1 00:00:05,043 --> 00:00:09,109 ♪♪ -This democracy has been around 2 00:00:09,109 --> 00:00:11,009 for over two centuries for a reason. 3 00:00:11,009 --> 00:00:12,643 But then what? 4 00:00:12,643 --> 00:00:14,343 -It doesn't matter whether or not you're Republican, 5 00:00:14,343 --> 00:00:16,543 Democratic, independent, whether you're in the Green Party, 6 00:00:16,543 --> 00:00:18,143 you know, it doesn't really matter 7 00:00:18,143 --> 00:00:21,709 as long as you're here for America to be better, 8 00:00:21,709 --> 00:00:23,309 -[ Chanting ] Not books! 9 00:00:23,309 --> 00:00:26,443 -Democracy doesn't just happen automatically. 10 00:00:26,443 --> 00:00:29,443 It's based upon a whole series of assumptions 11 00:00:29,443 --> 00:00:34,709 and norms and practices that is built into making it work. 12 00:00:34,709 --> 00:00:36,776 -The end goal is the same. 13 00:00:36,776 --> 00:00:39,909 We want a fairer society, a more prosperous country. 14 00:00:39,909 --> 00:00:42,043 We want a better place for our children 15 00:00:42,043 --> 00:00:43,809 to live a better future. 16 00:00:43,809 --> 00:00:45,876 We want the same things. 17 00:00:45,876 --> 00:00:48,243 -America's never been about what can be done for us. 18 00:00:48,243 --> 00:00:51,843 It's about what can be done by us together. 19 00:00:51,843 --> 00:00:54,043 -There are so many good things happening in our country 20 00:00:54,043 --> 00:00:55,976 that are getting very little attention. 21 00:00:55,976 --> 00:00:57,976 And if people only see the worst, 22 00:00:57,976 --> 00:01:01,376 then they start to act that way, and we can definitely do better. 23 00:01:01,376 --> 00:01:03,709 -Government isn't where all the power lies. 24 00:01:03,709 --> 00:01:05,443 The power exists with the people. 25 00:01:05,443 --> 00:01:08,643 We need to invest our time and efforts in democracy. 26 00:01:08,643 --> 00:01:12,309 -And the one thing we have in common is our Americanness. 27 00:01:12,309 --> 00:01:13,609 And we've gotta develop that, 28 00:01:13,609 --> 00:01:15,076 and we've gotta educate about that. 29 00:01:15,076 --> 00:01:19,076 We've gotta think hard about what makes us American. 30 00:01:19,076 --> 00:01:29,443 ♪♪ 31 00:01:31,443 --> 00:01:34,443 -Throughout this country's nearly 250-year history, 32 00:01:34,443 --> 00:01:38,009 the essence of democracy has often been challenged. 33 00:01:38,009 --> 00:01:40,943 The debate over what it takes to maintain a government 34 00:01:40,943 --> 00:01:45,076 of the people, by the people, and for the people is robust. 35 00:01:45,076 --> 00:01:48,443 Fundamental freedoms, equal rights, free and fair elections 36 00:01:48,443 --> 00:01:51,476 are all signs of a healthy democracy, 37 00:01:51,476 --> 00:01:55,009 but growing polarization and unprecedented political events 38 00:01:55,009 --> 00:01:57,143 are eroding confidence 39 00:01:57,143 --> 00:01:59,943 in the well-being of America's democracy. 40 00:01:59,943 --> 00:02:03,109 Still, resilience can prevail. 41 00:02:03,109 --> 00:02:04,743 -If you look at under the Constitution, 42 00:02:04,743 --> 00:02:06,809 the executive branch, the judiciary, 43 00:02:06,809 --> 00:02:09,143 the Congress, the entire federal system, 44 00:02:09,143 --> 00:02:12,043 the states, the cities, and so forth, 45 00:02:12,043 --> 00:02:15,676 I think they would deserve to feel pretty good 46 00:02:15,676 --> 00:02:19,976 that this experiment -- ha! -- that they launched 47 00:02:19,976 --> 00:02:23,409 has lasted and has succeeded in so many ways. 48 00:02:23,409 --> 00:02:26,409 No one is born in this country, 49 00:02:26,409 --> 00:02:29,276 you know, with genes that somehow understand 50 00:02:29,276 --> 00:02:31,743 and internalize what a democracy is, 51 00:02:31,743 --> 00:02:35,476 why it's valuable, what's expected of them as a citizen. 