Braver Angels gets Democrats and Republicans together to talk about political issues. They teach people how to connect instead of confront. What I feel most hopeful about with this organization is they are conducting workshops with high school students, giving them the tools to hold difficult conversations without being adversarial. They have held some of these in Orange County. https://braverangels.org/
Jeff. I admire you for your willingness to sit down with this guy. Back in the good old days of normal back and forth politics, I could have done the same. In fact, I've always had conservative friends with whom I've been able to disagree, agreeably. But we live in a different time. Mr. tRump is the embodiment of evil, a depraved racist, sexual predator and convicted felon. I cannot sit down and have a rational discussion with anyone who supports this man anymore than I could have sat down with a Hitler acolyte in 1938. I'm sure Joe is a generous family man who loves sports and we could carry on a lovely conversation. But he vociferously supports a murderous thug who is dismantling this country brick by brick and- to use his buddy Musk's favorite term- feeding our values into a woodchipper. There is no middle ground when the other side is as sick and perverted as MAGA and the only way for me to sit down with one of his supporters would be if that person started with an apology for voting for him.
Never forget what these volks would do to you and yours and anyone too "different" if they held absolute power. With you on trying to dialog and educate, not to the point of spending any money to support MAGA volk. Vote with your dollars! And never forget, the good Germans had no idea what was going on in the camps, right? Oh- check and see if he has any Latinos working in the kitchen. If you were a Latino, you might have a different perspective on this entire question. I guess privilege buys perspective?
I was impressed with the Sasse interview as well. It reminded me that growing up in Whittier (Nixon’ s home town) required consideration for other opinions.
I was born in Whittier. I grew up across the street from La Serna HS and FHCC. I swam competitively there from age 6 to 10. I still go back on occasion and it, honestly, hasn't changed much. I've always loved Old Town.
Coming from a fan, Jeff. I applaud you sitting to talk with him. I was pretty disappointed that you removed the post you made yesterday where his words were truly on display. I wish you'd put that back up so everyone can see where he's starting from.
LOVE this Jeff! I personally have about 7 MAGA friends that I have maintained civility with and I am SO glad that I have. Of course Jeff you are smart and I would imagine you will bring him one of your books (You really should bring the Tupac one BTW) and it should go well and I hope it does. This fever will break. I don't know that for sure but I have an 11 year old that I brought into this world so the cynical hopeless perspective had to be put to night night and let's stick to the no name-calling and basic civility and you got this Jeff!!!!!!
PS: I REALLY want you to give him the TUPAC book but the safer bet is the Bad Guys Won, which remains an all time book TITLE
Thanks for the reminder, and for giving Joe some grace. Sometimes we need to take a deep breath and focus on our commonalities. It's hard. It requires some self-reflection, restraint, and humility. But taking a step back and viewing the world as our common home - like astronaut Jeremy Hansen on the recent Artemis II mission so elequentlly stayed, "Planet Earth, you are a crew." 🌏
Good stuff Jeff... I love talking to Trumpers, it is a wild dive into the MAGA mind which is interesting and entertaining across the board. At the end, it is their view of the world and mine, and at the end as long as folks to do not believe in the same basics I believe in, like Women should like Men have total and complete control over their bodies and not the Government, DO NOT have a Majority of any body that holds power of ALL of us, we are good. I can hear them out for sure, but when it comes time to VOTE on the issue at hand, OUR Majority must prevail. Easy Peasy and What Fun. and I bet the best Food. :-) GO USA !!!!
I highly recommend listening to Ben Sasse's new podcast "Not Dead Yet" which he co-hosts with Chris Stirewalt. I'd start with the April 7th Jonah Goldberg episode personally.
Jeff, you have a high community profile. Perhaps, in addition, you have daughters or nieces. Perhaps you have neighbors who are brown. What should those people think when they see you breaking bread and sharing a laugh with a man who supports a sexual predator, a misogynist, a bigot? What does that communicate about their value? Should a daughter or niece accept that it is her lot in life to be subject to the whims of men? I think about these things when I refuse to socialize with MAGA. I don’t want to passively communicate that those values are acceptable.
I'm very confused because this is a 180 from your last post on this topic but good for you. I admit I checked multiple times to see if this was a guest post. haha
Tell Joe that Peppino's on the Lake was my favorite Italian/pizza restaurant from the time it was just one row of booths and a counter until it grew up and took over the patio in the front and back. I miss it very much.
Yeah, I watched the Ben Sasse intervew on "60 Minutes" Sunday night ... and he's impressive. I admire your willingness to reach out, and look forward to what you'll write about your upcoming meeting with Joe.
A good friend of mine went MAGA back in 2015 -- he didn't wear the stupid red hat, but voted for tRump. We were able to remain friends by observing a mutual pact to avoid the subject of politics, for which I'm grateful. He was a very thoughtful, humane, and reasonable man in all other respects. A hidden cancer took him down fast a few years ago - before tRump's second ascension to the Oval Office - so I'll never know if tRump's actions in the past year would have been a bridge too far ... but I'd like to think so.
