Lately, the outside temperatures have been cooling down. It’s time to enjoy the Fall weather! Come spend your time watching the Better Angels documentary to see how citizens across the country are turning down political heat.
The approximately hour-long documentary will be shown, again, in the MountainView Ballroom East on Wednesday, October 30, at 3 p.m. features highlights of Better Angels Red/Blue Workshop which was held in Ohio. The event took places in hopes to encourage respect for differences, rather than to advocate for any position on the right or left. Viewers who do watch conservative and liberal participants may arrive suspicious and somewhat hostile toward the other side but will leave with more understanding and affection.
Better Angels holds workshops across the country to bring people together and civility back to politics. Their mission is to have Americans see each other as friends, not enemies, no matter where they sit on the political spectrum. The organization’s name comes from Lincoln’s 1861 call to a divided nation to be touched by the “better angels of our nature.” What the citizens’ organization encourages and teaches is a better way of talking about politics.
Better Angels Red/Blue Workshops, like the one shown in the documentary, have an equal number of people leaning right and leaning left participate in carefully structured exercises, examine common stereotypes of each side of the political spectrum, listen, and look for common ground. In a safe environment, participants engage to understand and learn from each other, even if they still disagree.
Tucson held its first Red/Blue workshop in May. In addition, Better Angels sponsors free Skills Workshops, like the one held in Phoenix this June, for those who want to learn helpful ways to talk about difficult issues. You can even find skills training online at better-angels.org.
Over 500 communities have inquired about hosting Better Angels workshops and over 300 workshops have been held. You’ll find a Better Angels presence in all 50 states, and as their website announces, “Anyone interested in having better conversations with people on the other side of the political aisle,” is invited to get involved.
Future showings of the documentary and workshops are planned in SaddleBrooke for the fall. To learn about the Better Angels workshops see http://www.better-angels.org or contact Andrea Molberg at molberg@hotmail.com.
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