Yesterday, I heard on NPR a report about a group workshop held in Lagrange, Texas. The workshop consists of eight Republican and Democrat voters each with a purpose to reduce the temperature on polarization. In the piece called “Red/Blue Workshops try to bridge the political divide. Do they really work?” by John Burnett of NPR’s “All things considered,” we learned more about this and other sessions.
Here are a few excerpts with a link to an article at the below.
“‘I just see our country being torn apart with polarization. And so anything that we can do to work together as Americans and depolarize our conversations is important,’ retired tax lawyer Karl Schmalz tells the group before they get started. He’s serving as a co-moderator for the workshop.”
“Betsy Harwood, retired family therapist, Democrat: ‘I think that what we see here in this room is the true America. It’s a group of people who can get together and talk politely with each other and understand each other. It’s not what we see on the news or what we see in social media. That’s not the real America.'”
“Doherty is a Minneapolis family therapist and professor who modeled the workshops on his counseling experience: get antagonists to meet face to face. A recent paper by a group of political scientists concluded that the Red/Blue Workshops ‘significantly reduced polarization’ among undergraduate students at four universities, though the results dissipated over time.”
These sessions will not be panaceas, but they head us in the right direction. They are climbing a large mountain that has been built rock by rock by public relations strategists advising politicians to “fear the other.” It is their fault the PR people tell us. They are the enemy. They will destroy our country if we let them. My purpose is not to debate the veracity of claims, but instead to say we must be better at understanding the real issues, not what we are spoon fed by opinion hosts, conspiracy parrots or politicians whose currency is not consistently truthful.
So, what can we do? Be more informed by considering multiple sources of news. Recognize opinion hosts are not news people. One news network in court said in a defamation lawsuit do not misconstrue their most popular opinion host as one of their news people. And, some opinion hosts are less inclined to be truthful to garner ratings. My suggestion is to either not watch or listen to them, or just understand better what you are hearing.
Do not get your news from social media. As Bill Maher said in an ad for a comedy tour, do not argue about Brett Kavanaugh with someone on Facebook that you knew in the fourth grade. More than a few of these opinions recorded on social media are gleaned from questionable sources. Just because someone is smug when they argue with you does not make them right, it just means they are being smug.
Demand our politicians to be more truthful. To ask them to be always truthful is a bridge too far, as politicians like to pat themselves on the back and give more credit to themselves than is due. Yet, do not let them get away with overt untruthfulness or name-calling. The blame game and name-calling is now standard fare in the lexicon of most politicians. And, we need them to work together to solve problems and serve our needs. One sided legislation will not stand the test of time as most of our problems require time to be resolved or mitigated.
We need our politicians to be among our better angels, not our worse demons. If they cannot more consistently tell the truth, then they need to step aside and let someone who can take on the role. We deserve better than this.
musingsofanoldfart 
I just read the NPR article. I’m impressed, especially that something like this is happening in my home state of Texas. It’s a good first step, but following through is on all of us.
Agreed. It is up to all of us.
Thanks for sharing this, Keith. One Small Step with StoryCorps is doing a slightly similar thing – getting two people together who are politically opposite, and having them talk about their lives to find commonalities. I love these types of programs. They help people find truths and yet hold their own values. None of us can completely agree on what issues are most important or what actions are best to take. But we can learn to civilly disagree. More importantly, we should all begin our discussions with what is true and factual.
Agreed Rose. It may also allow some truths to sink in which have not been able to get past a hard shell.
I think our very worst are filling the seats of congress. The behavior of the Republicans during the confirmation of SC justice nominee Brown is revolting and the mass walkout in the floor after the vote is a perfect example if the tone they wish to set for America. It has to stop. These are adults behaving like children throwing tantrums. So tired of this.
Holly, with gerrymandering, the people who are not our best find it easier to get elected. I am also weary of the shenanigans going on in Congress. It is embarrassing. Keith
PS – One of those people eventually got elected governor in your state and is a possible candidate for the GOP president nomination. So, it is scary when the worst of us get invited in.
You say “My purpose is not to debate the veracity of claims, but instead to say we must be better at understanding the real issues…..”, but of course you do debate it. It’s a question of simple honesty and ability to face the facts and be rational. Unfortunately, an increasing number of people (internet -schooled?) are comfortable living in fantasies and perverse rabbit holes., which dominates their thinking. The manipulation of “we vs them” in order to get elected relies on repetition of lies. The politicians have it worked out. They comb the streets, or internet, looking for emotional, usually racist issues that will work. And then they sell it.
Bumba, there is no need to debate your points. I just did not want that to be my primary theme here. Keith
I know and I second your motion about finding middle ground.
Many thanks.
Wow, so that is a start to a constructive political future. Really WOW. More countries should follow… maybe they do, but we don’t hear it in the news. As you said, the news does not necessarily give all-inclusive or even distorted information. You pointed that out very well.
Thanks Erika. I hope this takes off. Keith
Thanks for the link. I hope these types of conversations can lead to better understanding.
Janis, I so agree. Keith
I absolutely love this idea, Keith! But, it only works with people of some degree of sensibility, of humanity, for both sides must listen to one another rather than go into it convinced that they are right, talking over the others to make their own point heard above all else. I notice that most of the participants are older people … I wonder if that’s key, or just happenstance? At any rate, I would dearly love to see more like this taking place all around the nation! We cannot continue at the current level of divisiveness, with the lack of understanding and empathy we are seeing today. Thanks for sharing this one!
Jill, agreed. I think it was a select crowd, but the concept is still sound. I think a productive session needs to be governed by rules of decorum – let the other person talk, no name-calling, no bad language, etc. Keith
Agreed, for without such rules it would quickly devolve into a free-for-all … possibly involving the police and ambulances!
As the English translation goes… ‘It is better to light one candle than curse the darkness’
Let us hope these movements flourish.