As complicated as the health-care reform debate is to comprehend, Marion County residents who attended Rep. Jerry Moran?s listening-tour stop in Hillsboro last Thursday at least demonstrated that it?s possible to talk about the issues civilly and logically. True, it?s relatively easy for a Republican-majority crowd to agree, but that hasn?t been the case in other parts of the country. Though several participants here expressed alarm about the political atmosphere in Washington, they did it rationally and devoid of name-calling and disrespect. It helped that Moran is trusted here, and that he modeled civil discourse in his own comments.
Whether the unruly behavior in other settings is spontaneous or orchestrated, chaos feeds upon itself and will never lead to helpful resolution. As the Good Book instructs, ?Be angry but do not sin.? It?s time more Americans demonstrate depth and quality of character. If you want respect, show a little. ?DR