Podcast appearances and mentions of David Blankenhorn

Braver Angels is addressing a huge threat that could disrupt the future of our democratic republic: The rigid, often bitter, divisions between reds and blues. While nearly four in ten voters identify as "independent", more than nine in ten Americans fall into one of two broad categories. They identify as either conservative or liberal leaning and tend to vote for either Republicans or Democrats."If this country breaks apart, if violence increases to the point where we are killing each other, it will be because of those two groups and the extreme leaders of those two groups," says Braver Angels co-founder and President David Blankenhorn. "That's the division we are looking at. That's the bridge we want to build. That's what's threatening the country."This episode is part two of our "How Do We Fix It?" podcast interview with David. We discuss Braver Angels bridge building by young people. Our conversation also explores America's political divisions and the Braver Angels approach to reforming and rebuilding American political discourse one conversation, one debate, one workshop at a time. In part one— our previous episode— we began by discussing the movement's origin story.Before co-founding Braver Angels, David Blankenhorn led the Institute for American Values, a think tank on civil society. He founded the Mississippi Community Service Corps, the Virginia Community Service Corps, and the Committee for Economic Change at Harvard University. David co-founded the National Fatherhood Initiative, and is the author of five books including his most recent, "In Search of Braver Angels: Getting Along Together in Troubled Times.”This podcast mentions the work Braver Angels is doing on college campuses. One example is how campus free speech debates encourage open minds at Denison University in Ohio.Recommendation: We give shout outs to "A Braver Way" and "Derate The Hate". Móni Guzman of Braver Angels is the host of "A Braver Way", A podcast about how you - yes YOU - can disagree about politics without losing heart. Another fine bridge building show to listen to is "Derate the Hate" ,hosted by Wilk Wilkinson.This episode is the fifth in a series of podcasts about work, ideas and people of Braver Angels. We're grateful for their inspiration and support. All our podcasts are available for free hereNote: Please Subscribe to “How Do We Fix It?" Rate us and review us wherever you get podcasts. This helps spread the word about these shows and the work of Braver Angels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I don't do this work in optimism. I do it in hope”, Braver Angels President David Blankenhorn tells us. “If we're going to have any chance to fix this and save our country, this is what needs to be done.”Soon after the tumultuous 2016 election Braver Angels sprung to life— co-founded by David, Bill Doherty and David Lapp. Two years after its founding this nationwide volunteer-led citizen movement had its first convention attended by 72 conservative and 72 liberal delegates. This year, more than 750 reds and blues were at the Braver Angels national convention in Kenosha, Wisconsin. In the past few years Braver Angels workshops, debates, and other events have been held in all 50 states. In this episode, we hear from David about the Braver Angels origin story and much more. We also feature a brief update from Jessie Mannisto, Braver Angels Director of Debates, about her experience as a Braver Angels volunteer outside the DNC Convention in Chicago.Before co-founding Braver Angels, David Blankenhorn led the Institute for American Values, a think tank on civil society. He founded the Mississippi Community Service Corps, the Virginia Community Service Corps, and the Committee for Economic Change at Harvard University. David co-founded the National Fatherhood Initiative, and is the author of five books including “In Search of Braver Angels: Getting Along Together in Troubled Times.”In our thoughtful and provocative interview we learn more about the urgent need to push against rigid partisan divides. “We do not any longer effectively communicate with one another as citizens. That's a big statement," says David. “But the more we think about it and the more you look at how we're working today, I really think it's true.”This episode is the fourth in a series of podcasts about work, ideas and people of Braver Angels. We're grateful to them for their inspiration and support. All our podcasts are available for free here.Note: Please Subscribe to “How Do We Fix It?" Rate us and review us wherever you get podcasts. This helps spread the word about these shows and the work of Braver Angels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Blankenhorn is an author, an activist, a community organizer, and the co-founder and President of Braver Angels. During our conversation, David talks about polarization in the United States, the workshops that Braver Angels puts together to bring together politically opposed Americans for conversation and common ground, the threat of division to the future of the country, the receding of a "civil religion" in the U.S., the importance of approaching disagreements with a sense of goodwill, and having hope in this dark time.------------Book a meeting with Dan------------Keep Talking SubstackRate on SpotifyRate on Apple PodcastsSocial media and all episodes------------Support via VenmoSupport on SubstackSupport on Patreon------------00:00 Intro00:37 The state of civic friendship in America04:27 The growth of Braver Angels11:22 What motivates Braver Angels' members?16:46 The work and mission of Braver Angels23:29 We're less polarized than we've been told27:34 Who is benefiting from social division?33:12 Habits to maintain one's humanity40:23 Politics replacing civic virtues in modern times49:37 George Kennan's threat of internal division55:34 The example of Daryl Davis

