Governor Gina Raimondo has weathered rather well the recent storm regarding controversy for the proposed slogan “Cooler and Warmer.” She could not have been more correct in initially criticizing the pettiness and negativity that has held our state back far too long. Additionally, Raimondo followed through on her position of learning from mistakes of the past and fixing problems by scrapping the slogan (and the chief marketing officer) and moving forward in a positive and optimistic way. This is not business as usual. Raimondo’s tone and leadership on this small but widely publicized issue is refreshing.
While Rhode Island is still looking for a slogan, however, perhaps Pope Francis could be helpful. In the Bull of Indiction announcing the Jubilee Year of Mercy, our Holy Father proposed the slogan “patient and merciful.” He noted how those two words are frequently found together in the Old Testament to describe God’s nature and His persistent goodness in the face of negativity and sin. Pope Francis insists that God’s mercy “is not an abstract idea, but a concrete reality with which He reveals His love as that of a father or a mother, moved to the very depths out of love for their child.” The Church is entrusted with the mission of making that merciful love of God present in the world. We could all use a lot more of that! While the slogan “Rhode Island: Patient and Merciful” is not likely to replace “Cooler and Warmer,” it remains a way of life well worth striving for.
