There is so much to be said about the importance of truth in modern society. All of us, myself included, worry about the future of a politics in which misinformation spreads from one corner to the next. For many of us, it is one in which even our mainstream institutions cannot be trusted to be truly honest.
In such a world facts have to matter. But before we can get there we have to be able to restore trust in one another. Only through the rekindling of social trust will we be able to reason together once again.
We cannot trust each other if we cannot tolerate the differences in our points of view. Still, aren’t some views wrong and perhaps dangerous as well?
Braver Angels members and followers deserve a clear understanding of the principles that guide us. That is why we have published these Braver Angels Guidelines on Tolerance so that everyone who participates in and observes Braver Angels may understand exactly what informs our editorial and programming decisions.
At Braver Angels we do not shy away from discussing controversial and difficult issues. In the past this has included subjects ranging from whether or not the United States is a white supremacist society to exploring the issues of alleged voter fraud and voter suppression in the 2020 election. But as you will observe in our guidelines, we do not engage controversies for controversy’s sake. We talk about the issues that actively divide the American people; the very subjects we need to be in communication over if we are to understand each other enough to heal the wounds between us.
Please take a look at the guidelines linked to above and let us know your thoughts, agreements and concerns. Braver Angels continues to evolve, as we all do, in the work of bridging the divide. This work is neither easy, nor simple. But the moving that rises from it promises to revive the heart of goodwill in America. It is through this transformation that the promise of democracy survives.
Happy Easter (or Resurrection Sunday) to all those who may be celebrating. May the hope that fills you this day be a gift to us all.
2 thoughts on “Introducing the Braver Angels Guidelines on Tolerance”
What am I missing here?
“Introducing the Braver Angels Guidelines on Tolerance”
“Please take a look at the guidelines linked to above….”
WHERE are the guidelines? I don’t see any being introduced. I don’t see any guidelines being linked to. WHERE ARE THEY?
I saw no email address online and I hate social media, deleted all my accounts (because Conservatives ruin everything – they’re trying to ruin TikTok now by unsuccessfully pushing their trash on the youth), so I’ll message you here.
I read your article about progressives “cancelling” conservatives. Hogwash. There’s no such thing as “cancelling”, except to actually cancel something (read a dictionary). The current term is nothing but Faux Propaganda Network talking points, along the lines of 1984 redefining of words.
But let’s go with this fake term, “cancelling”:
Rightists want to push legislation making LGBT socially inferior again, as they were historically? Then rightists deserve to be offended and called out for it (aka “cancelled”). LGBT were cancelled for thousands of years of human society, so if you pass laws doing it to them again, then shove this “cancel” up yours.
Rightists want to “cancel” a woman’s Right to end her pregnancy with an abortion (literally cancelling her Rights, though). Then you guys deserve to be “cancelled”.
Rightists want to “cancel” the first few words of thw 2nd Amendment (“a WELL-REGULATED militia…”), even though historically up until about two decades ago, all throughout American history, the US has understood gun regulation to literally be right there in the 2nd Amendment, and now your guy’s gun nuts are cancelling the lives of school kids, with their irresponsibility and rewriting of the 2nd to suppose it’s written as “an unregulated gun culture, being necessary to a powerful gun lobby, the right of terrorists and extermists to keep and bear assault rifles shall not be infringed”. Yeah, yall rightists deserve to be “cancelled” for your manslaughter of children.
Oh, and the extreme RWNJs like Alex Jones who get cancelled from YouTube? That’s called a frickin Terms Of Service. His account got cancelled because he broke the Terms. Same goes for Don the Chump. Rightists are the single biggest group of hypocritical snowflakes humanity has ever witnessed – they literally pass laws to cancel people and murder people, then cry about being cancelled any time someone criticizes them for their extremist views or legislation. But no no no, please everyone, focus on Dr. Seuss, Mr. Potato Head, and a college-level CRT class that isn’t even taught in schools. 🤪 It’s Faux Propaganda’s America now, and we’re all living in it, trying to figure out why we’re divided and why our words like “cancel” now take on new meanings. The wonderful world of rightists and their alternative facts, ladies and gentlemen – the fall of this Roman Empire. But oh no, I’m not “being civil”, which is apparently more important than being right, when it comes to a rightist’s feelings.