Bipartisanship has been lost in a sea of personal politics. We've forgotten its purpose; not to agree on everything, but to work together to make the best decisions for our nations. Bringing opposing ideas to the table is essential, but it's a worthless fight if your goal is just to get your way. Organizations like Braver Angels are creating important space for discussion between people who don't agree, but want to explore their middle ground. David Blankenhorn, Braver Angels president and co-founder, joins Boyd on the show.

“Fatherlessness is the leading cause of declining child well-being in our society. It is also the engine driving our most urgent social problems…Yet, despite its scale and social consequences, fatherlessness is a problem that is frequently ignored or denied.” David Blankenhorn, Fatherless America Families are microcosms of society. Strong and stable families contribute to social […] The post Why Absent Fathers Harm Children and Ruin Society first appeared on Academy of Ideas.

I too used to be unaware (like 95% of the population) that I was creating my own, unpleasant life circumstances by not intentionally thinking about what I was doing. I just thought that everything I didn't like in my life was “happening to me.” So, today I want to focus on a COUPLE of intentional things we can think about as far as what kind of marriage we want to have. (Do we want a marriage where we not only lead, but also thrive, or one where we're not happy and blame only our husbands for it?) And BTW, we can apply this to life in general, but today I want to focus on a MOST important topic, which is the fostering of a happy and healthy marriage. Thing ONE is NOT to focus on what's not working… which will just get us more of the same. That's the law of attraction at work! So I want to suggest you do this instead: 1. Focus on what you love about your husband 2. What he loves about you 3. What you enjoy doing together and doing more of that! 4. The benefits of you staying married (there's more poverty & abuse in one-parent households) are many, check out Fatherless America, by David Blankenhorn for statistics. 5. Children spend less time with both parents, and their lives are disrupted 6. Parents spend less time with their children and more time driving or logistics So if we can avoid divorce all the better for all of concerned, especially our children and for society as a whole. But we don't want to do stay married at the cost of your happiness, correct? And that's why we're talking about what our thoughts are creating… most times is just our thoughts, and that's great news! Thing TWO… Here's the POSITIVE plan! 1. Focus on WHY you married your husband 2. How you USED to feel about & around him 3. How HE used to feel about & around you 4. All the things he does well 5. All the good things he does for YOU and your family 6. His contribution to your life and household And one last, but very importantly note… take into account what sad, hurtful, or difficult events in his life have shaped him into the person he is today. Keep on eye on the fact too often us wives have a long list of complaints about our husbands while we don't notice any of our own short comings, and LUCKY FOR US, neither do our husbands… THEY ACCEPT US FOR WHO WE ARE AS WE ARE!! In closing… Focus on YOU not on all his shortcomings. In Ep 59 – Give Others the Gift of Your Own Happiness – I talk about focusing on our OWN personal growth instead of what others are doing “wrong”, mainly our husbands. Check out here… https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-59-give-others-the-gift-of-your-own-happiness/id1597656935?i=1000593406439 Let's connect on social media! INSTAGRAM: @women.rising.together https://www.instagram.com/women.rising.together/ PRIVATE & FREE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: WomenRisingTogether2021 Women Rising Together | Facebook --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/addie970/support

