The following column was published by the Lapeer County Press on Saturday, April 19

Our American society is multifaceted.

We hold many different opinions about a variety of subjects and come from many different backgrounds. Within these truths, we operate inside a supercharged political climate where polarizing issues are often debated practically around the clock. What divides us is often showcased more than what unites us, and how we approach differing views is important for the functionality of our society.

Unfortunately, we have seen poor examples of how to approach different viewpoints within our political discourse. Just this week, an individual in Pennsylvania was arrested for breaking in and setting fire to the governor’s mansion and admitted to police that he planned to attack the governor with a sledgehammer if he encountered him inside. We have seen non-peaceful protestors take over public spaces, intimidate others, and damage property in cities or on university campuses. We have heard speeches that utilize hateful rhetoric.

While we see this play out in the political arena, it is within the family where we can make the most headway in learning to treat people with respect, dignity and grace. We all have the ability to self-govern, and the government closest to the people can make the biggest impact. Self-government is that government that is closest to us.

To a vast extent, we have lost critical communication skills. The ability to apologize, see another’s point of view or realize the consequences of our actions have become rarer traits. Parents often feel the need to intervene in various situations and guard against potential disagreements involving their child — instead of explaining the positives of being able to agree to disagree and allowing our children to make mistakes and learn from them. We expect law enforcement to solve issues with our neighbors instead of hearing one another and think the government should protect us from things that make us uncomfortable. We don’t want to experience anything negative, even when our actions may have caused that situation to become negative.

Inevitably, these habits spill into the political world. Proponents and opponents of certain candidates, political parties, or legislative plans end up encountering language that turns personal or into physical altercations. Last year, we saw heinous violence that nearly led to the assassination of a former president and tragically upended the lives of many people and families who simply wanted to freely assemble.

Here in Michigan, legislators from the northern part of the state are being criticized for coordinating with the governor for disaster relief, while the same governor is criticized for coordinating with the president on the same issue. On the other hand, I’m glad we were able to come together in the Legislature earlier this term to deliver a bipartisan solution that saved the tip credit and established practical earned sick leave policies. We listened to the voices of countless workers and local business owners who came to Lansing to outline the need for cooperation and change.

The truth is — politicians need the courage to work with the “other side of the aisle,” while their constituents must give them grace to find solutions that may come through bipartisan plans. Neither Republicans or Democrats have a corner on right and wrong, or on the truth. Good politicians put people over partisan politics, and we came together for common sense.

We can be passionate about issues we support while acting in a respectful, lawful way. Civility is critical for our present and future, and I will continue to represent our area with this in mind.