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Illinois House Speaker Emauel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, last
week told the City Club of Chicago that Illinois has diverse
voices that must work together for the common good. But, he
said, politics is growing more divisive.
“And that is seeping into our daily lives,” Welch said. “You all
recognize it. You see it every day. You see it on social media.
You’ll see it after this speech.”
Former Republican Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar agreed that in the ebb
and flow of political discourse, things have “definitely ebbed.”
“We need to bring civility back,” Edgar said at a campaign event
in Springfield last week for Republican secretary of state
candidate Dan Brady.
Edgar said “today’s adversary might be tomorrow’s ally and you
don’t want to burn bridges.”
“You can’t compromise with somebody that’s just called you a
crook,” Edgar said. “It’s very hard if this person has attacked
you, that you’re going to trust them, that you’re going to deal
with them. So civility is key in a democracy.”
Welch said the way forward is not by “spreading lies,
misinformation and fear mongering.”
“Great leaders believe in civility, compassion and compromise,”
Welch said. “That’s our way forward.”
Discourse this election cycle around public safety has heated up
with debate over the no-cash bail and other provisions in the
SAFE-T Act that takes effect in the new year.
Republican attorney general candidate Thomas DeVore, who held a
news conference critical of the SAFE-T Act that was disrupted by
a protester last week, also called for civility. The protester,
he said, didn’t deserve to have his sign knocked out of his
hands by others who attended the event, and everyone has a right
to protest peacefully.
Greg Bishop reports on Illinois government and
other issues for The Center Square. Bishop has years of
award-winning broadcast experience and hosts the WMAY Morning
Newsfeed out of Springfield.
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