As the actual courtroom videotapes are finally unsealed, we rebroadcast excerpts from Oscar-winning gay screenwriter Dustin Lance Black's play based on the transcripts of the 2010 trial that overturned California's Proposition 8, the initiative that banned marriage equality in the state. Featured in the Los Angeles Theater Works production are John C. Reilly as David Blankenhorn of the Institute for American Values, George Takei as Dr. William Tam of the Traditional Family Coalition, George Clooney as co-counsel for the plaintiffs David Boies, Kevin Bacon as ProtectMarriage.com attorney Charles Cooper and Brad Pitt as Judge Vaughn Walker. Plus: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre shares her rainbow flare on National Coming Out Day! And in NewsWrap: two patrons of a Bratislava, Slovakia gay bar are killed and an employee injured when a terrorist teenager opens fire, Mexico's Senate passes a ban on conversion therapy, Montenegro Pride demands an end to hate speech and harassment, a U.S. gay man married to a Japanese citizen wins the kind of extended visa usually reserved for queer couples who are both foreign born, University of Florida students slam the pending appointment of anti-queer Senator Ben Sasse as their next president, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by M.R. Raquel and Michael LeBeau (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the October 17, 2022 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at http://thiswayout.org/donate/

In the year that followed the first Braver Angels workshop in December 2016, Braver Angels went from an experiment with a handful of citizens in small-town Ohio to a growing national movement.  In this second part of “How Braver Angels Began,” the co-founders of Braver Angels (David Blankenhorn, Bill Doherty, and David Lapp) narrate how Braver Angels found itself on a three-week bus tour, navigating flag controversies, and following the lead of citizens everywhere in building what is now the nation's largest grassroots organization working for depolarization.  Watch part 1 of this conversation here: https://youtu.be/dzNDUowRedw  Learn more and support our mission: braverangels.org/support-us Twitter: @braverangels, @blankenhorn3, @davidlappoh

Mónica Guzmán, author of I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times, is the Director of Digital and Storytelling at Braver Angels which is a cross-partisan nonprofit organization dedicated to bridging America's widening political divide. Mónica's background in journalism and her own life experiences brought her to Braver Angels as a person interested in conversation without judgment. As a daughter of Mexican immigrants who considered themselves Republicans and a journalist, Mónica understands political party differences on a personal and professional level. In the episode she describes her journey to Braver Angels and details how the organization creates spaces, through workshops, where citizens across party lines can have difficult conversations. As she and Henry explore divides within family structure she notes how family ties put more at stake in these political conversations but how that can be extremely powerful even though it is uncomfortable. Trust and listening are more important than people may think when trying to have these conversations and Braver Angels helps people develop those skills. The end of the episode also addresses some of the controversy the organization has had recently surrounding the conservative opinions related to the January 6th Capitol attack and Henry and Colin discuss how Braver Angels transparently discussed their podcasting practices in relation to misinformation and conspiracies. A full transcript of this episode will be available soon!Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper:Mónica GuzmánBook: I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided TimesBraver AngelsMónica's earlier journalism for The Evergrey (Seattle)Interview with The Daily Kos (“you don't have to talk to a Nazi tomorrow”)Braver Angels' list of roles we play in family conversations about politicsUSC Norman Lear Center research on media consumption among liberals, moderates and conservativesJonathan Haidt: The moral roots of liberals and conservativesAnd more about his book, The Righteous MindBraver Angels podcast and controversy:Depolarization in the Age of Misinformation | Jonathan Rauch with David Blankenhorn & Ciaran O'Connor (our clip starts around min 7)A Conservative Perspective on January 6th & the 2020 Election | Peter Wood with Ciaran O'Connor (our clip starts around min 17:00)Braver Angels national debate to open up the larger question—"Should we draw lines?"—to hundreds of people. President David Blankenhorn chimes in toward the end of the videoBraver Angels Podcast host Ciaran O'Connor's op-ed in the Deseret News with more of the product of Braver Angels' reflection on what happened, and also YouTube's roleMónica's own reflection on the issue in an interview with the American Press Institute asking "what might journalism learn from 'bridging'?."Share your thoughts via Twitter with Henry, Colin and the How Do You Like It So Far? account! You can also email us at howdoyoulikeitsofarpodcast@gmail.com.Music:“In Time” by Dylan Emmett and “Spaceship” by Lesion X.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––In Time (Instrumental) by Dylan Emmet  https://soundcloud.com/dylanemmetSpaceship by Lesion X https://soundcloud.com/lesionxbeatsCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/in-time-instrumentalFree Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lesion-x-spaceshipMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/AzYoVrMLa1Q––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Braver Angels has never been shy about engaging our nation's most sensitive political issues. Last year, we held a public debate on the 2020 election exploring themes of voter fraud, voter suppression, and disagreements about the outcome. Recently, we hosted a podcast with a guest who claimed that the January 6th riots were incited by liberal activists working in collusion with the FBI.  After initially taking down the podcast for violating its terms on misinformation, YouTube reinstated the episode after reviewing it in the context of our larger mission. On this episode of the podcast, Ciaran O'Connor hosts David Blankenhorn, president of Braver Angels, and Jonathan Rauch, author of The Constitution of Knowledge, for a wide-ranging discussion on depolarization in the age of misinformation, bridge-building across the epistemological divide, and the Braver Angels approach to controversial content. Check out Jonathan's book: https://amzn.to/33wqcNu  Twitter: @braverangels, @jon_rauch, @blankenhorn3, @ciaranjoconnor

