In these turbulent political times, Lewis County, and our nation, needs voices of calm more than ever.
The recent exchange at the Board of Lewis County Commissioners meeting, where protesters challenged Commissioner Sean Swope over immigration and homeless policy and Swope responded sharply, shows how quickly disagreements can spiral into mistrust and fear.
Residents have the right to speak their concerns, and elected officials have the right to defend their record. But when signs, podium comments and official responses grow charged, the temperature rises. Commissioner Swope linked a citizen’s sign to the recent assassination of activist Charlie Kirk by saying, “This is the kind of stuff that just got Charlie Kirk killed,” while protesters made their charges: “Swope has said things that bring harm to the immigrant and to the homeless.” Both statements, however heartfelt, risk hardening divisions rather than opening understanding.”
Across the country, we see how easily words become weapons. Pew Research finds nearly two-thirds of Americans feel “exhausted” by politics. Harvard’s Negotiation Project notes escalation often begins with “attribution error”: assuming the worst motives in an opponent. Neuroscience shows that when people feel threatened, their brains shift from reasoning to fight-or-flight responses. Leaders and citizens alike must interrupt this cycle.
Commissioner Swope is right to worry about violence in public life. Protesters are right to demand compassion for immigrants and neighbors experiencing homelessness. Both truths can coexist. What we need now is not sharper replies but a shared commitment to lowering the temperature. That means county commissioners modeling restraint and empathy even when criticized, and citizens crafting signs and comments that challenge policy without demeaning people. It requires people responding on social media to not attack, demean or vilify others.
I say this not as someone who has always stayed calm, but as someone who has failed at times. I have raised my voice, rushed to judgment, and let frustration drive my words. Admitting that isn’t comfortable, yet it reminds me that if I can slip into anger, anyone can. Recognizing my own weakness makes clear how vital it is for all of us, leaders and residents alike, to pause, breathe, and choose patience before we speak.
This is not a partisan plea. Democrats and Republicans alike must take an active stance in de-escalation.
National leaders from both parties, from President Biden to former President George W. Bush, have warned that democracy depends on treating opponents as fellow citizens, not enemies. Locally, we can begin by hosting structured dialogues where critics and officials sit at the same table with clear rules of respect where they share ideas, make room for rebuttal, listen and work towards respectful progress.
Lewis County faces real challenges. Solving them requires focus, creativity, and cooperation. Let’s not allow our words to build walls higher than the issues already standing between us.
Calm is not weakness. It is strength.
Let’s insist that our leaders, and ourselves, practice it.
Matt Evans
Centralia
