Following President Obama's State of the Union address, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley gave the GOP response.
And it was pretty unexpected. While she spent some time criticizing President Obama, Democratic policies, and even the Black Lives Matter movement; she also dropped a few truths that we could all consider incorporating into our lives.
You may not agree with the policies she supports, and you may not find the language perfect, but the sentiment feels genuine.
You can read the complete transcript here, but below are three of the speech's highlights.
Gov. Haley signed the order to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina state house grounds on July 9, 2015. Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images.
1. We need to be honest with ourselves.
One of the most surprising aspects of Gov. Haley's speech was how conciliatory it was. Gone was the hyperpartisan rhetoric that flows from both sides, and for once, it was replaced with acknowledgement that neither party is 100% responsible for all of the challenges facing our country.
"We need to be honest with each other, and with ourselves: while Democrats in Washington bear much responsibility for the problems facing America today, they do not bear it alone. There is more than enough blame to go around.
We as Republicans need to own that truth. We need to recognize our contributions to the erosion of the public trust in America's leadership. We need to accept that we've played a role in how and why our government is broken.
And then we need to fix it."
GIFs from ABC News.
2. Racism has no place in society.
In response to the shootings in Paris and in San Bernardino, several of the 2016 presidential candidates made calls to restrict immigration and refugee admission. Gov. Haley would seem to suggest that it is not the right path. Giving in to xenophobia takes us away from the values we hold so dear.
"During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices. We must resist that temptation.
No one who is willing to work hard, abide by our laws, and love our traditions should ever feel unwelcome in this country."
3. We need to tone it down.
This goes along with a point made during the president's address. Just because something is loud, that does not mean it is correct. This would seem to be a direct reference to some of the more over-the-top rhetoric being used by some of the Republican candidates for president.
"In many parts of society today, whether in popular culture, academia, the media, or politics, there's a tendency to falsely equate noise with results.
Some people think that you have to be the loudest voice in the room to make a difference. That is just not true. Often, the best thing we can do is turn down the volume. When the sound is quieter, you can actually hear what someone else is saying. And that can make a world of difference."
Whether you're a Democrat or Republican, take time to consider some of these words.
Because we're more alike than we are different, and we really should all be able to work together.
All photos courtesy of Marie-Claire and David Archbold
