It seems the temperament of our country is at a boiling point.
Hateful online rhetoric has given birth to an increase in political violence.
It’s easy to look at the news and complain about the division being sown in Austin and Washington.
Unfortunately, such divisions have trickled down to City Hall and the county courthouse.
Property tax season has proven especially contentious for several of our local government boards.
Public hearings have been held and, for once, folks have shown up.
That is a good thing, but it’s not a good thing when these public hearings go off the rails as they have in recent weeks.
Folks see discontent on social media.
It’s fed to them by an algorithm that makes more money for its masters.
The more we engage, the more money the algorithm makes.
Its social media overlords don’t care about what content we interact with. They just want interaction.
The more we interact, the more eyeballs engage— the more brands they can sell.
Actually, we are the ones being sold to advertisers.
We have become the product and the driving force behind our value is the discontent sown with the algorithms.
Social media companies thrive when we are upset.
It’s a shame because the same cannot be said about society.
Our communities do not thrive when we are upset.
They suffer.
Just last week at a public hearing in Collinsville, our elected state representative told the city council they would “have blood on their hands” if they didn’t do what she wanted them to do.
That was the quote.
“Blood on their hands.”
The same state representative was on hand in Whitesboro at a similar hearing last week driving her social media engagement numbers.
I hope and pray that our elected officials can learn how to strike a tone of evenness and compromise.
“Blood on your hands” is not that.
The hateful, divisive rhetoric must stop.
It starts at the top and it runs downhill.
Our senators and congressmen run their mouths because they see our president do it.
The childish behavior has floated downstream to our state representatives and is attempting to infect our City Halls.
Despite popular belief, your city aldermen and school board members are not “The Government.”
They are your friends, your neighbors, your peers, your fellow parishioners, your parents.
And, generally, they want what they believe is best for the community.
We cannot always agree on what is best, and that’s fine, we should have discussions and not shouting matches.
We should talk to one another and not down to one another.
We should lower the tone of the rhetoric.
I pen this column fully acknowledging that I am, myself, a public representative.
I am an alderman in the City of Collinsville.
I was appointed to the seat when nobody filed to run in last year’s election.
Jennifer and I talked, and we approached the opportunity with an open heart.
I took the Oath of Office hoping we could have fruitful conversations and do work that matters. I’ve been disappointed.
It’s time for everyone to calm down.
It’s time to realize we are not enemies.
We are neighbors.
A man was assassinated on a college campus two weeks ago.
Slain for the words that were coming out of his mouth.
A State Rep in Minnesota was killed in her home.
Political violence is a bipartisan sin and it must stop.
Shouting fits and grudge matches at City Hall are part of the problem.
Get off social media and walk next-door.
Talk to your neighbor.
Have a cup of coffee together.
Talk about your hopes and dreams for your community.
My grandmother used to say, “nothing good happens after midnight,” and that’s probably true.
But in this day and age— I think what is more true is that, “nothing good happens on Facebook.”
Toxic, anonymous comments on community groups are senseless.
Folks are scared and desperate for a de-acceleration in our public debate.
Legendary singer songwriter Emmylou Harris said it best, “As citizens we have to be more thoughtful and more educated and more informed. I turn on the TV and I see these grown people screaming at each other, and I think, well, if we don’t get our civility back, we’re in trouble.”
She was right. We are in trouble and the time to right the ship is now.