On the weekend of December 9, 2016, a small group of citizens—half Donald Trump voters, half Hillary Clinton voters—gathered in South Lebanon, Ohio, for an experiment. Could we talk with each other rather than at each other?  Five years later, the co-founders of Braver Angels (David Blankenhorn, Bill Doherty, and David Lapp) reflect on that inaugural event and how it led to the birth of Braver Angels as we now know it. Learn more and support our mission: braverangels.org/support-us Twitter: @braverangels, @blankenhorn3, @davidlappoh

This program is part of the Created Equal and Breathing Free podcast series presented in partnership with Florida Humanities. Founder of Braver Angels and the Institute for American Values, David Blankenhorn has spent his career thinking creatively and provoking constructive discourse about some of the most important and controversial cultural issues of our time. As we find ourselves increasingly locked down inside ideological camps, David defies categories, crosses boundaries, and offers fresh and compelling thinking where we seem most stuck. Our discussion is wide-ranging and free-wheeling and focuses not just on problems (like hyper-partisanship) but also on solutions (like how to build stronger communities). Facilitated by his long-time friend and Village Square board member, Bill Mattox. If you're tired of thinking inside the box then this one's for you.

David Blankenhorn is the co-founder and president of Braver Angels. During our conversation, David talks about why Braver Angels exists, tribalism and division in the United States, Braver Angels' goal of depolarizing American society, the workshops it runs with "red" and "blue" Americans, and its workshop's success at discovering shared values and greater understanding among politically-opposed citizens.------------Support this podcast via VenmoSupport this podcast via PayPalSupport this podcast on Patreon------------Show notesLeave a rating on SpotifyLeave a rating on Apple PodcastsFollow Keep Talking on Twitter, Instagram, and FacebookListen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube------------(00:00) Intro(01:02) About David Blankenhorn(02:58) David shares the circumstances that led him to found Braver Angels(06:43) David talks about the various elements needed to bring people together for a better society(07:44) David shares why he feels we're in the third big era of polarization(09:53) Can we create a society where people who vehemently disagree with each other can still get along?(15:33) David explains why and how he changed his mind on topics once very important to him(20:22) David talks about disapproving gay marriages and coming to accept it(35:17) Why does society not allow its citizens to change their minds without major repercussions?(45:08) Social virtues and collective beliefs and how they have kept political stridency at bay for a period of American history(51:16) About Robert Putnam's book, The Upswing(57:10) What is the role of smartphones and social media platforms in polarization(01:04:39) The mission and goals of Braver Angels(01:31:02) David explains why “We're a lot less divided” than people commonly believe(01:43:54) What does David mean by braver politics?(01:48:27) What is the best way for people to help Braver Angels?

Over 9.5 million American families are run by one woman. According to David Blankenhorn and others, “living in a single parent family is strongly correlated with school failure and problems of delinquency, drug use, teenage pregnancies, poverty, and welfare dependency in the United States”. Look at some of the best in entertainment, sports and movies. LeBronJames, LarryBird, Shaquille O'Neal, Alicia Keys, and even Kevin Hart were all raised by their mothers alone. So are two parents homes better than one? We have examples of three young men who try to explain from personal experience how it was living with a SINGLE PARENT. watch the video version on YouTube. Follow us: Facebook: www.facebook.com/RevoForceStudios Twitter: @RevoForceSTUDIO Instagram: @revo_force_studios TikTok: revoforcestudios YouTube: https://youtu.be/71IUjdD29Eo --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/revoforcestudios/support

