News Release
Finding Our Way Back to the Middle
By Representative Terry Stier
We are allowing politics to tear this country apart. Too often today, you are judged not by your character, your actions, or your ideas, but by whether there is an “R” or a “D” after your name. If you belong to one side, the other side hates you for it. And if you fall somewhere in the middle, where most Americans do, it feels like you are despised by both.
This is not how America was meant to be. Our nation was built on freedom: freedom to hold opinions, freedom to speak them, and freedom to disagree without fear of being judged or hated for it. Differences in perspective are not a weakness. They are part of the strength of a free society. The ability to have open dialogue, share competing ideas, and still respect each other at the end of the day is part of what has always made this country strong.
Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, we lost sight of that. We have allowed political identities to harden into personal ones. It has become common to assume the worst about someone just because they vote differently or watch a different news channel. That is not a path toward solving problems. It is a recipe for deeper division.
We need to find our way back to the middle. That does not mean abandoning your beliefs, but it does mean respecting others even when you disagree. It means recognizing that the person across the table, across the street, or even across the aisle is still your neighbor and still your fellow American. We all have families to raise, bills to pay, and communities we care about. Those shared experiences are far more important than the political battles that divide us.
As I travel throughout District 22B, I hear from people who want safe neighborhoods, strong schools, reliable healthcare, and a government that respects their hard-earned tax dollars. These are not Republican or Democrat issues. They are Minnesota issues. And most people I meet are far less interested in partisan games than they are in finding real solutions.
We can and must do better. There is no other option. If we want to preserve the country we love, we need to remember that unity does not mean uniformity. It means holding firm to our values while still finding common ground. That is what will keep Minnesota and America strong, and that is what I will continue to fight for at the Capitol.
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