From Bill Whitacre, Board Member, Idaho Leaders United
After twenty-six years in Idaho, the thing I value most about this place is that we have always been able to talk to one another — to disagree honestly, even passionately, without losing sight of the fact that we are neighbors first.
That ability to communicate is the foundation of everything else we hold dear, and I believe it is worth defending deliberately.
As Idaho attracts new residents with differing perspectives, we must remember that our identity has always been rooted in our rural, independent values. People who roll up their sleeves to support their communities and their neighbors despite their differences.
If we lose sight of those values, we lose the very ethos that makes this place worth defending.
So, while I believe that growth can be a good thing, it must be balanced. Idaho’s communities need support — access to healthcare, protection from wildfire, and providing children with quality education and the opportunity for continuing education and workforce development.
I also want to speak to something that concerns me deeply: the rise of Christian nationalism in our politics. I am of strong Christian faith myself, and my beliefs are central to who I am. I would never ask anyone to set theirs aside. But I believe faith belongs in the heart and the community, not as the engine of government policy. For example, in a recent episode of Boise State Public Radio’s “Idaho Matters,” they discussed the school voucher system and how Christian nationalist groups are using tax-dollars to teach a radical version of Christianity.
When religion and state power and funding fuse, it narrows who belongs and who gets heard. That makes Christian nationalism a danger to every Idahoan, including those of us who pray.
As a board member of Idaho Leaders United, we stand with the vast majority of Idahoans who agree that bigotry, hatred and discrimination should not justify any policy or any ideology. We reject political violence and embrace civil discourse.
From all of my travels, I’ve learned that communities thrive when people care for one another and want to build something lasting. This is the Idaho I know and love, and the one that I want to protect.