US Democracy

A nonpartisan group called #ListenFirstCoalition declared this coming week a National Week of Conversation. People may be matched with strangers for one-on-one video chats or may join in with film screenings and group conversations. It’s all about transforming division and contempt into connection and understanding. One of the sponsoring groups is a commission formed by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences that held listening sessions all over the United States trying to understand why it is that we are so distrustful of the government and the media and businesses and science and religious institutions – and even one another. Harvard University ethics professor Danielle Allen was a co-chair of the commission. (Originally aired: June 30th, 2020) (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)