A diverse cross section of religious, political, law enforcement and community leaders gathered Friday to answer a couple of questions posed to them by Shasta County Citizens Advocating Respect. The questions were: What would a safer Shasta County look like? And what will you do to continue promoting a community that respects the rights and safety of everyone? Speakers included members of the faith community, some non-profit organizations and representatives of Shasta County and it’s three cities. Many impassioned statements were delivered. Shasta County Supervisor Joe Chimenti, who generally speaks in a very matter-of-fact way, was quite poignant, saying that we all must be willing to listen if we expect to be heard. He said too many people spend all their energy defending their position instead of trying to understand others, and it’s driving us further apart all the time. The unlikely alliance of speakers assembled Friday at Redding’s Martin Luther King Jr. Center.