Providence Mayor Brett Smiley: “Let’s return to a politics of respect, compassion”
Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Providence, RI Mayor Brett Smiley published an op-ed in the Providence Journal calling for a politics that is compassionate and respectful, even where people disagree.
As Mayor Smiley said, “While our politics may have changed over the past two decades, I do not believe it is irreparable. Let’s return to a politics of respect and thoughtful disagreement. Let’s let tragedies be tragedies and refuse to let them be exploited for political means. And let’s return our collective focus to what matters – improving the lives of people in our community.”
More than two decades ago, I got my start in politics as a campaign manager for a long-shot congressional race in Illinois. It was 2004, and despite the reelection of President George W. Bush, who brought our country into an unwinnable war in the Middle East, there was hope. We flipped that seat, and on the same day, Illinois elected a new U.S. Senator by the name of Barack Obama.
I have always known that public service was my calling, and that experience confirmed it. Sure, there were divisions, differences, and disagreements among and across political parties, but they were grounded in respect – a thoughtful back-and-forth between opposing perspectives on how to improve the lives of people in our community.
Sadly, that type of thoughtful disagreement has all but evaporated from today’s political landscape, replaced by an unprecedented hatred and vitriol that is sowing division, poisoning our political system, and preventing progress on issues that matter to families across our country.
We saw that firsthand in Providence this week, when a mural on the side of a building became a flashpoint in a national culture war. The murder of Iryna Zarutska is a tragedy, and her story deserves to be told. Instead, her death has been needlessly politicized by President Trump who is intent on spreading misinformation to foment division and by billionaires like Elon Musk using their wealth to support his agenda of discord and disunity.
An unfinished mural in Providence of murdered Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, photographed March 30, sparked controversy because it is one of dozens across the country funded by Elon Musk. Artist Ian Gaudreau says he is looking to complete it at a new location.
That is exactly what I said when asked about my thoughts on this mural, and the reaction was staggering. Right-wing media outlets twisted my words to further politicize this tragedy. Thousands of people flooded social media and assailed city staff with homophobia, antisemitism, and other forms of hate speech. I received dozens of violent threats directed at me and my family.
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Unfortunately, this story is not unique in today’s politics. We saw it during the tragic shooting at Brown University and we saw it when the City Council raised a flag over City Hall. While the scale and significance of these events differed, they all yielded targeted attacks on individuals and communities.
That is the sad reality of our current political system, but it doesn’t need to be. If a single mural can engender such hostility, how can we expect to find common ground on the issues that really impact our lives – housing, lowering costs, safety, education?
While our politics may have changed over the past two decades, I do not believe it is irreparable. Let’s return to a politics of respect and thoughtful disagreement. Let’s let tragedies be tragedies and refuse to let them be exploited for political means. And let’s return our collective focus to what matters – improving the lives of people in our community.
Regardless of your political party or ideology, surely we can all agree that it’s time to turn down the temperature and bring back compassion and understanding to our political system. And there’s no better place to start than Providence.
Our Capital City is a fabric of neighborhoods, cultures, and perspectives, and that diversity is our strength. Time and time again, we come together in tough times and lift up one another. Providence was founded on the virtues of tolerance and acceptance, and we have lived up to these values for hundreds of years. Now more than ever, we must once again embrace our founding virtues and show the country what it means to fight for progress without fighting one another.
In this moment of hatred and division, I am prouder than ever to call Providence my home, and I know that our city can be a catalyst for change. I hope you will join me in that commitment.
Brett P. Smiley is the Democratic Mayor of Providence.