Over 9.5 million American families are run by one woman. According to David Blankenhorn and others, “living in a single parent family is strongly correlated with school failure and problems of delinquency, drug use, teenage pregnancies, poverty, and welfare dependency in the United States”. Look at some of the best in entertainment, sports and movies. LeBronJames, LarryBird, Shaquille O'Neal, Alicia Keys, and even Kevin Hart were all raised by their mothers alone. So are two parents homes better than one? We have examples of three young men who try to explain from personal experience how it was living with a SINGLE PARENT. watch the video version on YouTube. Follow us: Facebook: www.facebook.com/RevoForceStudios Twitter: @RevoForceSTUDIO Instagram: @revo_force_studios TikTok: revoforcestudios YouTube: https://youtu.be/71IUjdD29Eo --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/revoforcestudios/support

One of the dominant themes of the last several years, and especially the last year, is the loss of shared truth, a sense in the country that it's increasingly difficult to talk to one another when we disagree. Because increasingly, it seems like people don't know what is true and what is false, and then public debate just becomes a matter of tribalism, where our identity shapes what we believe rather than a more honest attempt to sort through facts and weigh evidence.This is a major theme of this show now. This year so far, I've interviewed one of the most insightful thinkers and writers on the topic, Peter Pomerantsev, two members of Congress who are fighting disinformation -- Democrat Tom Malinowski and Republican Adam Kinzinger -- and another activist -- David Blankenhorn -- who is trying to get Americans to sit down with others who think differently to try to understand their point of view.This episode is an interview with a guy who really understands the Internet, and has some pretty granular suggestions about how to fix it. Michael Slaby's book, "For All the People," is a trenchant analysis of what has gone wrong over the past two decades with the internet, and a passionate call for change. He writes for the leaders of private companies, for politicians and policy-makers, and for you and me, the average person who wants to know what we can do today to reclaim more control of our lives from big tech and to help repair our country.Slaby was chief technology officer on Barack Obama's 2008 reelection campaign, and then oversaw innovation and integration of tech into the entire 2012 campaign. He now runs Harmony Labs, a company working on internet reform implementation at the local scale.Outro music: "Think Too Much" by Hannah Jadagu Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelonggame. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David Blankenhorn is co-founder of Braver Angels, which now has 70 chapters around the country, and has hosted more than 1,400 meetings, Blankenhorn said.The mission of Braver Angels is to get Americans to talk to one another, and to have honest conversations about their views on politics. The practice they preach is to get their members to listen to one another, rather than try to persuade each another, because the goal is to reduce alienation and demonization more than anything.In other words, they want to bring people together to see that the other side isn't necessarily a bunch of raging maniacs who fit the descriptions that are churned out on cable TV, online and in fundraising emails.Blankenhorn started Braver Angels a few years ago in 2017, and this task was tough then. But now, with the rise of conspiracy theories and many Trump supporters having been blue-pilled into an alternative reality, this is even tougher. And we talk at length about this. Blankenhorn is very firm that he doesn't want his group to do a lot of fact-checking.I don't know what I think about this. At a certain point, if people are not able to discern basic facts from complete falsehoods, I don't know what good it does to pretend they're nt completely around the bend. But I admire Blankenhorn's desire to bring people together, and I think we need a lot more groups and efforts like this.He also discusses how his personal history -- and his rather searing and personally painful experience being a public spokesperson on both sides of the marriage equality debate -- drove him into this work. Outro song: "Fire" by Waxahatchee Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelonggame. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Should the outcome of the 2020 election be up for debate?  Braver Angels exists to connect Americans in dialogue over their differences. That's why Braver Angels decided to hold a debate about the 2020 election—though some BA leaders think the decision was a bridge too far. Braver Angels leaders Ciaran O'Connor, John Wood, Jr., David Blankenhorn (BA president) April Lawson, and Silas Kulkarni talk it through in real time in this special episode of the Braver Angels podcast. Register for our upcoming debate: https://braverangels.org/event/debate-national-coliseum-debate-on-voter-fraud/ Further reading: Deep Divisions in Views of the Election Process – and Whether It Will Be Clear Who Won (Pew Research) Voters' reflections on the 2020 election (Pew Research) Republicans who relied on Trump for news more concerned than other Republicans about election fraud (Pew Research) 1965 The James Baldwin And William F. Buckley Debate (Aeon) A fight over Halloween costumes at Yale has devolved into an effort to censor dissenting views. (Atlantic) Twitter: @braverangel, @ciaranjoconnor, @JohnRWoodJr, @AprilALawson, @SilasKulkarni, @blankenhorn3 

