Squaretop Mountain stands over the Green River. (Angus M. Thuermer Jr./WyoFile)
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I’ve spent the last few weeks traveling Wyoming, holding listening sessions in Rock Springs, Cheyenne, Lander and Casper. What struck me in every town is how much we have in common. People care about their kids’ schools, about making sure we have good jobs that let them stay in Wyoming and about maintaining strong communities where we look out for each other.

Opinion

Those are the things we should be working on together. I want to work on them with my colleagues, and I know many of my colleagues want to work on these issues too. Some of them came to the listening sessions wanting to hear what their constituents wanted to say, and I commend them for joining so we can listen together.

What we heard from those communities was not partisan. Parents ask about whether their kids will want to stay in Wyoming, and how do we keep them here. Folks wondered how we make sure we have access to health care throughout the state. Others wanted to know how we ensure our public lands stay public so their children and grandchildren can hunt, fish and hike in the same places they go. Their priorities show there is a commonality throughout all of Wyoming.

Wyoming also sticks together in adversity. Whether it’s a landslide in western Wyoming or a blizzard that knocks out power in Cheyenne, Wyomingites don’t ask who you voted for before offering to pull your car out of the snow or to check the senior down the street to make sure they have enough stocked. We understand that there are times we need to stick together to get through a tough time and support our neighbors.

However, the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s death threatens to pull us further apart. The 24-hour commentary we tune into gives us what we want to hear, and conjures the villains we already expect to see. Don’t give in to it. Spend time with your neighbors, volunteer in your communities, get outside and enjoy your public lands. That is where we can find perspective and remember what matters.

The internet can fuel division and thrive on outrage. But here in Wyoming, I’ve seen firsthand that our communities want the same things. Those who want to divide us will try to use this moment to divide us even more. We don’t have to give in to that strife. We shouldn’t pit brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor. We are one country and one community.

Wyoming State Representative Mike Yin represents the residents of Jackson. In his third term, he currently sits on seven committees doing the work to serve his community and state as well as serving as...

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  1. Thanks Mike. You are a real tribute to the Democratic Party and to our State as a whole. Peace, Lorraine

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  3. Appreciate your thoughts Mike and also your hard efforts supporting our State. I’m a solid conservative, but definitely believe we need all points of view to be allowed w/o fear of retribution in sharing those views. It obviously provides balance to our perspectives and collective decisions.

    However, being a fairly regular below-the-line commenter on these pages, I’ve noticed a very strong trend here. Only one out of maybe 1-2 dozen comments will be from a conservative perspective. Given Wyoming is at least 70% conservative, this means these pages are too close to being just another echo chamber. The comments strongly trend so many times in very hateful, ad hominem, viscerally condescending tones.

    I brought my teenage son to Harriette’s townhall a few weeks ago. I was totally embarrassed at the screeching crowd cursing and screaming at our State Rep. Far beyond attempting a true dialog, the attacks were meant to intimidate and shut down any means of adult collaborative discussion. Harriette faces such abuse all across our State. After seeing what happened to Kirk, it may be time Harriette shuts down these townhalls. The risk of a lunatic stepping out and causing serious violence is too great. But unfortunately, I think that’s probably to end goal these nitwits have in mind. What a loss for us all, driven by these idiotic maniacs following Harriette around the State.

    For the normal Wyoming citizens, there’re no issues with us sharing peacefully our opinions from all perspectives. I think we really need to focus on these hateful few who seem to relish in constantly stirring up division. They can’t continue to behave like they’re still in middle school. Time to grow up.

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    1. You repeatedly post alt-right talking points. You regurgitate “alternative facts”. You attack those who don’t believe you as marxists, leftists, and communists.

      Instead of being embarrassed by people who call hageman out for her disservice to her constituents, you should be embarrassed that you are filling your son’s mind with the same political hyperbole and propaganda that you subscribe to.

      The hatred and vitriol that is displayed by you MAGA lemmings is far more destructive to a young mans mind than that of hearing from constituents concerns. You are not a victim. Quit teaching your son how to be one.

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        1. I don’t know if any points were made here Pete. I think Mike’s well written opinion went in one ear and out the other.

          Your first paragraph, I couldn’t agree more with. Unfortunately you then veered off into calling Hageman protestors “nitwits” and “idiotic maniacs”. They have just as much right to call Harriet out on what they feel is wrong in this country as you or I. While screaming probably isn’t the best approach to getting your point across, I understand their anger over what they’re seeing happening under this administration that she’s fully in support of.

          I don’t agree with Chuck calling you a “MAGA lemming” and telling you how to raise your son, but at the same time, he’s right in pointing out the very things many of us in this country are extremely concerned about right now that Hageman and others are promoting.

          It’s time, like you said, to “grow up” and instead of name calling, start paying very close attention to what’s really happening in this country (while we still have one). Maybe forget about being a “solid conservative” and be a good American. Unlike what this administration tells you, there are many good democrats that care about this country as much as you do. I’ve been a lifelong republican but I saw through the Trump-MAGA con when he first announced running for president so I’m hardly a left leaning liberal and I’m about as “normal” a Wyoming citizen as you’ll find. Call me a RINO if you’d like. I’d much prefer that to being associated with the MAGA movement.

          I’m not piling on Pete. I just read your piece and felt it deserved a response.

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      2. When I was on Facebook, I would comment on the right wing slant of CSD articles as they have no avenue for response unlike Wyofile. I find it telling that the Wyoming conservatives want to rid the landscape of any facts which might upset their extremely narrow minded world view.

        Harriet Hageman is hell bent on paying off her benefactors by selling our public lands and the Wyoming GOP will let it happen.

        I just took a look at Charlie Kirk’s presentation to the UVU student body prior to his shooting and if I ran the LDS church I might be a little ambivalent about losing that voice. He lambasted the tenants of the LDS church and yet not one Mormon has spoken up about his statements.

        https://mrm.org/charlie-kirk

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