Kentucky needs ‘change in our culture and in our hearts’ that new laws can’t provide.

As most elected officials close out their careers, they take time to look upon what they have accomplished and take a metaphorical victory lap of having their back slapped, either by others or themselves. After serving 24 years in the Kentucky General Assembly, I can honestly see the appeal and the ease of doing such. However, over the past few months I have been trying to take a hard and earnest look of what we still need in our Commonwealth. I believe, more than anything, we need a change in our culture and in our hearts that no legislation could ever accomplish.

The past six months have been trying times for us all. A pandemic, a breakdown of race relations, an extremely polarizing presidential election; any of those would have been enough added turmoil to our society. For them all to happen within such a short period is more than we should have to bear simultaneously.

While there have been many negative aspects of all of those issues, the positive is they have helped expose who we are as a people, both individually and collectively, and what our shortcomings are. Through news outlets and social media we have quickly learned that many are hesitant to stand up for what is right for risk of offending some within their own political tribe. And, while not surprising, we have also learned there are many in the political realm who, rather than show true leadership, are quick to exploit the worst situations to score cheap points.

These negative characteristics are not limited to one political party or philosophy. Rather, we have seen people on both sides of the aisle engage in such reprehensible tactics. When Republican leaders refuse to denounce acts of white supremacy among its extreme fringes, hate is empowered. When Democrat leaders refuse to denounce lawlessness, violence and contempt for law enforcement among its extreme fringes, hate is empowered. And when this hate finds a sliver of empowerment, it spreads like a cancer until it reaches into the depths of peoples’ souls. When hate reigns, it wins, and our country suffers, perhaps irreparably.

When I see a legislator claim on social media that our Commonwealth aches from “pathetic leadership” on the part of others, but they have refused to denounce clear acts of white supremacy among their colleagues for fear of political repercussions, I am disappointed. How difficult should it be to make a stand and say that hate is wrong, no matter in what form it exposes itself?

At the end of my legislative career, I have come to realize what I am going to miss most is the camaraderie among a group of people who mostly sought office simply to help their neighbors, and Kentucky, achiever greater possibilities. There was a time that we knew how to debate an issue, sometimes strongly, but come together and bond over similarities when that debate was over. As I watch that slowly disappear, I grieve for not only what it says about us as the General Assembly, but for what it says about us as a society.

I long for the day to return when everything is not couched in political terms. I yearn for the moment we cast off our hatred of who we perceive as the opposition. I crave a future when the extremes on both ends of the political spectrum are no longer pandered to, and those who espouse hate are condemned rather than praised.

This is what I want. This is what I believe Kentuckians want. More importantly, though, I think we all know it is what we need.

Jeff Hoover is a State Representative for the 83rd District. He resigned as House Speaker in 2018. He is not running for re-election in 2020.