2017/06/19 - Mayor's Column: We Must Respect One Another

“An Open Door to O’Fallon”
A Weekly Note from O’Fallon Mayor Herb Roach

On the same day that I was holding my inaugural monthly weeknight office hours (a promise I made to the residents of O’Fallon during my campaign), the shooting of Congressman Steve Scalise, congressional staffers, and two Capital Police Officers occurred in Alexandria, Virginia.

Within a few hours of the first news reports, I received concerned calls from my family questioning if I should still hold office hours by myself, or whether I should continue to hold them at all, for fear of safety.

Has the polarization of political views become so volatile that representatives of the people and their family members must fear for their safety? Has the media, political hate speeches and articles, and entertainers fed into a storyline that we act within a broken system beyond repair? Is it possible that the rancor has fed the frenzy leading people to commit tragedies, similar to what happened in Alexandria?

If this continues, will good caring citizens want to be involved in public service?

We must take it upon ourselves to halt the vindictiveness that now exists in politics and start developing an understanding that having multiple opinions on a subject is a positive, not a negative. Multiple opinions, and viewpoints, allows for good open discussion which should in turn lead to better decision making.

In O’Fallon, we just had a very aggressive campaign and election for Mayor. Less than three days after the final election results, my opponent, Mr. Phil Goodwin and I had genuine discussion on shared goals, vision, and of course, relief that the grueling campaign and election season was over. We shook hands and set forth a partnership focused on doing what is best for O’Fallon and its residents.

Mr. Goodwin and I may have different viewpoints, but we both agree that we want what is best for O’Fallon. After the election was over, and the final vote was counted, we put aside our differences and immediately began working together. This is the way politics should be.

Unfortunately, instead of putting aside differences and working together, politics has become more polarized than ever, which has never been more evident than it is right now in Washington D.C. and Springfield, Illinois. Is this polarization the reason why people become so frustrated with Washington and Springfield?

Our country was not founded on being a Republican, or a Democrat. It was built on freedom of speech, and equal representation. We need get back to being civil with one another and respect that even though we may not agree, each person is entitled to their opinions and viewpoints. I believe that this change must begin with every one of us. We must all adhere to the words of the late Thomas Paine when he said, “Give to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself.”

I intend to keep my campaign promise of being more accessible. I will be hosting weeknight and weekend hours, as well as quarterly town hall meetings, throughout the year.

• Weeknight office hours: Second Wednesday of each month, 5 – 7 p.m. at City Hall
• Weekend office hours: Fourth Saturday of each month, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at City Hall
• Town Hall Meetings: Held quarterly. The first one will be on July 19, 2017 at 7 p.m. at the Public Safety Building (285 N. Seven Hills Road).

As residents of O’Fallon, you should always be able to reach out to your elected officials and ask questions about what is happening in O’Fallon. Having open communications is important to me and something I care very deeply about. Thank you for reading, and please remember, my door is always open!