Braver Angels

[Marvin the Martian]

Is anyone here a member of Braver Angels (website below). It is a group designed to bring liberals and conservatives together in productive conversations and attempt to end the rancor.

I have a gaming buddy who has been a member for some time since I haven't gamed with him in 16 months. He is a Libertarian turned Republican and is direct about his opinions. He seemed to like the group and felt it useful (at least 16 months ago).

Has anyone else joined this group? Does it seem like this is the type of grassroots movement that might move discourse to a better place? If you are in Indiana, I see the Indiana chapter is having a meeting on May 30 from 10-5.

Braver Angels

Braver Angels is a citizens’ organization uniting red and blue Americans in a working alliance to depolarize America

braverangels.org

 

[IU_Hickory]

sounds like a good idea if it works. If this forum is any indicator, then don't see people changing their minds.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

On the state page for Indiana, there is a video of an MSNBC news story on the group in Bloomington. At one point participants were asked to mention where they think their side is often wrong. One Republican said that the red side was too often to just side with the police. That is the guy I game with. The person they showed from the blue side said the blues too often just threw money at a problem.

 

[HooDatGuy]

sounds like a good idea if it works. If this forum is any indicator, then don't see people changing their minds.

You do a lot to elevate the discourse of this forum.

 

[anon_6hv78pr714xta]

Is anyone here a member of Braver Angels (website below). It is a group designed to bring liberals and conservatives together in productive conversations and attempt to end the rancor.

I have a gaming buddy who has been a member for some time since I haven't gamed with him in 16 months. He is a Libertarian turned Republican and is direct about his opinions. He seemed to like the group and felt it useful (at least 16 months ago).

Has anyone else joined this group? Does it seem like this is the type of grassroots movement that might move discourse to a better place? If you are in Indiana, I see the Indiana chapter is having a meeting on May 30 from 10-5.

Braver Angels

Braver Angels is a citizens’ organization uniting red and blue Americans in a working alliance to depolarize America

braverangels.org

I joined it in February and donate to them. I attended one of their workshops. In fact, your post now reminds me I wanted to do more with them, but then IU fired Miller, I started obsessively watching these boards for new-hire rumors, and got sucked into the Water Cooler discussions. Damn it.

 

[IU_Hickory]

You do a lot to elevate the discourse of this forum.

Thanks. maybe one day you could strive to do the same.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

I joined it in February and donate to them. I attended one of their workshops. In fact, your post now reminds me I wanted to do more with them, but then IU fired Miller, I started obsessively watching these boards for new-hire rumors, and got sucked into the Water Cooler discussions. Damn it.

Let us know what you think if you get involved, I have been seriously considering it

 

[anon_6hv78pr714xta]

Let us know what you think if you get involved, I have been seriously considering it

You should do it. You don't have to make it a big commitment. I thought the workshop I did was pretty good. They taught deescalation skills and examined language used in political discourse that had the tendency to polarize people (a lot of which you see here). It also tried to get people to see that their own opinions had biases behind them based on their political affiliation and to try to deflate the type of labeling people do of the opposite party (again, a lot of which goes on here).

 

[mcmurtry66]

Let us know what you think if you get involved, I have been seriously considering it

You don’t need to attend. You could lead a workshop.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

You should do it. You don't have to make it a big commitment. I thought the workshop I did was pretty good. They taught deescalation skills and examined language used in political discourse that had the tendency to polarize people (a lot of which you see here). It also tried to get people to see that their own opinions had biases behind them based on their political affiliation and to try to deflate the type of labeling people do of the opposite party (again, a lot of which goes on here).

When I started here we had a self-identified conservative (that would change) as the sole mod, buzz123. Buzz ruled with an iron fist. One did not name call, one did not post links without original thought tied in. It was much more a term paper feel. I loved those times.

After he stepped down, things began changing and the atmosphere increasingly poisoned.

Buzz developed health issues and grew to hate the American insurance system. That moved his politics somewhat.

I don't blame the mods sense, it takes a lot of work to police the way Buzz did. And he won no friends. But there are thousands of places on the internet to call names, there are fewer places that strive for more. It is the same reason the news channels do infotainment, it draws eyes.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

You don’t need to attend. You could lead a workshop.

Thanks. I used to be good but there is a poster that drove me away from it.

 

[mcmurtry66]

Thanks. I used to be good but there is a poster that drove me away from it.

i remember those times with buzz. i didn't post but i would peruse the boards etc. it was vastly different. i don't know. maybe times have changed and the board mirrors the decline in decorum. why don't you be a mod?

 

[anon_6hv78pr714xta]

When I started here we had a self-identified conservative (that would change) as the sole mod, buzz123. Buzz ruled with an iron fist. One did not name call, one did not post links without original thought tied in. It was much more a term paper feel. I loved those times.

After he stepped down, things began changing and the atmosphere increasingly poisoned.

Buzz developed health issues and grew to hate the American insurance system. That moved his politics somewhat.

I don't blame the mods sense, it takes a lot of work to police the way Buzz did. And he won no friends. But there are thousands of places on the internet to call names, there are fewer places that strive for more. It is the same reason the news channels do infotainment, it draws eyes.

Yeah, I've wondered about the tone on these boards. It's very unfortunate.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

i remember those times with buzz. i didn't post but i would peruse the boards etc. it was vastly different. i don't know. maybe times have changed and the board mirrors the decline in decorum. why don't you be a mod?

I learned from my umpire attempt long ago I am just not the person for that. People doing it need to be decisive, that isn't me.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

Yeah, I've wondered about the tone on these boards. It's very unfortunate.

The basketball side has always been a pit. The people back 20 some years ago had great basketball knowledge, but they were hopelessly caught into camps that hated one another.

 

[Noodle]

I learned from my umpire attempt long ago I am just not the person for that. People doing it need to be decisive, that isn't me.

LOL I had that same experience the one time they made me umpire a Little League game (every coach had to do one game). Several times immediately after the ball/strike call came out my mouth I thought "oh wait, that's not the right call." By the end of the game even the coaches from my own team were starting to ride me (in large part because they knew I was absolutely miserable). It was a very humbling experience.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

LOL I had that same experience the one time they made me umpire a Little League game (every coach had to do one game). Several times immediately after the ball/strike came out my mouth I thought "oh wait, that's not the right call." By the end of the game even the coaches from my own team were starting to ride me (in large part because they knew I was absolutely miserable). It was a very humbling experience.

When I was in college I was going to go to one of the umpire schools in Florida. I decided to wait a year and do local softball. I never made it to a game, discovered in the training it was not me for that reason.

 

[Cortez88]

You do a lot to elevate the discourse of this forum.

Marvin certainly does and I personally try to be more like him. I’m made some shitty posts but I try to be better. We should all try and raise the bar like Marvin.

 

[i'vegotwinners]

the entire purpose of those who control both branches of the Wall St Party, and their media arms, is to keep everyone fighting each other, and not the oligarchic plutocracy holding down those from both branches they control..

we have met the enemy, and it is them.