52 00:02:35,476 --> 00:02:37,976 We've gotta teach it, but we're not teaching it. 53 00:02:37,976 --> 00:02:41,176 We are failing to pass on the culture, 54 00:02:41,176 --> 00:02:43,843 the political culture of democracy. 55 00:02:43,843 --> 00:02:46,209 And that, to me, is the real warning. 56 00:02:46,209 --> 00:02:48,176 -Richard Haass is a veteran diplomat, 57 00:02:48,176 --> 00:02:50,043 frequent media contributor, and author 58 00:02:50,043 --> 00:02:52,943 who recently stepped down after 20 years as president 59 00:02:52,943 --> 00:02:55,643 of the Non-Partisan Council on Foreign Relations, 60 00:02:55,643 --> 00:02:57,943 where he remains president emeritus. 61 00:02:57,943 --> 00:03:00,276 He's advised both Democrats and Republicans 62 00:03:00,276 --> 00:03:02,809 on global issues and foreign policy. 63 00:03:02,809 --> 00:03:04,776 But now Haass is turning his attention 64 00:03:04,776 --> 00:03:06,543 to matters more domestic 65 00:03:06,543 --> 00:03:08,843 and what he says is one of the greatest threats 66 00:03:08,843 --> 00:03:12,409 to this country -- the stability of our democracy. 67 00:03:12,409 --> 00:03:16,476 "The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens" 68 00:03:16,476 --> 00:03:18,609 lays out a framework for examining 69 00:03:18,609 --> 00:03:20,376 and reintroducing ideals 70 00:03:20,376 --> 00:03:22,676 that advanced America's democracy over the past 71 00:03:22,676 --> 00:03:25,609 two and a half centuries -- ideals that Haass says, 72 00:03:25,609 --> 00:03:29,443 if ignored, could stand in the way of progress. 73 00:03:29,443 --> 00:03:31,809 -I'm worried. We're off the rails. 74 00:03:31,809 --> 00:03:33,576 Good news is, we can get back on the rails. 75 00:03:33,576 --> 00:03:35,476 There's nothing that's happened that's irrevocable 76 00:03:35,476 --> 00:03:38,709 or irreversible, but there is something amiss. 77 00:03:38,709 --> 00:03:41,843 -You really call it a crisis. Is that the appropriate word? 78 00:03:41,843 --> 00:03:44,343 Are we in that level now? 79 00:03:44,343 --> 00:03:46,509 -We can argue whether it's a crisis or not, 80 00:03:46,509 --> 00:03:49,609 but if you're not worried, you're not paying attention. 81 00:03:49,609 --> 00:03:52,976 I don't think any of us has the luxury to be sanguine 82 00:03:52,976 --> 00:03:57,143 about the state of, future of American democracy. 83 00:03:57,143 --> 00:04:00,543 And if you value it, as I do, as you do, as I hope 84 00:04:00,543 --> 00:04:03,243 everyone watching this does, they should be worried. 85 00:04:03,243 --> 00:04:07,409 And they should basically say, we can no longer assume 86 00:04:07,409 --> 00:04:11,443 that after 247, 248 years, it's gonna be around here 87 00:04:11,443 --> 00:04:16,109 for another 10, 20, much less 248 years. 88 00:04:16,109 --> 00:04:18,043 -Those who are worried are doing something 89 00:04:18,043 --> 00:04:19,843 and are helping others do the same. 90 00:04:19,843 --> 00:04:22,109 From media literacy and being civil 91 00:04:22,109 --> 00:04:25,609 to respecting government service and putting country first, 92 00:04:25,609 --> 00:04:28,009 everyday Americans from all walks of life 93 00:04:28,009 --> 00:04:31,143 are responding to the challenge of preserving democracy. 