U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) and his wife, Shannon, on Sunday joined WCIA3's Capitol Connection to discuss Shannon's recent op-ed in the State Journal-Register about how political rhetoric impacts their family and how we can work together to combat hate.
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The following are excerpts from Shannon Davis' op-ed in the State Journal-Register published on Oct. 13:
On June 14 at 6:10 a.m., I was on my way to work in Springfield when I answered the worst phone call I’ve ever received. The call was from my husband Rodney, telling me that there had been a shooting at the baseball practice...
I would later learn that a politically-motivated gunman had opened fire on Republican members of Congress practicing for the annual Congressional Baseball Game, where Republicans and Democrats play each other for charity...
Tragically, two weeks ago, our country experienced another mass shooting...
...In the coming weeks, the FBI and lawmakers will gather and asses the evidence...But how do our lawmakers regulate hate? Hate for a political belief or party, hate for a religion, hate for a lifestyle, or a hatred of freedom.
Five years ago my husband decided to run for Congress...we knew Rodney would face criticisms that we would have to explain to our three teenagers. However, I never imagined the level of vitriol and divisiveness that exists today...
...We’ve had more threats reported and investigated against our family and Rodney’s staff this year than ever before. More prevalent than serious threats though, are hateful social media posts. Facebook comments and tweets from people writing that members on the baseball field that day deserved it because of their politics, or that flags were at half-staff to honor the attacker...
Hate can’t be regulated. It’s on our elected officials to lead by example and for all Americans to show respect for one another, even when we disagree...
I am proud of Rodney for publicly calling on his colleagues to tone down the rhetoric, for practicing what he preaches, and for preventing people across the political spectrum from using his social media as a platform to spread hate...
...Let’s be tolerant of one another, appreciate our differences, and have civil debates while understanding that being an American means we have more in common than not.
Read the entire op-ed here.
