By Katy Terry / For The Herald
Despite the political turmoil and decline of respectful public discourse in the nation, there are glimmers of hope in Washington state.
Our organization, the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, was created to carry on Sen. Jackson’s qualities of leadership, such as seeking out views from those who disagreed with him and taking a bipartisan, results-oriented approach to problem solving.
Many things have changed since Scoop Jackson passed away more than 40 years ago. Yet his model of public service — grounded in his experiences growing up in Everett — continues to inspire.
On a local level, there are steps being taken to bolster civility in Snohomish County. As an example, the Snohomish County Council recently passed a resolution to support a countywide citizen assembly, a promising way to move beyond partisan politics. The champions of that effort, Councilmembers Nate Nehring and Jared Mead, demonstrate how elected officials can find common ground even with ideological differences. They are also bringing this model to a younger generation through their Building Bridges Project, where students at Henry M. Jackson and Marysville Getchell High Schools are learning skills to address polarization.
Across the state, we see many efforts like these and a growing movement to embrace respect and civility. This is why the Jackson Foundation joined the Project for Civic Health, a partnership formed by Lt. Gov. Denny Heck, including his office, the University of Washington’s Evans School, The William D. Ruckelshaus Center, and us. Together, we have convened statewide summits and launched new programs to help focus on practical ways to find common ground to serve the public good.
We define civic health as “people treating each other with respect, serving the community, and working together, even when we disagree.” Through this partnership, we have found three principles that are central to civic health:
Engage with respect: Commit to fostering respectful conversations in public discussions.
Seek common ground: Work toward principled compromises whenever possible.
Disagree constructively: When agreement is not possible, remain respectful and constructive in differences.
We believe that these principles hold true, whether you are an elected official or a community member. If these resonate, you can be part of this movement.
Join us in building civic health; indicate your support for these principles and put them into practice. You’ll be joining others who care about creating a healthy public square.
Washington is a place of innovation. Let’s work together to model a new path; one that looks toward a healthier civic future. It starts with each of us.
Katy Terry is the executive director of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, and is a core partner in the Project for Civic Health.
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