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Group Launches Effort To Revive Civil Debate, Discussion In Politics In Ohio, Three Other States

Karen Kasler
Bracelets were handed out at a NICD civility workshop involving reporters, public officials and citizens in Columbus in 2015.

A national initiative to revive civility and respect in political talk is launching tomorrow at the Columbus Metropolitan Club.

The project includes Ohio and Iowa, both swing states, along with strongly red Arizona and solidly blue Maine. Carolyn Lukensmeyer heads the National Institute for Civil Discourse at the University of Arizona, which has been working on this issue for six years. She said the goal is to help 100,000 citizens learn to improve public and political discourse.  “Not trying to force an agreement, not trying to force common ground, but just coming back to a place where we actually listen to one another and we actually respect each other,” Lukensmeyer said.

The initiative will team up with more than a hundred community organizations across the country. Lukensmeyer says she hopes to see the progress made withcivility programs at the state levelspread nationwide.

Contact Karen at 614-578-6375 or at kkasler@statehousenews.org.
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