Julian Adorney

If in the midst of this tragedy, the people of Los Angeles, and all America for that matter, are given cause to remember how precious we are to one another, then something will have been gained in this.

Does hating our political opponents do any good? I don’t think so.

What if we were willing to see the values underneath our opponents’ political positions?

What can we do to reduce our terror of the other side possibly winning in November? Two things.

I think rebuilding our civitas is essential to the work that we do here at Braver Angels.

There’s an old Arab proverb: “He who strikes the second blow starts the fight.”

Civility isn’t just a desire to find common ground, or to bury our differences and sing “kumbaya” with people who disagree with us. It’s not a desire for ideological unity, a jettisoning of our core convictions, or a refusal to engage in healthy conflict.

There’s a big divide in America, and it’s not often talked about. It’s not the divide between Democrats and Republicans, or between white Americans and black Americans. It’s the divide between the haves and the have-nots. Anthony’s song speaks to the millions of Americans who feel unheard by a perceived authoritarian class they feel is more interested in serving themselves than their constituents.

The truth is, many issues are more complex than we’re willing to admit. I think most of us share similar values, even if those values lead us to different conclusions.