Good timing for respectful dialogue

Turn on the national news and you'll likely hear elected officials and political pundits disagreeing with each other using strong words and angry tones. In our current political culture, it seems that louder is better and that compromise is a dirty word. But from city halls to Capitol Hill, elected officials can find common ground if they choose to listen with open minds.

As a Democrat and a Republican, the two of us share a friendly professionalism founded on mutual respect. In fact, it often surprises people when they learn we're Facebook friends. We understand that when our job titles are boiled down, the similarities outweigh the differences: We are public servants - elected by our constituents - trying to do right by our communities.

It's this focus on respectful conversation that makes Judson University's upcoming World Leaders Forum with former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Virginia Gov. Howard Dean so timely and exciting. These two men are the pre-eminent national example of cooperative conversation without compromising personal beliefs. Their political viewpoints rarely overlap, but they treat each other with respect. They do not resort to name calling or belittling each other. Rather, they engage in conversation that is rooted in critical thinking and mutual respect.

We are excited to experience a live conversation between these two leaders at the seventh World Leaders Forum on April 19, and we applaud Judson University in Elgin for hosting this important event at just the right time.

Republican State Sen. Karen McConnaughay, Geneva

Democratic State Sen. Cristina Castro, Elgin