National Civility Tour Comes to Idaho
Jim Leach is on a mission. The former Republican Congressman from Iowa, now chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), has the passionate belief that we're shaking the foundations of our democracy by the way we handle our political discourse. Leach is on a mission for civility.
In a speech last fall in Nebraska, appropriately entitled "With Malice Toward None," Leach said:
"The public goal should be to recognize that it is great to be a conservative or libertarian; great to be a liberal, a moderate, or progressive. But it is not great to hate. It is not great to refuse to respect one’s fellow citizens at home and refuse to endeavor to understand fellow peoples abroad.
"The decency and fairness with which political decisions are made are generally more important than the outcome of any issue. The 'how' almost always matters more than the 'what.'"
Leach should know. He spent 30 years in Congress, rose to the top ranks, lost re-election in 2006, taught at Princeton and was tapped by President Obama to run the Endowment last year. Almost immediately he launched a 50-state "civility tour" talking about the importance to a functioning democracy of understanding and not demonizing your political opponents. He talks about the search for "the common good," not just partisan advantage. Leach has a politician's experience and a scholar's disposition. Believe me, that is a rare but valuable combination.
The Andrus Center for Public Policy - I serve as the Center's volunteer president - will host Leach for a lunch and talk on June 11th at the Grove Hotel in downtown Boise. The Idaho Humanities Council, the state - based affiliate of the NEH - has been instrumental in getting the chairman to Idaho. Leach will speak on "Civility in a Fractured Society."
Leach doesn't call for the abandonment of fiercely held political principles, but rather that we not start the political discourse by assuming that the other person's position is automatically suspect and therefore not worthy of consideration. It is a message the Andrus Center embraces. The Center was formed in 1995 to help carry on the approach to public affair that the four-term former Idaho governor embodied - vigorous, but civil debate that sought to find win-win solutions.
Seating for the luncheon and speech is limited and you can reserve a spot online at the Center's website.
As columnist Jamie Stiehm noted recently in U.S. News - to steal Dr. Samuel Johnson's phrase - "we've become good at hating," but not so good at being civil. Jim Leach is trying to save us from ourselves. Let's hope he's making progress.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Civilization Requires Civility
National Civility Tour Comes to Idaho
Jim Leach is on a mission. The former Republican Congressman from Iowa, now chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), has the passionate belief that we're shaking the foundations of our democracy by the way we handle our political discourse. Leach is on a mission for civility.
In a speech last fall in Nebraska, appropriately entitled "With Malice Toward None," Leach said:
"The public goal should be to recognize that it is great to be a conservative or libertarian; great to be a liberal, a moderate, or progressive. But it is not great to hate. It is not great to refuse to respect one’s fellow citizens at home and refuse to endeavor to understand fellow peoples abroad.
"The decency and fairness with which political decisions are made are generally more important than the outcome of any issue. The 'how' almost always matters more than the 'what.'"
Leach should know. He spent 30 years in Congress, rose to the top ranks, lost re-election in 2006, taught at Princeton and was tapped by President Obama to run the Endowment last year. Almost immediately he launched a 50-state "civility tour" talking about the importance to a functioning democracy of understanding and not demonizing your political opponents. He talks about the search for "the common good," not just partisan advantage. Leach has a politician's experience and a scholar's disposition. Believe me, that is a rare but valuable combination.
The Andrus Center for Public Policy - I serve as the Center's volunteer president - will host Leach for a lunch and talk on June 11th at the Grove Hotel in downtown Boise. The Idaho Humanities Council, the state - based affiliate of the NEH - has been instrumental in getting the chairman to Idaho. Leach will speak on "Civility in a Fractured Society."
Leach doesn't call for the abandonment of fiercely held political principles, but rather that we not start the political discourse by assuming that the other person's position is automatically suspect and therefore not worthy of consideration. It is a message the Andrus Center embraces. The Center was formed in 1995 to help carry on the approach to public affair that the four-term former Idaho governor embodied - vigorous, but civil debate that sought to find win-win solutions.
Seating for the luncheon and speech is limited and you can reserve a spot online at the Center's website.
As columnist Jamie Stiehm noted recently in U.S. News - to steal Dr. Samuel Johnson's phrase - "we've become good at hating," but not so good at being civil. Jim Leach is trying to save us from ourselves. Let's hope he's making progress.
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