In a move to champion nonviolence and bipartisanship, Mayor Donna Deegan joins hands with 230 mayors across the political spectrum, signing what is now known as the Oklahoma City Declaration. The document stands as a testament to the unified stance against the increasing political hostility threatening to undermine the fabric of American democracy. As reported by the Jacksonville government's official website, this pact, inked at the historic Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, sends a clear message: the commitment to the American values of compromise, truth, and civility must outshine the specter of political violence.
This declaration, reaching across the aisles of divergent political views, was a move to significantly to reaffirm the ideal that through constructive debate and respect for diversity, our democracy can thrive without resorting to division and violence. The mayors celebrated the history of American democracy, which has been "an outlier in human history," and recognized it as an "alternative to political violence," according to the official City of Jacksonville government news release. However, they also stressed the need to maintain a respect for the diverse backgrounds and beliefs that define the nation.
The ten-point Oklahoma City Declaration is a pledge by the mayors to renounce any form of political violence, defend civility, and uphold the tenets of truth against the rise of dehumanizing rhetoric and fearmongering. They stand united in rejecting any attempts to demonize groups and vowed collectively to defend the truth and celebrate restraint. "We are humans first, Americans second, and partisans last," emphasizes the collective voice of the signatories, as they call for increased understanding and empathy amongst political peers, as per the City of Jacksonville website.
Echoing the sentiments of her fellow leaders, Mayor Donna Deegan stated, "At some point we have to start seeing each other's humanity." According to an interview on the City of Jacksonville news release, she continued to assert that "I know these are difficult times, but even in our passionate disagreements we won't find our way back with hate for each other. Let's choose love over fear. It has never been more important than it is now."
