People Connecting Again and Working to Heal Partisan Divides
Finding Ways to Build Partisan Bridges and Reconnect
More and more Americans are seeking to connect again, and to bridge the partisan divides in our country. Many have tired of the hatred and heated rhetoric from hyper-partisan supporters of both major political parties.
A number of organizations have begun doing the vital work to promote civility and connection in our democracy. These mostly grassroots, non-partisan entities employ a variety of approaches, aimed at citizens, politicians, and educators. But they all share the same goal: to reduce political divisions and partisan hatred, and help polarized Americans begin to connect with each other again.
Enabling One-On-One Conversations
Several organizations, including our own, encourage and facilitate conversations between people with different perspectives or political tendencies.
Braver Angels sponsors many campaigns, workshops, and resources to bridge partisan divides. These efforts include the American Hope Campaign which seeks to hold leaders accountable for “reducing toxic polarization” and encourage politicans to work together.
Braver Angels also pairs citizens who have different perspectives for one-on-one conversations. Conversationalists receive ground rules and pre-selected topics so that a productive, respectful conversation can occur.
Braver Angels’ Braver Network provides a directory of organizations working to heal partisan divides in the US.
Story Corps’ One Small Step
Similar to Braver Angels, One Small Step facilitates one-on-one conversations between people with different political views. One Small Step records these conversations so others can benefit from them. “One conversation at a time”, the theory goes, will jump-start the process of people getting to know each other and talking again, without politics.
To participate: fill out a short form to set up a call. Indicate your leanings on issues like the economy and social issues, and the importance of religion to your life. One Small Step will pair you with a conversation partner with a different perspective. The aim here is to rebuild connections and focus on commonalities.
Listen to some of One Small Step’s inspiring Paired Conversations here.
Unify America aims to replace political problems with problem solving. Similar to Braver Angels and One Small Step, the Unify Challenge pairs people across the country with different perspective in one-on-one conversations, this time through a guided video conversation.
To sign up, visit the Unify Challenge and answer a few preliminary questions about tendencies and general views on issues/politics. You’ll receive your conversation date after you answer, along with some guidelines.
Why have a one-on-one conversation? Research demonstrates that when people who have different political perspectives interact on a one-on-one basis with some basic guidelines for civility, even about difficult issues, they create surprising connections with far more pleasant outcomes than they anticipate.
Enabling Face-to-Face, In Person Conversations
Even without a formal program, everyday Americans can create more positive connections every day. Many organizations and thinkers emphasize the importance of trying to reach out and find shared values rather than shutting down connections with people with whom you disagree.
Kitchen Table Talk encourages individuals to create change in daily life by seeking out those with whom they disagree to try a different way of conversing and connecting. Kitchen Table Talk facilitates in-person and on-line informal and formal kitchen table talks among people with different perspectives. Kitchen Table Talk aims to promote civility, respect, and fact-finding in political discussions, providing guidelines, resources, and time-tested methods.
The “Why I Love America” Challenge asks Americans to ask two people about what they love about the United States, (one ideally would be someone with whom they think they disagree politically).
Why have a face-to-face conversation? Research shows that positive communication and connection occur much more easily in face-to-face conversations than on-line or over the phone. Dehumanization and hatred spread more quickly when people don’t see each other in person. The antidote: talking, in person, with an intent to find common ground.
New Tools Aimed At Healing The Partisan Divide
In a very encouraging development, organizations and researchers have provided new ways to encourage politicians and citizens to work together, and to address the contempt that has insinsuated itself in public discourse in the United States.
Harvard Law School Election Law Clinic recently launched “True Views” a new public opinion tool. True Views aims to reduce political polarization by educating politicians about what their constituents actually believe.
Too often, our representatives take partisan positions which lead to congressional gridlock and don’t reflect the will of the people. True Views can promote problem solving by revealing the unpopularity of extreme partisan positions.
The Dignity Index seeks to ease the political divisions in the US. Founded by John F. Kennedy’s nephew, Timothy Shriver, The Dignity Index invites Americans to take a Dignity Pledge. In service of healthy debate and civility vital to our democracy, they pledge to:
“do more to treat others with dignity, not contempt”
The Dignity Index also rates political speech and from 1-8 along the spectrum in categories ranging from treating others with dignity to treating others with contempt.
In analyzing the Harris/Trump debate in September, Dignity Index reviewers reviewed the content and tone of Vice President Harris and Former President Trump during the debate. They found both candidates treated the other with contempt at times rather than always in a dignified manner. Right, left, and middle-leaning raters, like much of the public, would have preferred to see fewer attacks, and less argument, with more focus on substance.
A Movement of The Silent Majority Gaining Ground
Together and separately, these organizations and tools provide ways people can reconnect again, unify, and become less polarized. They share a desire to attack toxic partisan division and hatred by focusing on individuals, politicians, tone, rhetoric, civility, and disconnects between the public and politicians.
Those who don’t like partisan rhetoric and polarization can start the long passage back to civility, dignity, and respect. Many Americans clearly feel it’s time.
From Gardner Policy Institute and UNITE/Dignity Index.
