Letters to the editor: Words matter on way to more robust civility

Our country continues to go through a traumatic time. Nobody in Congress trusts anyone, and hatred for the other party seems the norm. Very few people are willing to compromise.

I think the biggest problem we have is that too many politicians, ads, news media, and even local reporters/contributors have forgotten a lot of decent vocabulary in exchange for mean spiteful words.

I wish we could start changing our thoughts, and here are some of the words/phrases I think we could start using again: I’m sorry. I made a mistake. You were right. I was wrong. Let’s compromise. I accept your apology. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I won’t hold it against you. I don’t agree with you, but I accept your thinking. Let’s work together. I’ll try to do better. I shouldn’t have said that. I shouldn’t have written that. And, finally: Let’s do what’s best for our country.

I believe that if all of us would just stop and kindly consider the best way to convey our thoughts, our plans and our views so that we can again move our democracy forward, it would make a big difference. Isn’t living in a free democracy what our goal should be? I hope we can all pause, re-evaluate our goals and again become “One Nation Under God” and work to make it better for everyone. Thank you.

Bill Zelazny,

Cromwell