Braver Angels gets Democrats and Republicans together to talk about political issues. They teach people how to connect instead of confront. What I feel most hopeful about with this organization is they are conducting workshops with high school students, giving them the tools to hold difficult conversations without being adversarial. They have held some of these in Orange County. https://braverangels.org/
Jeff. I admire you for your willingness to sit down with this guy. Back in the good old days of normal back and forth politics, I could have done the same. In fact, I've always had conservative friends with whom I've been able to disagree, agreeably. But we live in a different time. Mr. tRump is the embodiment of evil, a depraved racist, sexual predator and convicted felon. I cannot sit down and have a rational discussion with anyone who supports this man anymore than I could have sat down with a Hitler acolyte in 1938. I'm sure Joe is a generous family man who loves sports and we could carry on a lovely conversation. But he vociferously supports a murderous thug who is dismantling this country brick by brick and- to use his buddy Musk's favorite term- feeding our values into a woodchipper. There is no middle ground when the other side is as sick and perverted as MAGA and the only way for me to sit down with one of his supporters would be if that person started with an apology for voting for him.
Never forget what these volks would do to you and yours and anyone too "different" if they held absolute power. With you on trying to dialog and educate, not to the point of spending any money to support MAGA volk. Vote with your dollars! And never forget, the good Germans had no idea what was going on in the camps, right? Oh- check and see if he has any Latinos working in the kitchen. If you were a Latino, you might have a different perspective on this entire question. I guess privilege buys perspective?
Good for the two of you! Maybe civility isn't dead; just comatose in the Maga era.
I was impressed with the Sasse interview as well. It reminded me that growing up in Whittier (Nixon’ s home town) required consideration for other opinions.
I was born in Whittier. I grew up across the street from La Serna HS and FHCC. I swam competitively there from age 6 to 10. I still go back on occasion and it, honestly, hasn't changed much. I've always loved Old Town.
Coming from a fan, Jeff. I applaud you sitting to talk with him. I was pretty disappointed that you removed the post you made yesterday where his words were truly on display. I wish you'd put that back up so everyone can see where he's starting from.
LOVE this Jeff! I personally have about 7 MAGA friends that I have maintained civility with and I am SO glad that I have. Of course Jeff you are smart and I would imagine you will bring him one of your books (You really should bring the Tupac one BTW) and it should go well and I hope it does. This fever will break. I don't know that for sure but I have an 11 year old that I brought into this world so the cynical hopeless perspective had to be put to night night and let's stick to the no name-calling and basic civility and you got this Jeff!!!!!!
PS: I REALLY want you to give him the TUPAC book but the safer bet is the Bad Guys Won, which remains an all time book TITLE
Thanks for the reminder, and for giving Joe some grace. Sometimes we need to take a deep breath and focus on our commonalities. It's hard. It requires some self-reflection, restraint, and humility. But taking a step back and viewing the world as our common home - like astronaut Jeremy Hansen on the recent Artemis II mission so elequentlly stayed, "Planet Earth, you are a crew." 🌏
Good stuff Jeff... I love talking to Trumpers, it is a wild dive into the MAGA mind which is interesting and entertaining across the board. At the end, it is their view of the world and mine, and at the end as long as folks to do not believe in the same basics I believe in, like Women should like Men have total and complete control over their bodies and not the Government, DO NOT have a Majority of any body that holds power of ALL of us, we are good. I can hear them out for sure, but when it comes time to VOTE on the issue at hand, OUR Majority must prevail. Easy Peasy and What Fun. and I bet the best Food. :-) GO USA !!!!
I highly recommend listening to Ben Sasse's new podcast "Not Dead Yet" which he co-hosts with Chris Stirewalt. I'd start with the April 7th Jonah Goldberg episode personally.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-dead-yet/id1877948649
So not the same guy you wrote about the other day?
Jeff, you have a high community profile. Perhaps, in addition, you have daughters or nieces. Perhaps you have neighbors who are brown. What should those people think when they see you breaking bread and sharing a laugh with a man who supports a sexual predator, a misogynist, a bigot? What does that communicate about their value? Should a daughter or niece accept that it is her lot in life to be subject to the whims of men? I think about these things when I refuse to socialize with MAGA. I don’t want to passively communicate that those values are acceptable.
I'm very confused because this is a 180 from your last post on this topic but good for you. I admit I checked multiple times to see if this was a guest post. haha
Good man! Both of you.
Tell Joe that Peppino's on the Lake was my favorite Italian/pizza restaurant from the time it was just one row of booths and a counter until it grew up and took over the patio in the front and back. I miss it very much.
Yeah, I watched the Ben Sasse intervew on "60 Minutes" Sunday night ... and he's impressive. I admire your willingness to reach out, and look forward to what you'll write about your upcoming meeting with Joe.
A good friend of mine went MAGA back in 2015 -- he didn't wear the stupid red hat, but voted for tRump. We were able to remain friends by observing a mutual pact to avoid the subject of politics, for which I'm grateful. He was a very thoughtful, humane, and reasonable man in all other respects. A hidden cancer took him down fast a few years ago - before tRump's second ascension to the Oval Office - so I'll never know if tRump's actions in the past year would have been a bridge too far ... but I'd like to think so.