Councilmember Valerie Ervin Talks Political Civility
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| County Councilmember Valerie Ervin |
County Councilmember Valerie Ervin (D-Dist 5) was the most recent guest speaker for Leadership Montgomery’s County-wide Choose Civility initiative. During her talk, which took place on the Montgomery County Campus, Ervin focused on her personal experiences with civility in the political arena.
“The importance of civility in public interaction is an issue I see bubbling up in the County, especially lately,” Ervin said. “People are extremely frustrated with the downturn in the economy, with increases in property tax, and with people questioning what they’re getting out of their taxes. They don’t know where to direct their anger, and so it comes out in public, and civility goes out the window.”
As a result, Ervin has challenged herself to model the behavior she wants to receive back. And she says she’s doing so by getting more engaged with her community.
“I go to as many civic organization meetings as possible,” she said. “I go to one or two every week. People can also come to me. I have an open door policy.”
One issue that has arisen during these meetings is the County’s shifting demographics.
“You have to ask yourself how you can begin to have civil conversations about the County’s changing demographics,” she said. “These are the conversations that touch on people’s fears and anxieties about their community.”
Ervin emphasized that face-to-face communication is essential in facilitating civil interactions.
“It’s so easy to say negative things online and on listservs,” she said. “Often misinformation begins with a passing comment in writing that, because it’s in writing, becomes a fact, albeit an incorrect one. But the more you talk to people face-to-face and the more you know who the people are ‘behind the wall,’ the better the conversation and the result.
“It’s worth the hard work,” she added. “Sometimes we have to do things that are uncomfortable for us. Civility is about breaking down the barriers between people.”
She closed with a challenge to the County, its leaders, and its residents: “The move toward increased civility is a paradigm shift that needs to happen in Montgomery County.”
Find out more about the Choose Civility initiative. |
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