94 00:04:31,143 --> 00:04:33,143 They're volunteering in their communities, 95 00:04:33,143 --> 00:04:36,243 becoming more informed, and working on being more civil 96 00:04:36,243 --> 00:04:38,543 and talking with each other. -...and we approve this message. 97 00:04:38,543 --> 00:04:43,609 ♪♪ 98 00:04:43,609 --> 00:04:45,976 -When de Tocqueville wrote "Democracy in America," 99 00:04:45,976 --> 00:04:47,609 he traveled around the country, 100 00:04:47,609 --> 00:04:49,643 and Americans were meeting with one another. 101 00:04:49,643 --> 00:04:51,443 What impressed him so much is -- 102 00:04:51,443 --> 00:04:54,276 the word he used was "associational," I think it was, 103 00:04:54,276 --> 00:04:56,409 the idea Americans would associate, they'd meet. 104 00:04:56,409 --> 00:04:57,776 And they would talk things through, 105 00:04:57,776 --> 00:04:59,809 and they'd come into the town square, literally, 106 00:04:59,809 --> 00:05:02,343 or to a town meeting hall or a church. 107 00:05:02,343 --> 00:05:05,676 And that's where civic interaction took place. 108 00:05:05,676 --> 00:05:09,109 -And it's taking place now in places like Dearborn, Michigan, 109 00:05:09,109 --> 00:05:12,043 where two longtime media adversaries learned 110 00:05:12,043 --> 00:05:15,343 that through polite and respectful disagreement, 111 00:05:15,343 --> 00:05:17,709 there was still room for relationship building 112 00:05:17,709 --> 00:05:21,609 and lasting friendship without abandoning their principles. 113 00:05:21,609 --> 00:05:24,343 -Welcome to The Civility Project. 114 00:05:24,343 --> 00:05:26,043 -Stephen Henderson and Nolan Finley 115 00:05:26,043 --> 00:05:29,043 started The Civility Project in 2020, 116 00:05:29,043 --> 00:05:31,643 hosting dozens of sessions over Zoom. 117 00:05:31,643 --> 00:05:37,209 Now they go on the road teaching others how to do the same. 118 00:05:37,209 --> 00:05:40,309 -People feel badly about politics. 119 00:05:40,309 --> 00:05:42,743 It's not just they feel divided. 120 00:05:42,743 --> 00:05:47,676 They feel mentally strained and exhausted. 121 00:05:47,676 --> 00:05:50,676 -And we resonate to the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 122 00:05:50,676 --> 00:05:53,243 who -- and I'll paraphrase -- who said, 123 00:05:53,243 --> 00:05:56,276 you know, we hate each other because we fear each other, 124 00:05:56,276 --> 00:05:59,176 and we fear each other because we don't understand each other, 125 00:05:59,176 --> 00:06:00,976 and we don't understand each other 126 00:06:00,976 --> 00:06:02,609 because we don't talk to each other. 127 00:06:02,609 --> 00:06:05,276 And our goal with this Great Lakes Civility Project 128 00:06:05,276 --> 00:06:08,709 is to get people to talk to each other. 129 00:06:08,709 --> 00:06:11,409 -Good evening. [ Cheers and applause ] 130 00:06:11,409 --> 00:06:14,709 -Thanks. Great event on a rainy night, 131 00:06:14,709 --> 00:06:17,343 and we appreciate you all coming out 132 00:06:17,343 --> 00:06:21,343 to listen to a conversation we've been having now 133 00:06:21,343 --> 00:06:25,009 with community groups of all sorts 134 00:06:25,009 --> 00:06:28,943 in all different kind of places for three years now. 135 00:06:28,943 --> 00:06:32,943 Steve's a progressive. I'm a conservative. 136 00:06:32,943 --> 00:06:36,776 People have remarked that, well, you two are friends 137 00:06:36,776 --> 00:06:39,709 despite your political differences. 