Big 10: How to depolarize America, Part 1
July 3, 2023
Inspired by last week’s local Braver Angels ‘Bipartisan Constituent Conversation,’ we asked 10 national leaders in the push against polarization: What’s your level of confidence that we can become a less divided nation?
By Jeff D’Alessio
Inspired by last week’s local Braver Angels ‘Bipartisan Constituent Conversation,’ we asked 10 national leaders in the push against polarization: What’s your level of confidence that we can become a less divided nation?
LAYLA ZAIDANE
President & CEO of Millennial Action Project, the largest cross-partisan network of young U.S. lawmakers ‘who believe in fighting back against toxic political polarization’
“We’re in a polarized moment, there’s no denying it. But Gen Z and millennial elected officials are more willing than previous generations to work across the aisle, and that should give us hope that a healthier political culture is coming.
“Consider this: One out of five state lawmakers in the country are millennial, yet one out of three bipartisan bills enacted this year were written by young lawmakers. Gen Z and millennials are statistically better at building bipartisan coalitions and bringing people together. That gives me a lot of hope.
“Screens add vitriol to our politics. The best way to help our country get along better is to move political conversations from online to real life. It’s so much harder to hate up close.
“Oh, and one more thing. We’re only human, sometimes we want to be snarky, even about politics. I always ask myself: Do I need to post this publicly, or can I just send it to a friend who I know will laugh along with me? If we all stopped posting our rants, and stopped amplifying the rants of others, our politics would get 20 percent healthier. And that little bit goes a long way.”
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