WASHINGTON (RNS) — When conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed at a campus event in Utah in September, the first call Gov. Spencer Cox received was from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
That gesture to a Republican governor from a Democrat whose governor’s mansion was attacked months earlier after he had just concluded a Passover Seder has led the two men to establish a united front against political violence and for depolarization.
“I don’t care what color his politics are,” Cox said, sitting next to Shapiro on Tuesday (Dec. 9) at an event titled “Toward a Better Politics” at Washington National Cathedral. “In that moment, we were two Americans who were deeply saddened and struggling. And I’m grateful that there’s somebody I can trust even though we disagree on a lot of things. We agree on this thing.”
The discussion — a part of the cathedral’s “A Better Way” speaker series — was held as studies show Americans believe politically motivated violence is rising.
“At a time of increased polarization, mistrust and political violence, we believe there is a better way to live together as Americans, a better way to learn from each other, a better way to find a way forward together to protect the integrity of our democracy,” said cathedral Dean Randy Hollerith at the beginning of the 9 …