Watching the news of yet another school shooting and reading Bill Christopher’s May 17 column and his “Shame on the Republicans” comment about the defeated “Red Flag” bill, I wondered how we can bring our society together on guns or any of a myriad of other issues.

Arthur Brooks of the American Enterprise Institute has defined the problem. He called the problem Moral Motive Asymmetry. Simply put, Brooks says too many conversations never begin because we think our motives are moral while those that disagree with us are motivated by evil.

Returning to the “Shame on the Republicans” comment, does Bill truly believe that Republicans do not want to combat gun violence? Does Bill think Republicans are indifferent to people dying? If Bill does, he will never even begin a conversation with Republicans or anyone else that does not parrot his opinion.

This is the contempt for others that is dividing our society. This is contempt for someone different that I experienced on Westminster City Council. They would not even talk with me. This is either irony or hypocrisy from a Council that claims to support inclusion and honoring diversity.

I suggest (again) the way forward is to value and listen to all members of our society. We gain and build bonds by listening to those that disagree with us, but only if we explore the reasons we disagree. To begin that dialogue, I ask Bill to tell us if he thinks Republicans have evil motives in the gun debate.

Bruce Baker, Westminster