Have rancor and hyper-partisanship in our politics gone so far that recovery is impossible? Is America now a fading, failing democracy? Or can we come together as one nation to revitalize our experiment in ordered liberty in the 2020s? David Blankenhorn will address these questions and discuss them with us. David is president and co-founder of Braver Angels, a national citizens' initiative working to bridge the political divide in politics and society. David Blankenhorn is president of Braver Angels, a citizens’ organization working for less rancor and more goodwill in politics and society. Before co-founding Braver Angels, David led the Institute for American Values, a think tank on civil society he founded in 1988. He also founded the Mississippi Community Service Corps and the Virginia Community Service Corps and co-founded the National Fatherhood Initiative. The author of four books, David grew up in Jackson, Mississippi; graduated from Harvard College in 1977; received an M.A. in history from the University of Warwick in Coventry, England, in 1979; and lives today in New York City.Support the show (http://www.faithandlaw.org/donate)

The family unit became the foundation of society. All other social structures find the family unit as their foundation. Social scientists view marriage as a foundational social institution because of its cross cultural and geographical nature. David Blankenhorn states that regardless of the variation in marital customs within different cultures, “marriage at its core is a woman and a man whose sexual union forms the basis of an important cooperative relationship.” Society is only as strong as it foundation. If the foundation is destroyed then what happens to other societal institutions such as the government and the church? The answer is simple — they will be weakened. Thus, Peter sets forth the duty of mutual submission between husbands and wives in 1 Peter 3:1-7.

Bill Doherty – A House UNITED?Restoring Civic Trust in Polarizing TimesAired Tuesday, August 25, 2020 at 2:00 PM PST / 5:00 PM ESTInterview with Author and Family Therapist Bill Doherty, Co-Founder of Braver Angels“We need more visionaries, and fewer divisionaries.”— Swami BeyondanandaHere is an irony supplement to munch on.America is in the midst of the most politically polarizing times since the Civil War … and yet, a 2018 Pew Research Center poll found that nearly 80 percent of Americans in each party believe it’s important for Republicans and Democrats to work together on issues.Huh? How could that be?Are we that schizophrenic … or, is there a deep longing to find our sane and sacred center at the heart and soul of who we are?Our guest this week on Wiki Politiki is family therapist and author Bill Doherty, co-founder of Braver Angels, an organization dedicated to bringing the polarized sides together to find a new angle – where instead of dehumanizing the other side, we re-humanize the other.The problem is obvious. The political narrative and discourse on both sides is to paint the other as a dangerous enemy, and the less contact we have with the other side, the easier it is to demonize them. In December 2016, Braver Angels co-founders David Blankenhorn, Bill Doherty, and David Lapp brought together 10 Trump supporters and 11 Clinton supporters in South Lebanon, Ohio for their first Red/Blue Workshop. The goal was simple. They wanted to see if Americans could still disagree respectfully – and just maybe, find common ground. The results were surprising and heartening. And I quote:“Republican and Democrat, native born and immigrant: these Americans liked each other. But first they had to hear one another’s stories. Black and white, Christian and Muslim: these Americans could appreciate each others opinions. But first they needed to see where these opinions came from. They could listen to each other’s points of view once they saw one another, not as stereotypes, but as neighbors in a country they shared.”We will be talking with Bill Doherty this week to hear more about this ongoing dialogue and project, and the implications for “political climate change” in the near future. Bill Doherty is a co-founder of Braver Angels and the creator of the Braver Angels workshop approach. Bill is a Professor and Director of the Minnesota Couples on the Brink Project in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota. Bill combines a background in family therapy and community engagement.Keep in mind that the intention of Braver Angels is not to change minds, but to change hearts so that the two sides disagree more constructively and dueling dualities can evolve into dynamic duo dance partners.If you’re ready for a true American EVOLUTION, please join us this Tuesday, August 25th, 2-3 pm PT / 5-6 pm ET.To find out more about Braver Angels, please go here. https://braverangels.org/Support Wiki Politiki — A Clear Voice In the “Bewilderness”If you LOVE what you hear, and appreciate the mission of Wiki Politiki, “put your money where your mouse is” … Join the “upwising” — join the conversation, and become a Wiki Politiki supporter: http://wikipolitiki.com/join-the-upwising/Make a contribution in any amount via PayPal (https://tinyurl.com/y8fe9dks) Go ahead, PATRONIZE me! Support Wiki Politiki monthly through Patreon!Visit the Wiki Politiki Show page https://omtimes.com/iom/shows/wiki-politiki-radio-show/Connect with Steve Bhaerman at https://wakeuplaughing.com/#BillDoherty #BraverAngels #SteveBhaerman #WikiPolitiki

