“E Pluribus Unum.” Out of many, one. This Latin motto is not just etched on the Great Seal of the United States, but a promise of what America is meant to be.

It captures both the challenge and the promise of our democracy: that people from a diverse array of backgrounds, political beliefs, and faiths can come together to form a single people, bound by our shared identity as Americans.

That promise feels tested today. At times, our civic discourse has become so poisoned that we lose sight of our common bonds. Anger, suspicion, and contempt too often eclipse the respect necessary for democracy to function. When disagreement hardens into dehumanization, we risk forgetting the very principle that has sustained our republic for nearly 250 years.

Recent tragedies have reminded us of the fragility of our civic fabric. The violent deaths of public figures like Charlie Kirk and former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives Melissa Hortman are not only devastating losses for their families and communities — they are scars on our democracy. Moreover, political violence against ordinary people, both here and abroad, continues daily. Whether one agrees with another’s views or not, the fact that political violence has claimed any lives should alarm us all. Such acts strike at the very heart of democratic society, where debate must be resolved with ballots, not bullets.

Related Story: RIP, Charlie Kirk. He Practiced Politics the Right Way

Maddy Institute Champions Identifying Common Ground

It should go without saying, and yet it must be said clearly again and again: Political violence is unacceptable. Always. Without exception.

Just several weeks ago, at The Maddy Institute’s Annual Sacramento Reception, incoming Assembly Minority Leader Heath Flora posed a question that feels especially relevant now: What would Ken Maddy do? The late Senator Ken Maddy, for whom the Institute is named, built his career not on tearing down opponents but on building trust and identifying common ground to solve problems. He argued his principles vigorously, but he also forged genuine friendships across party lines. Those friendships and mutual trust made effective governance possible, and it gave his colleagues confidence that disagreements would never devolve into hostility.

Sen. Maddy’s example reminds us that political discourse is often about weighty, deeply personal issues — immigration, healthcare, the economy, national security, human rights — that touch people’s lives in profound ways. These debates stir strong emotions because they matter, and the lives they affect matter. But precisely because they matter, we must approach them with civility, humility, and a willingness to understand one another.

We Must Bridge Political Divides to Make America Stronger

Here in the San Joaquin Valley, we understand the necessity of transcending political divides for the greater good. Our region depends on partnerships between neighbors of every party and perspective. When one group refuses to hear another, the Valley suffers. When we collaborate, the Valley thrives. Embodying “The Maddy Way”, the Valley can be a model for the kind of civil discourse America so desperately needs.

The question before us, then, is the same one Assemblymember Flora asked: What would Ken Maddy do? He would reject violence. He would choose civility, trust, and respect. And he would remind us of the motto that has guided our nation from its founding: that while we are many, we are still one.

About the Author

Blake Zante is the executive director of the Kenneth L. Maddy Institute, a nonpartisan public policy institute affiliated with Fresno State, UC Merced, CSU Stanislaus, CSU Bakersfield, and the State Center Community College District.