Letter to the Editor - Bridges

You'll want to remember this moment. Help us record what's happening in Decorah. Dear Editor, During this Saturday's protest, on the College Drive Bridge in Decorah, I found a most unlikely ally, perhaps a new friend, and above all else, a small sliver of hope in these unprecedented times. She was wearing what many would describe as a MAGA hat, which had a patch that read "Don't Tread on Me," and was holding a sign in support of Charlie Kirk; her sons were by her side, holding the American Flag. I parked myself next to her, holding my "Empathy Rocks" sign and "America is a Democracy, not an Oligarchy," and for a while we stood on that bridge together in silence. Eventually, I turned to her and said. "Hey, thanks for standing with me to oppose gun violence in our country." She smiled and said, "Thanks." Over the course of the next hour, we talked about all the policies and ideas we could agree on….congressional term limits, health care for all, campaign finance reform, lifting children out of poverty. We talked of the irony of the death of Charlie Kirk on the same day that another mass shooting in schools happened in Colorado. We talked about how much we both wanted common-sense gun legislation. We talked about a lot of things during that unifying hour. In that moment, she was not "red." I was not "blue." We were just two moms on a bridge, upset about the escalation of violence in our country, upset about the hate, upset about the division, and casually finding the common ground between us. Right now, the algorithms are winning. While my new friend spent the week watching videos of how great a man Kirk was, I was watching endless clips of his vile rhetoric. We don't get the same information, not even close. But, standing side by side on Saturday, we engaged, sharing what each of us had experienced in this world, offering each other another point of view, compassion, and grace. We need more of this. More dialogue, less hate….more seeking to understand, more curiosity rather than judgement about those who are different than us, more time face to face. We need to stand on more bridges together. Emily Neal Decorah, Iowa Together, we build a stronger Decorah—contribute your voice by submitting a letter today!