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AS WE continue to be tested by difficult economic times, high unemployment, aging infrastructure, shaken confidence in our leaders and serious concern as to whether our children’s futures will be brighter than our own, the lack of civility in our public discourse has turned from hateful rhetoric to the death of public servants, their constituents and even children.

It’s time for all of us to take a deep breath, take stock in what’s truly important – our families – and find a way to work together.

Oftentimes in politics, both sides use rhetoric to rally supporters to the cause. These appeals for support tiptoe on a fine line between rallying cry and demonizing people in a way that ignites tragedy.

There has to be a better way. There has to be a more civil discourse in which we can agree to disagree, in which we can respect the opinions of others; and in those situations in which we do not agree, we do not degrade a person’s dignity or inflame those people who are looking to become inflamed.

A bedrock principle of our democracy and our way of life is the First Amendment, which guarantees us the freedom of speech and expression. It is how we utilize our freedoms by which we will be judged.

Do we make reckless comments having no foundation in fact? Do we use our words to hurt people? Do we use our words to inflame? Do we use our words to divide rather than unite?

Irrespective of how you use your words, we must be mindful of the impact of our words on our fellow citizens. The challenges that we face today are too great to focus on fighting ourselves instead of the problems that plague us.

We need good people who are willing to enter public service. We need good people who are willing to put their ideas into the public domain without the threat of bodily harm if a political party or radical organization disagrees with the idea. We need good people to stand up to radical causes expressing hate and intolerance.

Today, I ask you to join with me in rejecting those people who spew hateful speech, to reject those who wish to divide us and to reject those who wish others bodily harm.

The lack of civility has to end, and that end must start with all of us.

A bedrock principle of our democracy and our way of life is the First Amendment, which guarantees us the freedom of speech and expression. It is how we utilize our freedoms by which we will be judged.