In January of 2020 (which seems like a lifetime ago, not just four months), the Tillamook County Pioneer partnered with the Love Coalition to sponsor the “Civility Pledge” because at that time there was a great deal of divisiveness in our community due to the upcoming election.
NOW – fast forward four months, and months into a global pandemic and it seems that the divides have grown. So we are “resurrecting” and revisiting our Civility Pledge.
As we on the North Oregon Coast acknowledge the need to communicate our opinions, we will try to show kindness and empathy toward everyone regardless of their views, AND EVERY DAY FORWARD, let us remember our rights for Civility by making a Civility Pledge. And let us strive to keep the pledge throughout the coming years, though challenging it may be.
PLEASE SHARE — Feel free to print and display the Civility Pledge.
Civility Pledge
We believe we have the right to disagree with others.
We believe we do not have the right to use hateful, rude, angry and slanderous words and actions towards those with whom we disagree.
We believe we have the right to be angry or upset at situations we find distressing.
We believe we do not have the right to take our feelings out on others in destructive ways.
We believe we have the right to express our opinion.
We believe we do not have the right to use our opinions as weapons against those we perceive as our enemy because they don’t share our opinion.
We believe we have the right to be who we are.
We believe we do not have the right to judge others harshly in our thoughts, words or actions because they are different than us.
Here is a link to the Tillamook County Pioneer’s “Civility Pledge” page where you can “sign” the pledge. Periodically, the Pioneer will be providing updates on numbers of signers, first names and where they are from. Or you can do this privately. We sincerely hope you are willing to make The Pledge. And feel free to pass this on to whomever—we want to spread it far and wide!
We pledge to:
Speak and act with kindness and thoughtfulness.
Seek understanding.
Deal with our feelings in healthy ways.
Speak our truth using “I statements” (I feel…; this is how I see it…; My experience tells me…; this is what is true for me…)
Recognize there can be more than one truth in any situation.
Listen to another with open ears and hearts.
Seek solutions with consideration and collaboration.
Walk away when the situation is too much to handle.
Seek to understand someone who is different and try to see things from their point of view.
Agree to disagree and leave it at that.
Mission of the Love Coalition:
To cultivate community where we can show up without labels, connecting to one another through the spirit of love, offering acceptance without judgment and acknowledging our differences in a healthy way where we can learn and grow from each other, all while having the freedom to be authentic without fear of bias.
