Modern leaders need booster shot of civility

  Modern leaders  need booster  shot of civility Hostility in American government is nothing new. Just look at Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. You’ll see people lament the behavior of President Donald Trump and point to it as the source of our crumbling standards, but you could also argue our standards have been changing for quite some time; they didn’t start with Trump. Just look at the behavior of the general public on Black Friday. Look at how Internet trolls have made life miserable for all of us. Consider the language that became commonplace; I hear f-bombs all the time when I’m out and about. Plus, has our federal leadership ever been completely free of dissent? Some administrations have been louder and more noticeable than others but we’ve never had a completely peaceful presidency, House and Senate. It makes sense; they are meant to balance each other out. At least we haven’t had any gun duels or civil wars in the newest century. I’m not going to write about what’s going on at the national level because others have already done so and with far more eloquently. Instead, let’s look closer to home. What’s happening in our own backyards: In our towns, counties and state? After all, national leaders start in small ponds, where we citizens can have a serious impact on them. This brings me to Sauk County Board. It’s an admittedly touchy subject, seeing as I cover it for not just the Reedsburg Independent but also our sister papers at News Publishing Inc. My greatest goal as a journalist is to be fair and unbiased, to make every effort to report facts in articles. My opinions are reserved for this column. This is so important that I try to practice it in my personal life: I strive to not jump to conclusions but rather consider all information and information. Like a Vulcan, I value logic over emotion when making decisions. For those reasons, I can’t comment on any of the investigations of the county. All I can do is report what’s shown in documents and meetings. I can share my thoughts on the county board’s behavior during recent meetings. It’s been increasingly disappointing to hear raised voices, interruptions, condescending tones and bitterness. This is not the way we were all taught in civics class. Robert’s Rules of Order exist for a reason. Disagreements occur. Emotions run high. Outrage happens. I get it; we all have those experiences. As a representative, however, it is your job to remain poised, avoid sarcasm and wait your turn to speak. Even if another person’s behavior proves wrong or even deplorable, you have to take the high ground. Grumbling, yelling, repeatedly interrupting and fist pounding may relieve some anger at the moment but they do nothing to solve the problem. It’s like when your car breaks down. You can swear, punch the steering wheel and bang on the hood or you can assess the situation, do some research and find out how to fix it. Who knows? It may be as simple as a bulb you can easily fix yourself at little cost. The situation may not be as bad as it seems. And if it is, well, that’s life. You grit your teeth, dig deep into your savings, borrow from someone or arrange a payment plan to cover the repairs. It may hurt but you’ll live. Breakdowns, both literally and figuratively, will happen both to us and around us. The question is: How do we respond to them?  Will you be the bigger man or woman, or will you demand a gun duel? Heather Stanek is editor of the Reedsburg Independent. Contact her at reedindy@newspubinc.com.