Yelling obscenities counterproductive

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees people the right to peaceable assembly.

The protests at U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman’s town hall meetings in Laramie and Rock Springs last month were anything but peaceable.

Angry demonstrators disrupted the meetings to the extent the public gatherings had to be moved online, and several of her subsequent town halls with in-person access to Hageman were moved to online only.

It’s a pity that a handful of rude people can take away the opportunity for the rest of us to participate in in-person town halls with our elected officials. The chance to interact with them face to face is invaluable.

Citizens of the U.S. have the right to protest our government. That is another right guaranteed by the constitution.

However, we fail to see how screaming expletives at an elected official, flashing obscene hand gestures, and yelling so loudly nobody can be heard will convert anyone’s viewpoint.

In most cases the opposite is true. Those being screamed at hold tighter to their views and the undecideds discredit the screamers.

Politics has always been contentious and brought out the worst in people especially on the fringes of all political parties.

It’s not a new thing.

Opponents were whacking each other over the head with their canes 200 years ago in Congress. Those actions didn’t change anyone’s opinion either.

Calm, rational discourse and listening to others’ opinions are a vastly superior method of getting one’s viewpoint heard and accepted.

An old English proverb says, “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.”

It means you can achieve your goals more effectively by being gentle and persuasive and listening to others, rather than being rude and aggressive.

One of the characteristics the late Sen. Alan Simpson was praised for at ceremonies honoring him last week was his willingness to listen to, work with and treat respectfully people who didn’t agree with him.

We could all take a lesson.