BILLINGS — Two Billings activists on opposite ends of the political spectrum are focused not on their differences, but instead on what unites their community as Election Day nears.
Listen to the two perspectives here:
Elizabeth Klarich, an event coordinator for the recent “No Kings” protest in Billings, said she was drawn to activism because she wanted to help people feel heard.
“It just fit my heart and my values," said Klarich. "I've seen improvement in terms of there's just more kindness. There's more hope. There's less uncertainty because we have each other.”
Klarich leads the local Yellowstone Indivisible chapter, part of a national grassroots network that promotes civic engagement and democratic participation. She helped organize Saturday's gathering to protest policies and actions associated with the Trump administration.
“Right now we have a group of people that's headed by someone in the Oval Office who has an idea of how things should run, and they're not listening to what the people want," said Klarich. “We don't want a king. We truly want freedom to determine our lives and to have liberties and rights and justice for all.”
Related: 'No Kings' protest draws large crowd in downtown Billings
Her message, she said, is about community, not division. Although her group is often associated with progressive politics, Klarich said her goal is not to deepen those divides.
“I'm not really looking at sides personally. I'm looking at what's in front of me, no matter who you are, who you voted for, what you think, what you feel. How can I help?" said Klarich. "I think that my philosophy that I can only be the best person I can and help bring out the best in others helps me to not see divisions and not see differences, but to constantly look for where do we have common ground.”
On the other side of the political landscape, Billings resident Kevin Moser also felt called to organize, but for a different cause.
After conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September, Moser helped coordinate a gathering at the Yellowstone County Courthouse to honor Kirk and denounce political violence.
“There's a lot of people supporting the death, and that's not right for anybody,” said Moser. "We just decided, 'Hey, this weekend let's grab some American flags and go downtown where people usually gather and just stand on the corner with American flags just supporting that we love America and what happened was wrong.'”
Related: Billings gathering for Charlie Kirk sparks dialogue on unity and political violence
For Moser, the event highlighted what he sees as growing hostility in public discourse.
"We had numerous death threats that we had to turn into the police," said Moser. "I mean, for me, it was good versus evil, not Republican versus Democrat ... I do think that it comes way more on the Democratic side than the Republican side."
Still, Moser acknowledges that the extremes on both sides play a role, but online hostility often fuels that anger.
"These people wouldn't come up to me in person and say some of the things that they say to me on Facebook or via messages,” said Moser. “I truly do believe Republicans are way more open to discussion than Democrats, but that's not saying all Democrats are evil."
Klarich sees the issue slightly differently.
"I am less inclined to look at the world or size as being good and evil, black and white," said Klarich. "In the moment, I just want to bring light to everything and not bring judgment.”
However, the two share more than they might think, and they both are being civically engaged for personal and community reasons. For Klarich, who survived a near-fatal stroke in 2017, activism became a second chance.
"I was a yoga teacher, then I had a stroke, then I had three years of vestibular rehab," said Klarich. "All of those things that I wondered if I'd ever be able to do again, I thought that maybe I'd be doing them again with teaching yoga, but here I am doing them with helping people get active in their communities and stand up for democracy and help lift each other up."
For Moser, involvement is about a better future for his family.
“I want a safer Billings," said Moser. "I want to better Billings. I've got three kids growing up here, and I want them to feel safe.”
Though their political beliefs differ, they also share similar values. Both emphasized the value of listening to those around them, and even to those with whom they disagree. Moser said he tends to view political candidates as individuals rather than parties.
"We're very outspoken right now about (Billings City Council) Ward Four's candidate (Andrew Lindley) and who we want to win that, and that is the Democrat," said Moser. "He always picks up his phone. I can talk to him at any point in time about concerns.”
They also both firmly reject political violence of any kind. Klarich stresses that the protests in Billings remain peaceful in order for positive change to result.
"Political violence is never okay. It doesn't matter what a person thinks, what their ideology is, or even what they do. Violence is not okay," said Klarich. "I think unfortunately there's always been violence, and I'm really not in a position to say right now at this stage in our country's history there's more than there was in those other times.”
The two organizers are both passionate about politics and care deeply for their communities. While it may take different forms, they share a common hope that conversation can be the starting point for finding common ground.
“I truly don't see great things moving forward at where we stand right now. We're just so divided," said Moser. "For the most part, I think people are good, want to be good, again, it's just easy to be evil when you're hiding behind the screen."
“I haven't actually ever met a human being that doesn't want to feel safe, loved, and connected, so that's the level that we first meet each other on, and then we can build from there,” said Klarich. "Find the common human compassion, empathy, and desire to be heard and loved, and then respect one another and be kind, and things can build for the better always."
