BDN cites Collins’ Commencement address in editorial on graduation speakers

The Bangor Daily News included a quote from Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in the editorial, “Words of inspiration from 5 college graduation speakers.” Collins raised the issue of civility in her speech during the University of Maine’s 216th Commencement ceremonies, the editorial states. “Courage, civility, principles and even wit are increasingly rare commodities in our discourse today. We see this disturbing trend in Washington, and we see this in our own communities. Sitting down with those on the opposite side of an issue, figuring out which issues matter the most to each side, negotiating in good faith, and attempting to reach a solution are actions often vilified by hard-liners on both the left and the right,” she said. “It may seem woefully out of fashion, but I believe that choosing civility and pursuing compromise can yield tremendous results that strengthen our communities and sustain our democratic institutions.”