138 00:06:39,709 --> 00:06:43,276 And I was thinking about it as maybe that we're friends 139 00:06:43,276 --> 00:06:45,543 because of our political differences, 140 00:06:45,543 --> 00:06:47,209 because it's those differences 141 00:06:47,209 --> 00:06:50,009 that sort of have forced us to engage 142 00:06:50,009 --> 00:06:55,876 and to learn to engage in a productive, civil manner. 143 00:06:55,876 --> 00:07:00,209 -Everything in our culture right now seems to encourage 144 00:07:00,209 --> 00:07:05,109 the idea of winning in politics 145 00:07:05,109 --> 00:07:06,876 or culture or any of these things 146 00:07:06,876 --> 00:07:08,809 that we want to talk about, right? 147 00:07:08,809 --> 00:07:12,176 You've gotta vanquish the other side. 148 00:07:12,176 --> 00:07:15,876 And so Nolan has this great phrase he uses all the time -- 149 00:07:15,876 --> 00:07:18,509 conversations aren't competitions. 150 00:07:18,509 --> 00:07:21,476 -We both believe very strongly 151 00:07:21,476 --> 00:07:24,576 that our approach to policy making and governing 152 00:07:24,576 --> 00:07:26,309 is the right approach. 153 00:07:26,309 --> 00:07:30,109 And yet we have been able 154 00:07:30,109 --> 00:07:33,109 over these years of our long friendship, 155 00:07:33,109 --> 00:07:35,476 which predates The Civility Project, 156 00:07:35,476 --> 00:07:38,309 to have productive discussions. 157 00:07:38,309 --> 00:07:39,976 -You know, when we started The Civility Project, 158 00:07:39,976 --> 00:07:44,076 that's where we said we wanted to start the exercise, right? 159 00:07:44,076 --> 00:07:46,776 Getting people together just to talk, 160 00:07:46,776 --> 00:07:50,276 talk about who you are and where you're from 161 00:07:50,276 --> 00:07:55,576 and how you form the values and opinions that you have. 162 00:07:55,576 --> 00:07:58,176 -And you are? -Sabrina. 163 00:07:58,176 --> 00:08:00,476 -Sabrina. And you? 164 00:08:00,476 --> 00:08:02,476 -My name's Noah. -Noah? 165 00:08:02,476 --> 00:08:04,243 -Noah. -Noah, okay. 166 00:08:04,243 --> 00:08:07,909 -I was raised in a Catholic household, 167 00:08:07,909 --> 00:08:10,476 had five brothers and sisters, 168 00:08:10,476 --> 00:08:11,976 went to a parochial school. 169 00:08:11,976 --> 00:08:13,643 -I come from a Muslim household, 170 00:08:13,643 --> 00:08:16,143 so most of the values that I learned... 171 00:08:16,143 --> 00:08:20,543 -Our motto here at The Great Lakes Civility Project 172 00:08:20,543 --> 00:08:22,509 is that, you know, all good people 173 00:08:22,509 --> 00:08:24,309 come to their opinions in the same way. 174 00:08:24,309 --> 00:08:27,643 They take the data, the information available 175 00:08:27,643 --> 00:08:31,076 and run it through the filters of their own experiences 176 00:08:31,076 --> 00:08:33,176 and personal values. -And I think a way to fix that 177 00:08:33,176 --> 00:08:35,976 is just make birth control affordable... 178 00:08:35,976 --> 00:08:38,343 -The value is understanding things 179 00:08:38,343 --> 00:08:40,176 from a different point of view, 180 00:08:40,176 --> 00:08:43,409 maybe learning something that you didn't think of before. 181 00:08:43,409 --> 00:08:44,876 -I just came here... 182 00:08:44,876 --> 00:08:47,676 -I don't think we can necessarily even tell 183 00:08:47,676 --> 00:08:50,643 that people have changed at the end of it, 184 00:08:50,643 --> 00:08:54,176 but you can see the wheels turning for a lot of folks. 185 00:08:54,176 --> 00:08:59,076 -I believe it takes a brave vulnerability 186 00:08:59,076 --> 00:09:04,276 to even sit in groups and have these conversations. 