't think it's right that you're not allowed to vote on a lot of the issues and you don't have your own council person to represent you. I think you need more say in what happens."
"School started the same day I filed [to run for mayor])," she said. "It's pretty much class, work, class, home, homework, sleep, and then I just add the mayor thing in with it."
This is the lifestyle Sutton chose when she was in ninth grade and decided she wanted to one day run for president of the U.S.
"Everyone laughed at me and laughed at me and laughed at me, and finally someone was like, well, maybe you should get some experience before that," Sutton said. "So a couple of years ago I decided to run for mayor."
Throughout her campaign, Sutton has learned many things, including that being laughed at and made fun of is inevitable in politics.
"I've learned that people are way more prejudiced than they think they are," she said. "A lot of people won't vote for me because I'm 19. They just won't even listen to me. A lot of people won't vote for Adam [Fire Cat] because of his name, because he changed it and because of his occupations. That's just insane that that's why you won't pick someone."
Sutton and Cat often are put in the same boat by the voting mob, and Sutton's learned a lesson from this.
"Don't listen to what people tell you. Just go for it," she said. "That's one thing I've learned. I've read some of the blogs, and a lot of them are really mean, especially toward me and Adam. You just have to look at that and say, 'Whatever, at least I'm going for it, at least I'm putting myself out there, at least I'm trying to get to my goal.'"
Like many of the candidates, Sutton said she believes it's important to look at the issues aside from the person. Sutton gives her mayoral campaign a student's perspective on the "student to city" dynamic, and Sutton is frustrated that student participation in the city is limited.
"A lot of the students don't get to have a say in what goes on with the city," she said. "I figure you're here nine months out of the year, so you should have a say. I mean, you basically live here. I don't think it's right that you're not allowed to vote on a lot of the issues and you don't have your own council person to represent you. I think you need more say in what happens."
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