Mayne spent his life serving others and fighting injustice

By John Florez
Published: Monday, Dec. 3, 2007 12:04 a.m. MST
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Though many remember Sen. Ed Mayne as a statesman, I remember him as a fighter who dedicated his life to public service. He never forgot his roots. He was a local boy who never left his west-side neighborhood.

As a moral man of our time, Ed didn't talk values; he simply lived them every moment of his life — justice, equality, the dignity of every individual, sense of community and the belief that he was his brother's keeper. He was relentless when it came to fighting poverty, injustice and discrimination.

He always fought for the less powerful and most in need. I remember him for his outrage whenever he saw injustice and how he stood up when others remained silent.

It was in the late '60s that I first began working with Ed as we both tried to strengthen the Salt Lake County Democratic Party, then housed in a tattered building on 300 South and 300 East. We served on various committees, including platform and candidate recruitment committees, that advanced the party's ability to fight for the powerless, the poor, minorities and the working families. As the civil rights movement began in Utah, he was at the forefront in speaking out for the rights of all citizens. Whenever there was a cause to fight for the less fortunate, Ed was there, no questions asked.

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He had a deep sense of loyalty and passion for the causes he believed in, including the Democratic Party and the union movement. I felt Ed's temper when I got involved in the Republican Party and later appointed to the Utah Industrial Commission. He lobbied against my appointment. Knowing each other the way we did, I called him to meet and talk about his opposition. I told him to judge me by my actions; that he'd known me long enough to know that, while my political affiliation may have changed, my values had not.

Typical of Ed, he listened. We parted with a renewed friendship and he became my most avid supporter as we worked to make decisions and pass policies that brought fairness and justice to Utah's workplace. We had clear differences over the Industrial Commission's advisory councils, but it was understood this was about the policy, not personalities.

With Ed, what you saw was what you got. He walked the talk, and when he didn't agree with you, he would let you know. Because he was true to his values, he was able to reach out to all people regardless of their station in life. Those around him were infected with his zest for life and love of people. Ed had a brilliant mind and an innate understanding of the world. As a leader, he did not seek power for personal gain, rather for how he could use it to help the powerless.

He was well respected and considered a giant among those working to improve the plight of the less fortunate. He was not one to build monuments for himself, rather to see what he could do to help others.

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