Sunday, January 10th, 2021
As the CEO of a regional think tank, I have been asked over and over, “What can I do about the increased polarization in our country?” This sense of urgency has only been made worse by the events of this past week.
FDR declared that in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 would be, “A date which will live in infamy.” What then shall we call January 6th? One of the physical manifestations of our democracy – the U S Capitol building – was attacked, desecrated and tarnished in a way that left so many people depressed, horrified and wondering what comes next.
It is oft attributed to Edmund Burke, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
After the rabble was removed and the Capitol’s security restored, members of Congress returned to certify the results of the 2020 Presidential election to insure the orderly, though no longer peaceful, transition of power. As Republican Senator Lindsay Graham remarked late that night, “It’s over. Joe Biden was lawfully elected. You have a right to object to the election results, but count me out.”
Unfortunately for those who think the polarization and divisiveness in this country will subside, they are wrong.
We have serious issues that we need to address. On the same day that the Capitol was ransacked by domestic terrorists, 4000 Americans died from the Coronavirus. We must get the country vaccinated. Millions of people do not have a job. People have lost their businesses and are going hungry. The toll of the Pandemic and economic disruption is astounding.
We need our federally elected representatives to be addressing whether additional economic relief is needed, debating what a national infrastructure plan would look like, and the best way to lift people out of poverty.
We have state and local elected and appointed officials who are doing the best they can to address these issues with the resources they have but they cannot do it alone. They know what their job is. Turning down the static, the hyper-charged rhetoric, even a little might just help them to get their jobs done.
Polarization and confrontation will abate only if we work on making it go away. People have said to me they have never seen the country more divided. I remind them, our history suggests, it can get worse. So, you have to want to make it better.
One way to help turn down the static is re-learning how to talk to each other. Please join us on Wednesday January 13th from 4-5pm for Finding Common Ground, a live discussion with Dr. Joshua N. Weiss, Co-Founder of the Global Negotiation Initiative at Harvard University and President of NegotiationWorks. Josh has been all over the world involved in conflict mediation. Join us and take the first step.
Register Here:
