Political Teamwork

I admit to strongly held political opinions. I want everyone to agree with me, but I know this is not going to happen. What disturbs me, though, is not the absence of agreement, but the polarization and acrimony. We seem more divided now than ever. My tendency is to want to argue.

What I am learning is that I need to listen. Carefully. I need to look for common ground, to break out of my filter bubble, to seek diverse perspectives, and have real conversations. I need to watch for bias in my information sources, and notice my own biases. I want to better understand the world — and you.

Better Angels
Polarization is tearing us apart. Better Angels is bringing reds and blues together to find common ground.

Better Angels is the website that inspired me to include a page on politics. I had been afraid of making matters worse by causing more division, but Better Angels convinced me that with effort and training we can find common ground and work together. I look forward to the process. See also Social Media Code of Conduct (W.I.N.G.S.).
See also Better Angels on Facebook.

Pro-Truth Pledge
Frustrated by misinformation and incivility in public discourse? Take the Pro-Truth Pledge to protect facts and civility.

I pledge my earnest efforts to:

share truth,
honor truth, and
encourage truth.

This site provides suggestions and tools to help meet this commitment.
See also Pro-Truth Pledge on Facebook.

Media Bias/Fact Check
The most comprehensive media bias resource on the internet, with currently 2800+ media sources listed.

Media bias includes utilizing strongly loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes), publishing misleading reports and omitting reports of information that may damage a favorite cause, which tends to make sources untrustworthy. This site helps identify media bias.
See also Media Bias/ Fact Check on Facebook.

All Sides
Unbiased news does not exist; we provide balanced news and civil discourse.

Not easily summed up in a few words, this website provides balanced news, diverse perspectives, and real conversation. It also offers bias ratings, a dictionary, and other tools to help free us from filter bubbles so we can better understand the world — and each other.
Read 11 Types of Media Bias.
See also AllSides on Facebook.

Coffee Party USA
Coffee Party USA is looking for people from all America’s communities who want to work together across our differences.

As a supporter of the Coffee Party, I pledge to conduct myself in a way that is civil, honest, and respectful toward people with whom I disagree. I value people from different cultures, I value people with different ideas, and I value and cherish the democratic process.
See also Coffee Party USA on Facebook.

Transpartisan Review
A journal exploring the disintegration of the traditional political order and the emergence of a new perspective.

Although not for everyone, this digital journal of politics, society, and culture, explores the emergence of a new, transpartisan perspective. I especially enjoyed the review of Beyond Left and Right: Breaking the political stalemate, by A. Lawrence Chickering, a libertarian conservative committed to eliminating racism and poverty.