Lessons from Gettysburg. With apologies to the history buffs out there, this is not what you think.
I spent four days on that hallowed ground last week, attending a conference. It was a Braver Angels conference, and if you haven’t heard of that organization, they are a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to depolarizing the country. How do they intend to do that?
Well, for one, they run a number of workshops designed to help people learn how to listen, without formulating a counter argument on how to change or attempt to obliterate the other person. Other sessions offer strategies and training on depolarizing within yourself. And they hold debates on some sticky topics (in a modified Robert’s Rules style), many of which are available nationwide on Zoom, or with local alliances sometimes holding in-person events.
The debate speakers are always equally balanced between “lean red” and “lean blue,” to use their language. In fact, some would-be attendees to the conference in Gettysburg were initially waitlisted because, if admitted, the blue-red balance would have been out of kilter.
Imagine walking into the cafeteria at Gettysburg College, and seeing 671 people, all with name tags held by lanyards that were Blue or Red. No secrets here! But all felt safe to discuss issues, advocate for their beliefs, and disagree, always with civility. Coincidentally, yet unrelated, the first night of the conference PBS NewsHour ran a 13-minute segment on a Braver Angels discussion in Ohio. In that spot, Judy Woodruff interviewed six Braver Angels who shared how the organization works and what it means to each of them.
This is important work. And the country needs this work. At the opening session of the conference, co-founder and President David Blankenhorn reminded us that 160 years ago, Americans slaughtered each other on those very fields because no other resolution was to be found — to the tune of 51,000 casualties, including 11,000 dead in just three days. Sobering.
My husband is a Civil War re-enactor ,and we drove past Little Round Top, made famous by the bravery of the 20th Maine and Joshua Chamberlain. (That area is currently under construction, so we couldn’t get closer). Over 100 Mainers killed or wounded. Again, sobering.
Sessions included “Should We Re-elect Biden?” “Should We Re-elect Trump?” “Is America a Racist Nation?” “Toxic Media” “The History of Polarization in American Music” (led by Gangstagrass, a bluegrass/rap band!) “Can We Find Common Ground on Ensuring Trustworthy Elections?” and 39 more! There was even a plenary session featuring Monica Guzman, Bowdoin Class of 2005, author of “I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fiercely Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times.”
Interested? Check out BraverAngels.org. There is also a local Braver Angels affiliate in Maine, Building Bridges Maine (buildingbridgesmaine.org). We offer a Zoom meeting, generally on the last Monday of each month, spotlighting a Maine issue. Some sessions we’ve offered are: Asylum Seekers in Maine, Younger Voters, Protecting Election Integrity in Maine, Education Curriculum and even held a session attended by both Senators Collins and King.
The lesson from Gettysburg? We can’t let this happen again.
Elizabeth Bradley lives in Brunswick.
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