OKLAHOMA CITY – Do you consider your world view as “black & white” versus “shades of gray?”
For my entire life, I can only remember a few times in my younger days that I felt so strongly about one side of an issue that it clouded me from seeing the other side of the story. In fact, the few times I took a hard line on something, I came around to see other perspectives and understood that someone somewhere would be hurt by not considering all sides of an issue.
I had the pleasure of attending “The Boys from Oklahoma” concert this past weekend in Stillwater. While there, I made some new friends who recognized me from my former service as a state representative. We had an enjoyable conversation that sparked writing this column.
After the introductions and pleasantries, light conversation about politics came up and two of them, lifelong best friends, shared their distinct political differences. What struck me was that this seems like a rarity these days as differing opinions have often divided up friends and family. I was happy to see that their friendship was strong enough to hold up against something like differing in their preferred political views.
Policymakers have that challenge, and many enter the fray feeling they need to have enemies to validate what they wish to achieve. The natural opponent in politics is a person who is a challenger in an election, be it in a party primary between those who belong to the same party or those in the other party should one make it to the General Election.
Only one wins the election, potentially leading to a grudge against the partisan opposition that can follow into political service. That is understandable as political parties often are the dividing line between views on multiple issues and can result in differing votes on issues. These differences often can become personal to policymakers who might champion an issue or stand devoutly against something.
Fortunately, there are incidents that serve as a reality check for many that there are things far more important than political divides.
One of those moments during this session was the passage of House Bill 1389, authored by Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa and Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City. This bill would guarantee coverage for low-dose mammography screenings for Oklahoma women to help detect breast cancer. Provenzano, about two months ago, underwent a mastectomy for stage one HER2-positive breast cancer.
“4,287 women were diagnosed [with breast cancer] this last year in the State of Oklahoma,” said Provenzano in her debate. “If this bill can help save a mom, I hope you’ll consider voting for it.”
The bill did pass, and it was unanimous with a 95-0 vote. One of her colleagues, Majority Floor Leader Rep. Josh West, R-Grove, summed it up best.
“Representative Provenzano, regardless of party lines, I guarantee it, I can speak for everyone, saying we all care about you,” West said.
I appreciate that sentiment more than I can convey in this column.
I am fortunate to work in a field (child advocacy) that often does not divide on party lines, albeit the pathway to solutions can have differing opinions. I have found it easy to visit with almost every lawmaker about most issues and am thankful when they think through the issues and what impact they will have on children, and with this bill, saving the lives of mothers.
Thank you to those who place good policy over party on both sides of the aisle when it comes to legislative solutions. And if you have lost a good friend over political differences, please consider a second chance.