I was driving by a church one day just as a wedding was ending. The bride and groom had emerged and the crowd was throwing rice (or birdseed) at the happy pair. I momentarily found myself a little surprised that people were still getting married and then I laughed at myself. You have been watching far too much television, I said. Then I saw an article in World magazine titled, Marriage Matters. Well, of course it does, I thought, but then I remembered. Not everyone thinks it does any more. The article was an interview with David Blankenhorn who, in his newest book, argues against same-sex marriage—and for leaving homosexuality out of the debate. The interviewer asked: You write that across cultures, marriage is above all a procreative institution. It is nothing less than the culturally constructed linchpin of all human family and kinship systems. What is some of the anthropological evidence for that? The author had spent an entire year studying what all the great anthropologists had concluded about marriage. He wanted learn whether there were any common features of marriage across human societies and cultures. He responded: What is always a core purpose of marriage, in every known human society? Here is the answer: Everywhere, marriage exists in large part to ensure that the woman and the man whose sexual union makes the child, stay together in a cooperative union to raise the child. […] This finding is widely shared—it is not really controversial—among the leading scholars of marriage in the modern period.

In this episode Scott reads from and discusses two books: The Boy Crisis by Warren Farrell & John Gray; and Fatherless America by David Blankenhorn. Describe your family dynamic growing up. Who was most influential in your life? How is the health of your relationship with your dad? What has caused it to be that way? “The Boy Crisis” reveals that dads are important because, when sons see their dads, they see who they can become. What future are you modeling for your kids?  Dad-deprived kids are more likely to suffer in many areas: Grades and awards, skipping school, expulsion from school, not finishing school, joining gangs, suicide rates, drug use, homelessness, sexual abuse and victimization, and much more. Dad-deprived kids are less likely to be employed, get married, stay married, be a good dad themselves. How are you contributing to this trend? How are you contributing to the solution? How are you intentionally investing in your wife? How are you pursuing her? What rhythms do you have in place to practice a healthy relationship?  What can you do to invest in kids without fathers?  

David Blankenhorn, president of Better Angels on bringing Democrats and Republicans together. Christopher Depner, University of Colorado, on making up lost sleep. Paolo Sassone-Corsi of the University of California on fasting. Harley Feldman on catching killers using DNA. Tom Wolfe from The Fairmont on America's first concierge. Author Ester Wojcicki on raising successful people.

In this special episode of the Better Angels Podcast, writer and philosopher Lexi Hudson interviews David Blankenhorn, founder and president of Better Angels, about the state of polarization in the United States, what makes a strong civil society and his own personal journey through the heat of American division.

David Blankenhorn is the founder and president of the Institute for American Values, and the president and co-founder of Better Angels, a nonprofit that brings together Americans of all political leanings to understand one another and get beyond stereotypes. In this episode, we talk about what polarization is, when it is bad, and how to promote tolerance.

