Editor:
In her recent column, “We Can Choose Grace”, Cat Urbigkit captured beautifully a notion that I have felt for some time. While I can’t write as eloquently as her, I would like to share a couple of additional thoughts on this subject.
The recent toxic rhetoric is not good for the legislative process and is not good for the people of Wyoming. And I agree with Cat – we can all do better by choosing grace.
During my time in the legislature, I found that some (perhaps most) people assign the very worst of motives to those with whom they disagree and the purest of motives to themselves.
I got the distinct impression some legislators believed that the only possible reason someone could have a different opinion than themselves was because the other person was not very smart or they were dishonest and self-serving - either they were stupid or crooked.
We must realign our thinking. Honest, intelligent people can have sincerely held differences of opinion on any particular issue. That does not mean that either of them is stupid or dishonest. With grace we could respect other opinions without abandoning our own.
In her column, Ms. Urbigkit quoted Abraham Lincoln’s line, “with malice toward none, with charity for all.” I especially like that quote and would like to share another quote from President Lincoln. “Not every difference of opinion is a difference of principle”.
For instance, a legislator can be 100 percent in favor of abolishing gun free zones and still vote against a bill with those words in the title, if the legislator believes the bill is not well crafted and may lead to some serious unintended consequences.
One could be a strong proponent of property tax reform and, for a myriad of reasons, still vote against a special session to override the governor’s veto of a bill to reduce property taxes.
Choosing grace would decrease the personal attacks that have become all too prevalent. Choosing grace may motivate more good people to become involved in state and local government. Choosing grace would improve the legislative process. Choosing grace would be good for our state.
Danny Eyre, former Representative
House District 19
