IT IS A coincidence that two of America’s best-known bipartisan(两党的；两党合作的) political organisations were, until recently, led by Oklahomans. David Holt, the Republican mayor of Oklahoma City (pictured), headed the US Conference of Mayors, while Kevin Stitt, the Republican governor of Oklahoma, led the National Governors Association (NGA). These groups offer something novel in American politics: civility(礼貌；文明举止). Last year 81% of Democrats and 70% of Republicans said the opposing party makes them angry. But at recent gatherings in Long Beach, California (the mayors), and Oklahoma City (the governors), Democrats and Republicans high-fived, hugged and waxed eloquent(变得能言善辩；滔滔不绝) about the dangers of America’s hyper-partisan(极端党派性的) politics.
美国最知名的两个两党组织直到最近都由俄克拉荷马人领导，这纯属巧合。俄克拉荷马城市长、共和党人戴维·霍尔特（如图）曾担任美国市长会议主席，而俄克拉荷马州州长、共和党人凯文·斯蒂特则领导全国州长协会（NGA）。这些组织为美国政治带来了一些新东西：文明。去年，81%的民主党人和70%的共和党人表示，对立党派让他们感到愤怒。但在最近于加利福尼亚州长滩（市长会议）和俄克拉荷马城（州长会议）举行的聚会上，民主党人和共和党人击掌、拥抱，并慷慨激昂地谈论美国极端党派政治的危险。
This summer Messrs Holt and Stitt passed their gavels(木槌；主席的槌子) to new leaders. But it is worth considering why Oklahoman politicians seem especially interested in making America nice again. Both men have bucked their party(违背本党立场) and publicly disagreed with President Donald Trump. They cherish friendships with Democrats. Running cities and states demands a pragmatism(务实主义；实用主义) that is not a prerequisite for a job in Congress. But more than that, many of Oklahoma’s political leaders came of age(成年；成熟) in the 1990s, when they witnessed their state respond to extremism with compassion(同情；怜悯).
今年夏天，霍尔特和斯蒂特两位先生将他们的木槌交给了新领导人。但值得思考的是，为什么俄克拉荷马的政治家们似乎特别热衷于让美国重新变得友善。两人都违背了本党立场，公开与唐纳德·特朗普总统意见相左。他们珍视与民主党人的友谊。管理城市和州需要一种务实精神，而这种精神并非在国会任职的先决条件。但更重要的是，俄克拉荷马的许多政治领袖在1990年代长大成人，当时他们目睹了自己的州以同情心回应极端主义。
In 1995 Timothy McVeigh(俄克拉荷马城爆炸案主犯) set off(引爆；引发) a bomb that blew up the federal building in downtown Oklahoma City. Nearly 170 people were killed. It remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in American history. McVeigh wanted to retaliate(报复；反击) against what he believed to be a tyrannical(暴虐的；专制的) government. Mr Holt was in high school at the time, getting ready to deliver a campaign speech for student council vice-president.(霍尔特先生当时正在上高中，正准备发表学生会副主席的竞选演讲。) “There was this rumour backstage there’s been an explosion downtown,” he recalls. “We got back to class, and they were rolling the TVs in.”
1995年，蒂莫西·麦克维引爆了一枚炸弹，炸毁了俄克拉荷马城市中心的联邦大楼。近170人遇难。这仍然是美国历史上最致命的国内恐怖主义行为。麦克维想报复他心目中暴虐的政府。霍尔特先生当时正在上高中，正准备发表学生会副主席的竞选演讲。“后台有传言说市中心发生了爆炸，”他回忆道。“我们回到教室，他们正把电视机推进来。”
Comity in the age of Trump
特朗普时代的礼让