Reunited And It Feels So Good
The journal entry below features the text of remarks on unity as prepared for delivery by Marcie Lynch Assetta. She delivered this speech in Centre County, Pennsylvania on May 21, 2022 to an audience that included eighteen county chairs of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. Marcie is a current congressional campaign staffer and a newly elected State Committee person for Elk County and has fifteen years of professional experience in American politics. While the audience for this speech was Republican,* the pursuit of unity that she articulates applies to all Americans regardless of party affiliation. Her remarks have been slightly edited for clarity and concision.
*Liberatus is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and does not endorse or oppose candidates for office or proposed legislation.
Reunited and it Feels So Good
Hello friends! For those of you who do not know me, I am Marcie Assetta. I am a newly elected State Committee person from Elk County, but I grew up right here in Centre County. I welcome you to my home turf, and hope you will find inspiration in my words.
Hear the good news!
We had many outstanding candidates and dedicated staffers during this primary and for that, we should celebrate and be grateful! We had more diversity in our party than I can ever remember. More enthusiasm, more energy and more passion. For the office of Governor alone, we had one candidate born in Africa and another born in Brazil! But we also had more division than I can remember. The critical key is this – how do we bring everyone together under the same tent? Political success requires building coalitions and expanding membership.
So how do we do that?
It starts with being inclusive. Accepting the people who, just five days ago, were the opposition. I think it’s helpful to think of us as a choir. A choir is made up of different voices – sopranos, altos, baritones, basses. A choir sings the same words in different tones or notes, they work together, and eventually it comes together as a beautiful song.
We, the Republican Party, can do that. But first we have to accept everyone in the choir, and that’s easier said than done.
This is going to require some self-reflection. I ask each of you, did you say or type something hurtful to a volunteer or candidate that maybe your Gramma wouldn’t have approved of? Did you pick up an opponent’s sign or place your candidate’s sign right smack beside it? Was every action you took politically, during the primary, pleasing to God? Reflect on that. If you were unkind, it’s never too late to do what I call a one-on-one. Invite that person to coffee or lunch and have a conversation. Apologize. Forgiveness is powerful. Relationships are critical in the political process, and we need to work on building bridges if we are to move forward in a positive and healthy manner. Forgiveness has tentacles like the roots of a Redwood forest. Redwoods stay standing because their shallow roots intertwine with the roots of other redwood trees and they literally hold each other up. They intertwine and keep the forest stronger. We are all leaders in this pavilion. We need to take the high road, and do the right thing. Be like a redwood.
If you’re married, you may have spent a night or two on the couch at some point in your relationship. Couples don’t always agree. We argue and we’re passionate about our opinions. But every good marriage has give and take, and in the end, aren’t we all happier when we’re reunited and doesn’t it feel so good?
Next step: we work on our listening skills. Why? Because doing so helps us find common ground. And common ground is a starting point for repairing a broken relationship, or beginning a new relationship. I worked the polls with a Democrat who had a sign around her neck on a chain – quite effective – that said “Ask me about write-ins for DEMOCRATS.” The [Democratic Party is] running write-in campaigns against my State Rep in Elk County, and also for the 15th Congressional District. That’s Congressman GT Thompson’s district, and for those who don’t know, I am his campaign director. The gal, whose name is Gail, was cordial and I had to approach a variety of topics and ask a lot of questions until I finally found some common ground. We are both SHORT! So we commiserated about how hard it is to get that last little sock out of the washing machine and the conversation turned away from our differences, and toward commonality.
Listening is important and we have to be willing to do it more often and with respect for others.
Next step in the process of coming together in the big tent: Reagan’s 11th Commandment. Can you believe this was from 1966? Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republicans.
And I might add, if you hear someone doing it, speak up! You can simply say – That’s not helpful. So let’s stop the name calling. RINO comes to mind. How do we build coalitions when we’re calling our leaders RINOs? We don’t. How do we accomplish successes, some come in the form of baby steps, when we fight and label elected officials establishment? Folks, you can’t throw a blanket over every elected official, gather them up and toss them out. Because what do you lose? Institutional knowledge is lost. Critical relationships are lost. And what do you gain? Political newbies with no mentors. That’s what we gain. And that is detrimental to making good policy. I return to being inclusive. It takes all flavors of Republicans – colors, ages, genders – to advance our principles. We simply have to act out of love and not hate.
Let’s all resolve to be a part of the solution moving forward, and not a part of the problem. Division is a choice. Exclusion is a choice. Inclusion is a choice and it’s my prayer that we can enter into self-reflection, become better listeners, find common ground and move forward in a positive and healthy manner for the good of all Pennsylvanians.
WEEKLY ACTION POINT:
Read more on how we can pursue unity:
For background perspective on how and why followers of Christ can and should get involved in politics with unity as the driving motive, read Not In It To Win It by Andy Stanley.
Issue 019: The Trailhead—Leadership for American Unity is a companion series to Liberatus Volume One, and both were made possible by the many contributors to and creators of Liberatus over the last seven years. To inspire American unity in your community, get a copy of Volume One, share it with your friends, family, and colleagues, give directly to the mission by donating or setting up a recurring contribution as a Liberatus Advocate, or help lead our country to unity by applying to join the Liberatus Leadership Council.
The Mission: To create a culture of American unity for the next generation by producing content, experiences, and leaders that inspire it today. Our goal is to publish a high-quality, biannual illustrated journal and to give 20% of the funds received for copies ordered on the Liberatus website to partner organizations* creating a culture of American unity across the United States.
HOW DO YOU CREATE A CULTURE OF UNITY?
If you have professional experience in American politics or government, you can add your ideas to the series. To get started writing to inspire unity and work with us to reach the goal of biannual publication of illustrated journals, apply to join the Liberatus Leadership Council.
Mission: Inspire American Unity
Create a culture of American unity for the next generation by producing content, experiences, and leaders that inspire it today.
Journal Entry #127
ISSUE 019: THE TRAILHEAD—LEADERSHIP FOR AMERICAN UNITY, PART 4