187 00:09:04,276 --> 00:09:07,476 -You're gonna be awkward. And it's okay. 188 00:09:07,476 --> 00:09:13,243 Just don't be afraid to make the attempt. 189 00:09:13,243 --> 00:09:14,509 Don't be afraid to try. 190 00:09:14,509 --> 00:09:18,176 I mean, it's worth the effort to try. 191 00:09:18,176 --> 00:09:20,743 -I'm thinking back to school board meetings 192 00:09:20,743 --> 00:09:22,409 in the past, I don't know, 193 00:09:22,409 --> 00:09:25,876 two years or so since the pandemic. 194 00:09:25,876 --> 00:09:27,509 -This was the scene at the school board 195 00:09:27,509 --> 00:09:29,209 in Loudoun County, Virginia, 196 00:09:29,209 --> 00:09:30,976 during a public-comment session 197 00:09:30,976 --> 00:09:33,343 on racial and transgender issues. 198 00:09:34,909 --> 00:09:36,476 -This is why we couldn't speak! 199 00:09:36,476 --> 00:09:38,476 -A shouting match over masks, 200 00:09:38,476 --> 00:09:41,109 parents on both sides of the mask debate. 201 00:09:41,109 --> 00:09:44,043 -What is taught in a classroom, 202 00:09:44,043 --> 00:09:48,243 how children are instructed to be masked or not, 203 00:09:48,243 --> 00:09:51,109 have been some of the most contentious debates 204 00:09:51,109 --> 00:09:53,976 that people have had in public on camera 205 00:09:53,976 --> 00:09:55,743 in front of one another. 206 00:09:55,743 --> 00:09:58,043 When you see those kinds of videos, 207 00:09:58,043 --> 00:10:02,176 how do you get people to fulfill that obligation to be civil? 208 00:10:02,176 --> 00:10:04,543 -I want people in those school board meeting 209 00:10:04,543 --> 00:10:08,509 or in the city council or in the Congress of the United States 210 00:10:08,509 --> 00:10:10,609 to practice these kinds of behaviors, 211 00:10:10,609 --> 00:10:12,543 because that's where it counts most. 212 00:10:12,543 --> 00:10:14,443 And that's why I think we have to model it. 213 00:10:14,443 --> 00:10:17,476 People who have responsibilities in terms of authority 214 00:10:17,476 --> 00:10:20,209 also have responsibilities to model behaviors. 215 00:10:20,209 --> 00:10:22,009 And they ought to be called out when they don't. 216 00:10:22,009 --> 00:10:23,343 But that's on us. 217 00:10:23,343 --> 00:10:26,876 If an elected representative behaves abominably, 218 00:10:26,876 --> 00:10:29,143 why are we then voting for that person? 219 00:10:29,143 --> 00:10:30,309 You know, that old line, 220 00:10:30,309 --> 00:10:31,976 "To whom much is given, much is expected"? 221 00:10:31,976 --> 00:10:34,176 -Yeah, -We ought to expect much 222 00:10:34,176 --> 00:10:37,409 of those people in our society who we've entrusted 223 00:10:37,409 --> 00:10:39,009 with significant authority. 224 00:10:39,009 --> 00:10:41,809 If we don't and they behave badly, that's on us. 225 00:10:46,743 --> 00:10:49,576 -One of the obligations that seems so simple, 226 00:10:49,576 --> 00:10:52,876 but I've found is increasingly complicated, 227 00:10:52,876 --> 00:10:56,776 is just to be informed -- where information flows, 228 00:10:56,776 --> 00:11:00,876 where it comes from, what kind of information somebody gets, 229 00:11:00,876 --> 00:11:02,776 whether they're seeing the context, 230 00:11:02,776 --> 00:11:04,643 whether they have perspective, 231 00:11:04,643 --> 00:11:06,076 whether it's a fact or an opinion. 232 00:11:06,076 --> 00:11:08,609 I mean, there's so many different ways that people 233 00:11:08,609 --> 00:11:12,776 are misinformed or intentionally disinformed, 234 00:11:12,776 --> 00:11:16,076 that the debate in the country seems like 235 00:11:16,076 --> 00:11:18,776 people are just kind of talking past each other. 