Beyond Partisanship: Restoring Leadership and Civil Discourse Together

By  Ken Blackwell & Zack Space

Add our voices to the chorus of elected office holders—or in our case, former elected officials—who have denounced the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk and with it, all forms of political violence. We're in a disconcerting moment of American history, and it will take strong leadership from both sides of the aisle to guide us through.

Last year, we were asked to join the board of the nonprofit Democracy Defense Project (DDP), an organization established to strengthen public confidence in our elections. DDP was created, very intentionally, as a bipartisan organization, and it brought the two of us–one a Republican and the other a Democrat—together in support of basic principles of election integrity.  While we passionately believe in that cause, it was the bipartisan nature of DDP that really drew us to it.  Over our lifetimes we’ve seen a steep deterioration in political discourse, and this seemed like a chance to help counterbalance that trend. Unfortunately, as recent events have made abundantly clear, the fractures within our society continue to deepen.

The lamentable decline of civility among both the political class and our culture writ large, is accelerating.  Political acrimony and divided loyalties are not new to our democratic republic–they've existed throughout our centuries-long history as a nation.  But there’s something particularly insidious, and alarming, about the divisiveness of today’s political and social environment.  Driven largely by the cruel efficiency of digital platforms, many Americans now embrace an “us versus them” world view. Far too many derive information about public events, personalities and policy positions solely through social media forums that promote biased, misleading, and provocative information.  This has resulted in a widespread “warfare” mentality in our approach to political thought and speech, and has contributed to an alarming spike in political violence from all directions on the ideological spectrum, punctuated by the senseless and heartbreaking assassination of Mr. Kirk.
We face a crisis in this country.  Our history tells us that America has been at its very best when our leaders and those they governed were united around a common cause, a noble aspiration, or in defense from an existential threat.  And we have been at our very worst when we experience deep societal disharmony.

We don’t pretend to have an immediate solution to remedy this crisis, but we believe it starts with leadership.  We urge those in public office to deescalate the dangerous rhetoric that threatens the stability of our country.  Regardless of the office held, public officials should set the standard for healthy dialogue by openly working across party lines to demonstrate the value of civil discourse and denounce political violence without hesitation or caveat.  Set the standard for the people you govern.  Refrain from generalizing and casting blame against opposing ideologies, and remind your constituents that regardless of how we might disagree on policies, we remain united in our vision for a country that is prosperous, safe, healthy and just.   And carry that spirit of openness and grace with you into the future.

Just as leadership matters, so too do the personal virtues of compassion, tolerance, acceptance and understanding that we can exercise in our day to day lives.  All of us, regardless of our station in life, should take a step back, log off, and seek out real–not digital–conversations with others, especially those with whom we disagree.  And when you have those conversations, listen authentically and respectfully to each other, and learn. We think you’ll find that we all have much more in common than what the never-ending stream of vitriol emanating from your phone might otherwise suggest.

About the Authors
J. Kenneth Blackwell (R-OH) is a former two-term Ohio secretary of state and Zack Space (D-OH) formerly represented Ohio’s 18th Congressional District. As members of Democracy Defense Project’s Board of Directors, Blackwell and Space spearhead initiatives in Ohio to preserve election integrity and foster greater confidence in election results across the state. @DemoDefenseProj @ZackSpaceOhio