‘First Five Freedoms’ Group Urges Legislators Embrace Civility.

A group of religious leaders gathered at the Capitol yesterday, urging Legislators to lead by example and treat each other with respect.

A group of Georgia faith leaders and community members gathered before the start of the 2026 legislative session at the Georgia State Capitol on Jan. 12 with a simple demand.

Civility.

The group, called “First Five Freedoms,” is a coalition founded by Andrew Lewis made up of faith leaders, community leaders, and citizens across the state from all religious and political backgrounds. It’s focused on “escalating and increased political violence in our communities.”

“At this juncture, all communities are frightened and on edge, and we have a responsibility to each other to bring the temperature down,” Lewis said.

A Pew Research Center survey found the vast majority of adults, 85 percent, think politically motivated violence is increasing.

I’ve attended a couple of the First Five Freedoms meetings. It’s a diverse, good group of folks from across the political and religious spectrum. The First Five Freedoms refer to those outlined in the First Amendment: freedom of religion, speech, the right to a free press, the right to peacefully assemble, and the right to petition our government. If we focused on protecting those rights and respecting the rights of others to exercise those rights, we’d all be better off.

Let’s hope our political leaders listen.