When you dear readers will have a quiet moment to read this week's column, Father's Day will be another memory. And again, I pay tribute to a father, my father.It was back in the days when love and saving so many American families through the Great Depression. My father became a single parent in my preteens years because of the loss of his mate and his heroic faith carried him through difficult times. He was a single parent for me and my three siblings. Believe me, if he were still living, he will be a model and a shining Christian example for the fathers of our present generations. However, his legacy lives on.A recent author now fears that fatherhood may become extinct in this generation. David Blankenhorn wrote the book, “Fatherless America.” He was recently in Seattle speaking to a group of community leaders, He stated, “Fatherlessness is the most dangerous trend of our generation.” He also stated that, “Too many dads are not sticking around to help nurture the lives of their children. They need to view the role of fatherhood as very important and childhood development.”I am very encouraged when I hear about the fathers in America reaching out to make a difference and countering the fatherlessness trend. When I am informed that my sons are taking their sons to Promise Keepers, I am encouraged with the future. The goal of Promise Keepers is to challenge men to demonstrate integrity by adhering to the principles of godly living. Thousands of fathers and sons are attending these conferences throughout the country. Promise Keepers pledged to become promise “keepers” instead of promise “breakers.” I had many warm thoughts when I recently found in my files of a father's prayer by an unknown author after he listened to the prayer of his son.“Last night, my little boy confessed to me some childish wrong and kneeling at my knee He prayed with tears. ‘Dear God, make me a man like Daddy, wise and strong. I know you can.’ Then while he slept, I knelt beside his bed, confessed my sins and prayed low about head.‘Oh God Make me a child like my child here. Pure open, trusting the with faith, sincere.’”Warm Thoughts and Gems of Wisdom:“I never knew a love between a father and a son can be so great.” John Elton“The finest Gentlemen I have ever known and the most heroic was my father.” Daniel WebsterHave a beautiful day filled with many warm thoughts.Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Luetta G. Werner June 22 1995Published in the Marion RecordI hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.- Trina

Richard Aboulafia of Teal Group on Boeing. David Blankenhorn of Better Angels on what happens when Rs and Ds talk with each other. Jessica Myrick of Penn State on oddly satisfying trends. Morgan Leigh Cable of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory on finding life in space. Robert Feldman talks about high prices of prescription drugs. Ken Bugul, author of "Le Baobab Fou" on African migration.

ACTA is proudly partnering with Better Angels, a depolarization initiative that has grown explosively and drawn wide media attention since its launch shortly after the 2016 election. We sat down with founder David Blankenhorn to explore how Better Angels brings thousands of conservatives and progressives—and a growing community of students—together in civil debate and dialogue.

Better Angels President David Blankenhorn talks to Hunter Baker, a conservative scholar, Better Angels board member, and Professor of Political Science at Union University, about politics, polarization, and bridging the divide in our current political climate.

Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine   Engineer: Amy Browne Civil Discourse: Can We Still Do It? What civil discourse looks like? Why does it seems to be so hard right now? How can we practice it ourselves? What can we to do encourage it in our leaders and public servants here in Maine? Guests: Tomas Spath, co-founder of the Institute for Civility in Government Matt Motyl, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois – Chicago Andrew Rudalevige, the Thomas Brackett Reed Professor of Government at Bowdoin College To learn more about this topic: Why Polarization Matters, David Blankenhorn in The American Interest The Seven Habits of Highly Depolarizing People, David Blankenhorn in The American Interest 2016 Colby Civility Poll with the Boston Globe The all-volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Starr Gilmartin Maggie Harling Linda Hoskins Ann Luther Maryann Ogonowski Pam Person Leah Taylor Linda Washburn FMI re League of Women Voters of Maine: www.lwvme.org

David Blankenhorn is founder and president of the Institute of American Values. He’s also co-director of The Marriage Opportunity Council. His books include “The Future of Marriage.” Jonathan Rauch is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and co-director of The Marriage Opportunity Council. He’s a contributing editor to The Atlantic and National Journal, and the author of “Gay Marriage: Why It Is Good for Gays, Good for Straights, and Good for America.” This interview is edited and produced with music and other features in the On Being episode “David Blankenhorn and Jonathan Rauch — The Future of Marriage.” Find more at onbeing.org.

What would it take to make our national encounter with gay marriage redemptive rather than divisive? David Blankenhorn and Jonathan Rauch came to the gay marriage debate from very different directions — but with a shared concern about the institution of marriage. Now, they’re pursuing a different way for all of us to grapple with the future of marriage, redefined. They model a fresh way forward as the subject of same-sex marriage is before the Supreme Court.

David Blankenhorn's new book is "Fatherless America", which as the title suggests, is about the disappearing role of the father in America. Forty percent of households no longer have a father at home. Blankenhorn believes that this trend is the root cause of much of society's problems, such as juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy, poverty, domestic and child abuse. (Originally aired November 1995).

David Blankenhorn is popularizing an old concept.