OPINION PIECE
We probably all share the feeling that we’re glad the campaign season and elections are behind us. We may not all be happy with the results, but we can agree we’re glad to not watch political ad after ad.
What has been disappointing to watch was the lack of civility demonstrated during this past election season. The rhetoric was harsh and often unfortunate. Posting fake messages on social media, that cast negative aspersion’s, often untruths, on one’s opposition was cited as an example of such lack of civility. Who does that and what does it say about our society?
Social media has provided a vehicle with little guard rails and the impact is one that deters good people from stepping forward into public leadership position. Their conclusion is that life is too short and why would I subject myself to such public ridicule? What then is being created is a public leadership crisis. How unfortunate!
PREJUDICE AND BIAS
Xenophobia is alive and well, unfortunately! It has enabled bias and prejudice to become more public, which is so unfortunate and wrong. You can’t build community for everyone, when such thinking and attitudes are empowered and supported.
What needs to happen is that such actions must be called out. If communities have adopted a core set of values on what and how their community should be built and developed, then let those values be our guide.
COMMUNITY VALUES
Values-driven leaders should be encouraged, nurtured and developed. Those are the leaders who will align plans and work to support the values the community has adopted. It is the way we can ensure we see projects completed that support the community’s belief system.
At one point in our past, these values were shared across the District 112 communities, and drove actions that aligned with them. This is one way to help ensure more civility in the conduct of public business is both expected and applied. It simply is values-driven leadership!
As communities of people, we must provide support of the community values that require respect for one another. When we see bullying or intimidation of any kind, at any level, we must do a better job of holding people accountable to these values, for those are not the responsible actions of healthy communities. The healthiest of communities work together and hold each other accountable to the actions and behaviors that value and respect each other.
COMMUNICATIONS
With the loss of our local newspapers and thus objective reporting, we have lost the sharing of valued, factual information. The loss of third-party reporting dedicated to public awareness and the building of an informed public electorate no longer is in place. It is why Carver County Local News is a welcome option that is under development. It can fill the gap of trusted information that is missing today. It can also address the loss of civility, because it can build trust and understanding that will take precedent over the lack of such in much of the social media world.
ENGAGEMENT
What can also build healthy communities is the enhanced engagement of citizens within their communities. A lot of data suggests that an engaged community is healthy for the individual and collectively the community. This too becomes another strategy to address the lack of understanding and civility we are experiencing. We see more and more communities prioritizing the community engagement of its residents. Let’s hope we see increasing numbers and stories of such engagement!
CONCERN
Finally, what is of some concern is the party affiliation that has been experienced at the local city level. One of the keys to ensuring effective local governance is stepping forward to serve because one cares and wants to help make their community a better place to live. They simply care and want to serve. They are not driven by party affiliation or philosophy, or the politics that often come with such designation. Party affiliation is not the critical path item to building healthy, effective local governance.
