Utahns know what our culture looks like when we match our values to our public policies, especially on highly contentious issues. We saw this “alignment effect” when the state debated immigration policy a few years ago. Once we aligned our commensurate values with our legal and legislative behaviors toward undocumented immigrants, contention dissipated and marginalized communities were more welcomed. Many social barriers were overcome. People began to work together constructively and productively, united behind the desire to share opportunity, peace and prosperity.
Whether the contentious issue is immigration or homelessness or LGBT-related matters, the alignment effect will ensure that our governments reflect our better selves. A politicized “culture war” need not incite divisive posturing about whose values. The real culture war is always the struggle to match our commensurate values to legal and legislative behaviors.
