The Lost Art of Collaboration

South Dakotans have resurrected this neglected approach to problem solving.

We have been through a period of great division. But recently we reaffirmed that while we have differences with our neighbors, we work well as a team. It is wonderful to reconnect and focus on the things we share and hold dear rather than always concentrating on where we disagree.

Instead of it being Democrats against Republicans or the elderly vs the youngsters it became citizens against corporations, well-funded out of state political organizations, and government entities.

We, the citizens, connected again! We formed groups, started attending public meetings, and got together at coffee shops and online to strategize. We used citizen-centric ways of reaching our neighbors and friends.

In all cases, we were outspent by huge margins, sometimes almost 20 to 1.

But interestingly, we had huge victories. We pushed back an effort to bring California style elections to South Dakota (Amendment H) and an effort to transfer zoning and permitting decisions from towns, cities, and counties to a state commission (RL21). There is also a huge outcry over a behind the scenes effort to push a prison into communities south of Sioux Falls that do not want it. There are no political parties in this fight, just upset individuals who are upset about what the prison will do to their way of life.

It’s as if we opened the curtain and saw the truth outside. We now realize what we were being “sold” isn’t always accurate or what we want and that we have to band together or unsavory things will be forced on us.

And now that we have a clear look at reality, we know our “enemies” can be our friends. And that collaboration can keep South Dakota, South Dakota.