236 00:11:18,776 --> 00:11:21,009 -Think about it. We are living at a moment in history 237 00:11:21,009 --> 00:11:23,543 when there's more information available 238 00:11:23,543 --> 00:11:26,209 to more people on this planet than ever before. 239 00:11:26,209 --> 00:11:29,143 And when information comes at you or me or anybody, 240 00:11:29,143 --> 00:11:31,143 it doesn't have a little yellow stickum, 241 00:11:31,143 --> 00:11:33,643 a Post-it note saying, "Oh, by the way, this is trusted." 242 00:11:33,643 --> 00:11:36,009 "Oh, by the way, you can safely ignore this." 243 00:11:36,009 --> 00:11:37,909 Information doesn't come tagged, 244 00:11:37,909 --> 00:11:40,276 and there's many more sources of it, 245 00:11:40,276 --> 00:11:42,776 many of which are not edited, 246 00:11:42,776 --> 00:11:46,343 many of which the quote-unquote "facts" aren't facts. 247 00:11:46,343 --> 00:11:49,209 We also don't teach it nearly enough in our schools. 248 00:11:49,209 --> 00:11:51,409 It's interesting -- in places like Finland now, 249 00:11:51,409 --> 00:11:53,576 and it's coming to New Jersey, 250 00:11:53,576 --> 00:11:55,943 this idea of information literacy 251 00:11:55,943 --> 00:11:58,576 to help people understand, what's a fact? 252 00:11:58,576 --> 00:12:01,909 How do I know a fact from, say, an opinion? 253 00:12:01,909 --> 00:12:03,243 Because these things aren't self-evident. 254 00:12:03,243 --> 00:12:05,976 -New Jersey will now require public schools 255 00:12:05,976 --> 00:12:08,309 to teach media literacy in an effort... 256 00:12:08,309 --> 00:12:11,076 -Training students to identify fact from fiction. 257 00:12:11,076 --> 00:12:12,509 Delaware State Senator... 258 00:12:12,509 --> 00:12:14,909 -California classrooms will soon be getting 259 00:12:14,909 --> 00:12:18,109 a new course subject -- media literacy... 260 00:12:18,109 --> 00:12:19,743 -At least a dozen states have enacted 261 00:12:19,743 --> 00:12:22,243 bipartisan media-literacy standards, 262 00:12:22,243 --> 00:12:23,743 lessons that help people understand 263 00:12:23,743 --> 00:12:25,776 how to tell fact from fiction, 264 00:12:25,776 --> 00:12:29,343 what's a trusted source, and what's good information. 265 00:12:29,343 --> 00:12:30,909 Information-literacy classes 266 00:12:30,909 --> 00:12:33,476 are not yet a staple of American education, 267 00:12:33,476 --> 00:12:35,109 but that isn't discouraging people 268 00:12:35,109 --> 00:12:37,076 from doing something about it. 269 00:12:37,076 --> 00:12:40,843 In Florida, Bella Otte is tackling digital-media literacy 270 00:12:40,843 --> 00:12:41,943 with her peers. 271 00:12:41,943 --> 00:12:44,243 The high schooler is part of MediaWise, 272 00:12:44,243 --> 00:12:46,443 a national Teen Fact-Checking Network 273 00:12:46,443 --> 00:12:48,743 run by the Poynter Institute. 274 00:12:48,743 --> 00:12:50,676 -I'm Bella Otte, and I'm a senior 275 00:12:50,676 --> 00:12:52,209 at Academy of Holy Names. 276 00:12:52,209 --> 00:12:57,076 I am a filmmaker. I am a fact-checker. 277 00:12:57,076 --> 00:13:02,776 I am a student and a happy one, I guess. 278 00:13:02,776 --> 00:13:05,209 I think everyone's entitled to have their own opinion, 279 00:13:05,209 --> 00:13:07,843 but it's important that it has information backing it. 280 00:13:07,843 --> 00:13:10,209 -The Satanic Temple is an organization 281 00:13:10,209 --> 00:13:12,509 that aims to establish after-school clubs... 