We’ve reached an inflection point in the United States. Toxic polarization, once dismissed as the normal back-and-forth of political debate, has gone beyond words and boiled over into violence. We saw the results in real time on Jan. 6, 2021, and in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in 2020.
But warning signs were blinking urgently well in advance of those eruptions.
Americans are rightly concerned. An astounding 71% say the country is heading in the wrong direction. It’s easy to see why.
While President Joe Biden again called for unity during this year’s State of the Union address and the country is largely united against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the headlines continue to paint a picture of division. Partisan gridlock persists in Congress as political parties choose to punish dissent rather than welcome opposing viewpoints. It would seem as if there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
Bringing Americans together
As leaders of organizations committed to healing the divides of our nation, we’re here to tell Americans that there is hope on the horizon. The “bridging field” – made up of organizations whose programs bring Americans together across our divides – is growing explosively, from a couple dozen organizations a decade ago to hundreds of organizations today offering evidence-based programming in diverse communities across America.
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We are members of the ListenFirst Coalition, the largest of the field, with more than 400 bridging organizations collaborating to combat polarization and make bridging a norm. The Bridge Alliance, the Partnership for American Democracy and Our Common Purpose are nonpartisan, nonprofit coalition-based initiatives highlighting the bridging field among other solution sets.
The New Pluralists Collaborative constitutes leading funders “committed to the vital work of healing our divisions by helping Americans recognize our shared humanity, embrace our differences and solve challenges together.”
We can work to bridge our differences
The rapidly growing bridging field has built the evidence-base that this work can consistently succeed in building understanding and increasing trust among Americans of diverse backgrounds and beliefs. These programs bridge divides every day among grassroots Americans and leaders. The situation is dire, yes, but through the efforts of the movement, significant change is underway.
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The recently introduced bipartisan Building Civic Bridges Act would provide grants for community organizations working to heal toxic polarization. And over the past 18 months, there has been more media coverage of the work to find common ground than ever before.
An end to toxic polarization does not mean eliminating disagreement. Nor does it mean asking people of strong viewpoints to compromise their values in the name of civility. Given the long-term presence of polarization, it may seem that the country is impervious to change.
However, civil disagreement that yields progress is not only possible – it happens all of the time within our movement. Effective work is getting done.
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Recently, leaders from groups on all sides of the guns debate found common ground in efforts to prevent gun-related suicides. During last year’s annual National Week of Conversation, members of our broad coalition hosted more than 100 opportunities for Americans to listen with curiosity, share their experiences and connect with respect.
Americans coming together to talk
Thousands of Americans engaged for the first time in such intentional conversations across differences and have remained committed to our mission. The Citizen Connect initiative is rapidly building momentum, and the fifth annual National Week of Conversation is coming up, kicking off with America Talks on April 21 and April 23.
Another one of our member organizations hosted a forum at the University of Notre Dame with John Kerry and Condoleezza Rice. Students in attendance responded with shock: They had no idea it was possible for a Democrat and a Republican to agree publicly.
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That just shouldn’t be. Americans need to be exposed to the agreements that take place all the time but too often don’t get attention. We’re doing our nation a great disservice if we only glorify conflict.
These anecdotes alone don’t guarantee a solution is right around the corner. But they are proof that our work is bearing fruit.
Businesses work to reduce divisions
America’s business community is rallying around our invitations to conversations among those with different views. Leading brands such as Walmart, Target, McDonald’s, Harley-Davidson, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Microsoft, Boston Beer, iHeartMedia, Twitter and others support our collective campaigns to turn down the heat and find a way forward together.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, once seen as a strictly Republican body, has seen the instability caused by extreme partisanship and is rewarding bipartisanship in its evaluation of politicians. More than 1,500 members signed up for a Chamber event about combating polarization that featured one of our member organizations.
Yes, polarization is getting worse and threatening ever-worse outcomes, including civil violence. However, Americans agree on a lot more than one might think, and we’re highlighting opportunities for common ground and building the means to overcome polarization. The bridging field offers a pathway toward the truth and hope – if we choose to take it.
We’ll get there faster if Americans from across the political spectrum who are tired of our broken politics and dangerous divisions will work together toward a new normal.
We welcome Americans to join us in building this future. Each of us can be a part of the work to bring about the changes in thought, speech and action that will enable us to put solving the nation’s greatest challenges ahead of just arguing and fighting about them.
Bruce Bond is co-founder and CEO of Common Ground Committee. David Eisner is president and CEO of Convergence Center for Policy Resolution. Pearce Godwin is founder of the Listen First Project. Kristin Hansen is executive director of the Civic Health Project.
