Steve Newborn, WUSF News
The idea of civility in politics has become almost a quaint idea in some circles. A nonpartisan group called Braver Angels is advancing the notion that we can talk about our differences – respectfully. They’ll be getting an equal number of Republicans and Democrats together tonight.
The idea originally stems from Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address in 1861, with the nation on the brink of Civil War, he appealed to the “braver angels of our nature.”
“In our dangerously divided nation, we all need to be touched by something “better” within us and within the country we share,” according to their website.
WUSF’s Steve Newborn talks with one of their moderators, Jon Wolfe. He says this nationwide program was started to let others hear your viewpoint, without tempers flaring.
Listen to the interview between WUSF’s Steve Newborn and Jon Wolfe of Braver Angels:
Their Red/Blue Workshops bring together five to seven Republican or conservative-leaning citizens and five to seven Democratic or liberal-leaning citizens for a day of structured conversations. According to their web site, here’s what participants or spectators can expect to get out of a workshop:
- Better understand the experiences and beliefs of those on the other side of the political divide
- Find areas of commonality in addition to differences;
- Learn something that might be helpful to you and to others in your community and the nation.
Anyone interested in attending can contact Diego Villa at dfvilla59@gmail.com, or at (813) 453-6032.
This article originally appeared here.
