Trey Gowdy: Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
Most people have heard the cliché that "You get what
you pay for." Frequently, a true statement indeed, unless someone else
foots the bill and invites you to come. This speaker series is FREE to the public,
and Trey Gowdy packed the Mattie Kelly Arts Center with an eager, enthusiastic
crowd.
When someone mentions Trey Gowdy, people tend to have
opinions of him at opposite ends of an ever-widening spectrum. They generally admire
him greatly or vociferously criticize him. Unfortunately, this is the political
climate of twenty-first-century America. No matter, Trey poured out his heart, humbly
baring his soul to a spellbound audience.
Trey started his message with amusing quips and stories that
ingratiated him to his audience, but his innate passion showed as things turned
serious. The audience sat on the edge of their seats, wondering what was coming
next. Trey revealed himself as someone not ready to yank America's life support
from its socket. Instead, he believes that America needs to rediscover who we
are, where we are going, and how to get where we need to be.
Granted, we are a politically divided country with red and
blue sides more willing to shout things out than attempt to understand what drives
the passions of the other side. Trey pointed out that every day carries the
sense of it being like election day. So few people are forging relationships
outside their sphere of fellow cheerleaders. He urged his audience to display
an uncommon form of grace to bring us closer together.
Trey frequently transitioned to talk about his family and
good friend and co-author, Senator Tim Scott. They developed a close bond as
they spent many eating opportunities together at the Capitol Hill Club. Trey
told the audience of Senator Scott's upbringing with his grandfather, who picked
cotton and never learned to read. Yet, his grandfather believed in the power of
knowledge and the magic of education, and he thought these things would make a difference
in his grandson's future. His grandfather raised a grandson who became a United
States Senator and author of a New York Times #1 Best Seller.
Trey mentioned meeting his wife through a church youth group
and travelling and the importance of faith, sometimes shaken by his life
experiences. His early career included prosecuting the worst criminals and how
these interactions took their toll mentally, spiritually and physically. Like
many politicians, Trey Gowdy left his hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina,
for our country's capital to make a difference. If you watch his famous social
media sound bites, he comes across as a skilled prosecutor interrogating political
adversaries. In person, he also comes across as genuine and caring.
After one hour of clearly articulating his thought-provoking
speech, the last question pinpointed how this master of persuasion had moved
many juries to agree with him beyond a reasonable doubt. He was asked why he
was advocating compromise, although he never alluded to compromising with whom
you disagree. Absent a court reporter to retrace his words; interrogator Gowdy
kicked into overdrive to reiterate that he promoted dialogue—persuasion over
argument. He encouraged sincere communication with empathy, not a
win-at-any-costs methodology.
Trey never alluded to compromising one's beliefs. Instead,
he pled for people to search for common ground. He encouraged practising the
art of persuasion rather than using insults as a means of self-validation. His
appeal: we all should make an effort to listen to the "other side."
Insults make others determined not to give up any ground, and the mentality of
crushing your opposition has eroded our society's fabric.
Trey encouraged talking responsibly and ending the bitter
feuding and fussing with neither side desiring to listen and learn from the
other. His point was to be fair-minded yet encourage people to think for
themselves.
Upcoming Event: Dr. Stephenson has invited Charles Payne to
be the next speaker in the President's Speaker Series on April 8, 2022. Come
hear the Fox Business Network financial journalist and host of Fox's Making
Money. Mark your calendars, and I'll see you there.
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