Following last fall’s presidential election, some Americans might not want to discuss politics for a while. But people who are in tune with the state of democracy say practicing skills like civility and tolerance for others’ viewpoints will set a better tone for future elections. The discussions come as local efforts emerge in South Dakota.
In South Dakota and across the country, groups are working to help tone down the nation’s heated political rhetoric. And experts are debating whether the divisive landscape will see a correction. In a forum hosted by the R Street Institute, panelists noted this isn’t the only time in U-S history when populism and an anti-establishment mood were major forces in politics. Emily Chamlee-Wright of the Institute for Humane Studies says as bad as things might feel right now, it doesn’t mean America is in grave danger of falling apart.
Chamlee-Wright says as people lose faith in U-S institutions, skeptics should take a step back and see their value. And if enough people can feel a shared sense of those benefits, it should become easier to practice civil discourse in everyday life. In the state’s largest city, a new organization – “Stronger Sioux Falls” – just launched. Officials say they want to create spaces for meaningful dialogue about important issues facing the city. Chamlee-Wright says her organization adheres to a set of guiding principles it feels keep society glued together. They include toleration, under the ‘freedom of speech’ umbrella.
She says by sticking to these practices in informal settings, America’s formal structures will be in much better shape in the long run. She adds that should allow voters and policymakers to take on complex challenges, and solve them in ways that go beyond the bare minimum effort.
