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Last December, the McConnell Center took the Freshman and Sophmores on its semi-annual trip to Washington DC. When I learned of the trip, I was extremely excited for all of the tours and opportunities planned for our visit to the capital. Despite my excitement, there was one thing that I was dreading deeply: the bus ride. Dr. Gregg had promised a mobile seminar about George Washington on the way there, and while I would normally appreciate the history, something about being motion sick and tired while listening to Dr. Gregg lecture about Washington’s Rules of Civility didn’t pique my excitement (sorry GLG!). Despite my apprehension however, this bus ride taught me a paramount lesson, one that I feel has yet to have been learned by many of my fellow Americans.
Leaving from UofL’s campus, the bus departed at 6:00am on December 11. Slowly but surely, we made progress chugging along the highways and eventually we left Kentucky behind and entered into West Virginia. I paid special attention as we crossed into the state, as the itinerary of our Capitol Building tour had already been sent. One of the biggest names on this list (besides Mitch McConnell) was Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia. We passed through Charleston and I glimpsed the beautiful golden dome of the State Capitol and we continued on our way into the mountains. Looking out the window, we passed small town after small town, each nestled into the sides of the hills. It was obvious what these towns' economies relied on, as some of the only industries I could see were coal related machinery or coal storage. We continued driving, seeing breathtaking scenery on the snowy mountains, fearing about the state of the bus’ breaks as we rolled down steep hills, and despite my worries, listening to a very enjoyable seminar from Dr. Gregg about his connection to George Washington. We passed through Virginia and before I knew it, we had made it to DC.
Later that week, we were shown around the cavernous and breathtaking chambers of the United States Capitol. After completing our tour, we were sat in a meeting room where we awaited our guest speakers. After a few Senators came and spoke, Mitch McConnell led in the next speaker, Sen. Joe Manchin, or as he introduced him, “the most interesting Democrat in the Senate.” Senator Manchin gave short remarks about his experiences working as a Senator and then he turned it over to us for questions. Inevitably, his stance on energy politics came up and he explained how he supported a fight against climate change, but people dependent on coal or non-renewables couldn't be abandoned in the process. As he was talking, I thought back to my long bus ride through his home state. Driving through the mountains, I saw plenty of small towns entirely dependent on coal and the economic development it brings to their communities. I saw many communities that would struggle to transition when coal was phased out. I then thought about my own beliefs on energy policy. While I supported and continue to support renewable and clean energy sources in this country, I completely understood the reasoning and thought behind why he votes the way he does in Congress. This was the man that had been labeled as “hated by his party,” but in reality, he is a man that looks at the specific needs of the people he is representing, and acts on them. While I still do not agree with most of his opinions on renewable energy and the path to curtail climate change, I completely understand and respect his opinion on the matter. As a Senator from West Virginia, there is no reason why he would want to end coal’s influence and dominance in this country.
This was the great lesson taught to me by the bus ride. While there will inevitably be disagreements in this country about large issues, in every case, perspective is always needed in order to understand your opponent. In the majority of cases, people who disagree with you have valid experiences that have formed their opinions, and despite disagreement, they should be respected. I was given perspective about Sen. Manchin’s opinions when I rode through the mountains in his state. This allowed me to better understand his position on energy, and in turn, allowed me to respect his position more. Perspective is something that should always be acquired, and many Americans caught up in the partisan tribalism in this country need to learn that. As a society, if we were to gain more understanding about other’s beliefs, we would be a whole lot better off down the road. Maybe all Americans should load up in a bus and drive ten hours cross country, it would do us all a lot of good.