(Editor’s Note: The following column was submitted by Rep. Shane Mekeland.)

The governor’s emergency powers ended and the 2022 session does not begin until Jan. 31, putting us squarely in “interim” season. That said, the issues never take a break. 

Recency bias aside, it is hard to recall a time when there was such a diverse set of topics driving complex, emotional, and adamant opinions from people across the ideological spectrum. I am hearing from constituents on both sides of the aisle who just can’t take “this” or want to see an end put to “that” daily. 

While facemasks have caused plenty of layered discussions on their own, one of the latest hot-button subjects to evolve pertains to vaccine mandates. What makes this especially interesting is there is no direct correlation between someone’s vaccination status and their position on vaccine mandates. In other words, you don’t have to be an “anti-vaxxer” to oppose the government forcing vaccines on private citizens and businesses. This is becoming a major issue in the health care industry, where people who were on the front lines battling COVID-19 now are faced with a scenario where refusing a mandate could cost them their job. 

I have personally heard from enough health care professionals who are concerned about mandated vaccines to understand this is not just an isolated case or two, or even a handful, rather it is a widespread problem coming to a head. We already have a shortage of healthcare workers and, pandemic or not, our reliance upon them is only going to increase in this aging society. 

A recent piece I wrote regarding the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks touched on the polarization of our nation today. I noted how the remarkable unity we showed on 9/12 has eroded due, in part, to career politicians perpetuating issues that split constituents into marketable factions. 

We could start with last winter’s push for Comprehensive Sexual Education legislation that would introduce to elementary-age children sensitive material pertaining to sex, diverse gender identities and orientations, and drugs. Then came efforts to put Critical Race Theory in our schools, a move that would teach our children the basis of our culture and history is steeped in race and racism. In other words, focusing on identity politics and “whiteness.” 

Those are controversial subjects, to say the least, but that’s only the beginning. Public safety has been another topic generating strong opinions, with campaigns to defund the police taking place in Minneapolis at a time that city’s violent crime has surged to levels not seen since the mid-‘90s. (This might be a good time to say I strongly support our local law enforcement. Your job likely is more challenging today than the day you started, and I appreciate all the work you do to keep us safe. As simplistic as it sounds, less law enforcement will neither reduce crime nor assure justice.)

My hope is we find productivity in these conversations and the more correspondence I receive as a legislator, the better. It helps me to learn more about points of view I may not have considered, making me a stronger representative for the people who live in District 15B. My default position is to stand on the side of freedom and that much never will change. 

We have another four and a half months to prepare for the 2022 session, so let’s keep talking and see if we can rekindle some of that faded unity. Let’s put down the pitchforks, stop with the divisiveness and find ways we can agree on solutions to make our state and nation better places.