282 00:13:12,509 --> 00:13:14,243 -Breaking news -- those paper straws 283 00:13:14,243 --> 00:13:15,876 that Starbucks and everybody else told us... 284 00:13:15,876 --> 00:13:18,543 -I think that social media allows for people 285 00:13:18,543 --> 00:13:20,543 to have voices who wouldn't have it in the first place. 286 00:13:20,543 --> 00:13:22,676 And that's a beautiful feature of it. 287 00:13:22,676 --> 00:13:24,876 But I think it also allows for misinformation to spread. 288 00:13:24,876 --> 00:13:27,043 And that's -- it doesn't take away 289 00:13:27,043 --> 00:13:29,176 the pros of social media. It just gives us something 290 00:13:29,176 --> 00:13:31,209 that we have to be cautious of. 291 00:13:31,209 --> 00:13:34,076 -Young people -- they're not going to to newspapers 292 00:13:34,076 --> 00:13:35,776 to get the news. 293 00:13:35,776 --> 00:13:38,843 Young people spend a lot of time watching influencers 294 00:13:38,843 --> 00:13:41,676 or celebrities, YouTubers, 295 00:13:41,676 --> 00:13:43,609 people who are not experts in their fields 296 00:13:43,609 --> 00:13:46,476 but are able to speak with emotional language 297 00:13:46,476 --> 00:13:50,276 that is many times filled with falsehoods 298 00:13:50,276 --> 00:13:52,276 and misleading narratives. 299 00:13:52,276 --> 00:13:54,876 -So what we wanted to do today was just, first, 300 00:13:54,876 --> 00:13:58,543 I think, just if anyone has a pitch they wanna talk about. 301 00:13:58,543 --> 00:14:02,776 -So what we did is create this digital newsroom of teens 302 00:14:02,776 --> 00:14:05,576 who were finding potential misleading posts 303 00:14:05,576 --> 00:14:09,009 on Instagram or Snapchat, where they exist online. 304 00:14:09,009 --> 00:14:10,509 -Hi, everybody. It's Loren. 305 00:14:10,509 --> 00:14:12,376 And welcome back to "Is This Legit?" 306 00:14:12,376 --> 00:14:14,109 -So the show's called "Is This Legit?" 307 00:14:14,109 --> 00:14:15,209 And when I first saw it, 308 00:14:15,209 --> 00:14:17,009 I thought it was kind of a funny title, 309 00:14:17,009 --> 00:14:19,976 but it's grown on me. I love it. [ Laughs ] 310 00:14:19,976 --> 00:14:22,809 I think that the title's reflective of our purpose, 311 00:14:22,809 --> 00:14:27,609 which is to try and remain appealing to younger audiences. 312 00:14:27,609 --> 00:14:28,943 It's important that we have resources 313 00:14:28,943 --> 00:14:30,376 where students can feel like 314 00:14:30,376 --> 00:14:33,776 they're being talked to rather than lectured to. 315 00:14:33,776 --> 00:14:37,143 -It was really scary when Buffalo Bill safety 316 00:14:37,143 --> 00:14:40,743 Damar Hamlin collapsed in the middle of an NFL game. 317 00:14:40,743 --> 00:14:43,343 Thankfully, doctors say he's doing well 318 00:14:43,343 --> 00:14:45,243 and hanging with his friends and teammates. 319 00:14:45,243 --> 00:14:48,676 But that hasn't stopped a lot of people from pushing theories 320 00:14:48,676 --> 00:14:51,643 about what caused this unexpected condition. 321 00:14:51,643 --> 00:14:55,343 -So each of the fact-checkers, they find their own claims 322 00:14:55,343 --> 00:14:59,276 on TikTok or X, formerly Twitter, 323 00:14:59,276 --> 00:15:02,209 or sketchy news sites they might come across. 324 00:15:02,209 --> 00:15:03,843 -They burned vinyl chloride. 325 00:15:03,843 --> 00:15:05,309 And when you do that, it releases... 326 00:15:05,309 --> 00:15:07,876 -And then they come to us, and we evaluate the claim, 327 00:15:07,876 --> 00:15:09,476 make sure it's fact-checkable. 328 00:15:09,476 --> 00:15:10,776 Then they take it from there. 