Can We Bridge the Divide?
Better Angels Red/Blue Workshop
The four NC workshops are part of the Better Angels Fall Tour.
What: An invitation-only workshop bringing together about 8 Republican-leaning citizens and 8 Democratic-leaning citizens for a day of structured conversations.*
Why: In Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address in 1861, with the nation on the brink of Civil War, he appealed to the “better 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.
Goals:
- To better understand the experiences and beliefs of those on the other side of the political divide.
- To see if there are areas of commonality in addition to differences.
- To learn something that might be helpful to others in our community and the nation.
The Process: A focus on listening and reflecting rather than debating and persuading.
When:
Nov. 8: Kinston, NC
Nov. 9: Chapel Hill/Durham, NC (student only workshop)
Nov. 11: Raleigh, NC
Nov. 13: Hendersonville, NC
Sponsors: Better Angels (www.better-angels.org) and POLIS (www.sites.duke.edu/polis). Workshops moderated by David Blankenhorn, president and founder of Better Angels, and William Doherty, family therapist and professor at the University of Minnesota.
Interested? Contact David Lapp to learn more or to reserve a spot: dlapp@better-angels.org
*Independents are welcome to attend. We only ask that for the purposes of this workshop that you identify as “red” (leaning Republican and/or conservative) or “blue” (leaning Democratic and/or progressive).