Dialing down on rhetoric would be a pleasant change
In a time not that long ago, it used to be fun to engage in political conversations whether it was with family, friends, co-workers, or bystanders, who mostly liked lively debate about policy.
Today, I find myself more reserved about offering comments. I think the reluctance comes from watching how others react to comments. I could easily blame the hot stove on politicians, bureaucrats, commentators, and other pundits that seem to want to bark rather than listen.
I am sure my late mother whose sage advice was a hallmark of many High Plains families, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter are respites from all the muck that seems to find its way into regular chatter. The Fourth of July reminds me of the beauty of our own country and reinforces that the High Plains region in the United States remains the best place to live. On a per capita basis the region has sent more young men and women into military service and harm’s way, which speaks volumes about their character and values they have for our country.
In today’s heated environment, their example should remind us to appreciate those who serve, whether in the military, law enforcement, or as firefighters and emergency responders. In Kansas and Idaho a sheriff’s deputy and two firefighters, respectively, were tragically killed in the line of duty recently. It gives me another moment to pause as our nation hurts when those men died. Part of me wonders what has set the tone to why this might be occurring.
I’m reluctant to censor comments and even in the conversations I have that can turn uncomfortable. After all, there are many frustrations that each of us share and even with differing backgrounds it is important to remember that people should look to disagreements as a way to gain a different perspective.
The old saying that “It is OK to disagree, but don’t be disagreeable” was one I remembered being in vogue 20 years ago and oft repeated. Today I occasionally hear the phrase, but it is certainly words of advice that need to be shared today.
Our Founding Fathers had a dream about expectations of their country many years after they were gone. We should aspire to meet those high expectations. One way is to bite our tongue and to be better listeners. In the High Plains region, we have learned that listening to differing views could provide a framework to solve problems, whether at the local, state or national levels. Let’s hope that tried-and-true path can return.
Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].
