With the right opportunities, Americans engage and hash out their political differences in respectful ways. Over the last seven years, the National Institute for Civil Discourse has held training sessions and forums, interacting with nearly 60,000 people from all political backgrounds on a range of crucial issues, from immigration to climate policy, to try to create understanding across differences and bring about change.
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These efforts suggest that … there is a way forward. It begins with individuals embracing civility by making a choice to engage with those they do not agree with and not defaulting to reflexive distrust. If you do not believe this is possible, take a look at this documentary series that demonstrates what happens when a group of politically divided people come together to try to better understand one another and bridge their differences.
