I never thought I would say this, but I applaud the actions of a Republican U.S. senator: Dave McCormick. By meeting with Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, to have a conversation free of hate and malice, he has shown me and many others that being a civilized, ethical politician may not be an impossible dream after all.

During my work with The Borgen Project, a bipartisan nonprofit, I have come to realize the world is much greater than “Democrats vs. Republicans.” People are too complex to neatly fit into two categories that were never meant to be all-defining.

For example, foreign aid is not universally accepted by all Democrats and rejected by all Republicans. While Fetterman’s support is broader than McCormick’s, both agree on its role in national security. In fact, McCormick opposed cuts to PEPFAR, understanding the importance of maintaining global health initiatives and strengthening bonds with U.S. allies.

Finally, we’d do well to cease personal and physical attacks against others who disagree with our worldview. Encouraging more violence diminishes all the progress America has made over almost 2½ centuries. Are we not better than that?

Johanna Arredondo

Venetia

The writer is a journalist with The Borgen Project.

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