Honoring Senator Johnny Isakson: Bridging Divides with Civility and Common Ground

UGA’s School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) seeks to honor the late Senator Johnny Isakson, who dedicated his life to respectful debate as a way to build bridges and achieve results among parties with divergent viewpoints and goals. As a successful businessman and as a statesman, Senator Isakson embodied respect and goodwill in an arena that often elevates extreme partisanship over reasoned problem-solving. He did so without compromising his own core beliefs and values. His personal motto was: “There are only two kinds of people in the world – friends and future friends.” It is reminiscent of Abraham Lincoln’s famous words to a divided nation in his 1861 inaugural address: “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies.” At a time of deep political division, leaders who overcome differences to forge common-interest solutions should be recognized, and their legacy of civility and pragmatic problem-solving should be emulated. Indeed, the health of our representative form of government depends on leaders with the skills and courage to practice political civility.