329 00:15:10,776 --> 00:15:12,476 -This TikToker, Kate the Chemist, 330 00:15:12,476 --> 00:15:15,509 claims there's acid rain in Ohio, but is this true? 331 00:15:15,509 --> 00:15:17,209 -A lot of the videos that we create with 332 00:15:17,209 --> 00:15:18,909 the Teen Fact-Checking Network 333 00:15:18,909 --> 00:15:22,176 are based around three questions that were developed 334 00:15:22,176 --> 00:15:24,309 by the Stanford History Education Group 335 00:15:24,309 --> 00:15:27,576 when someone sees something potentially misleading online. 336 00:15:27,576 --> 00:15:30,109 First, let's see who's behind this information. 337 00:15:30,109 --> 00:15:32,476 Who's behind the information? What's the evidence? 338 00:15:32,476 --> 00:15:35,209 Keep an eye out for links, articles, studies, 339 00:15:35,209 --> 00:15:38,343 literally anything that backs up and supports their claim. 340 00:15:38,343 --> 00:15:39,776 And what do other sources say? 341 00:15:39,776 --> 00:15:41,243 -According To the Pew Research Center, 342 00:15:41,243 --> 00:15:44,043 guns are responsible for a large portion of children's death. 343 00:15:44,043 --> 00:15:46,809 -And while fact-checking this information, 344 00:15:46,809 --> 00:15:50,409 they are teaching other teens how to do it themselves. 345 00:15:50,409 --> 00:15:53,009 -Here's a quick tip -- do some lateral reading. 346 00:15:53,009 --> 00:15:54,443 That means leaving the site... 347 00:15:54,443 --> 00:15:56,243 -We're trying to teach you what we've learned. 348 00:15:56,243 --> 00:15:58,876 The tweet doesn't provide any sources at all, 349 00:15:58,876 --> 00:16:00,376 which is a red flag. 350 00:16:00,376 --> 00:16:02,243 You don't have to be, like, the smartest person in the room, 351 00:16:02,243 --> 00:16:04,876 or you don't have to be the most experienced person in the room 352 00:16:04,876 --> 00:16:06,709 to be able to fact-check. 353 00:16:06,709 --> 00:16:10,409 -This is a group of incredibly precocious young people 354 00:16:10,409 --> 00:16:12,609 who joined MediaWise 355 00:16:12,609 --> 00:16:15,976 because they were passionate about fighting misinformation. 356 00:16:15,976 --> 00:16:18,643 -Now to our rating. 357 00:16:18,643 --> 00:16:21,809 This tweet is not legit. 358 00:16:21,809 --> 00:16:23,843 -Therefore, we rate this claim as mostly legit. 359 00:16:23,843 --> 00:16:27,843 -So we rate Ramaswamy's comments as needs context. 360 00:16:27,843 --> 00:16:30,709 -I get really energized when I see what 361 00:16:30,709 --> 00:16:32,876 the Teen Fact-Checking Network is into, 362 00:16:32,876 --> 00:16:36,876 because it gives me hope about the future and about, 363 00:16:36,876 --> 00:16:39,176 you know, how invested young people are 364 00:16:39,176 --> 00:16:41,776 in what's happening in this country. 365 00:16:41,776 --> 00:16:44,209 -I think that misinformation could be the downfall 366 00:16:44,209 --> 00:16:45,876 of the country. 367 00:16:45,876 --> 00:16:47,376 By not being able to trust one another, 368 00:16:47,376 --> 00:16:49,543 we're incapable of hearing each other out. 369 00:16:49,543 --> 00:16:51,076 We're incapable of learning from one another 370 00:16:51,076 --> 00:16:52,743 and hearing from different perspectives. 371 00:16:52,743 --> 00:16:55,776 And that's what this country was built off of. 372 00:16:55,776 --> 00:16:59,209 I think that MediaWise provides me with a national platform. 373 00:16:59,209 --> 00:17:01,843 It's a great way to give back, and it's also an empowering way 374 00:17:01,843 --> 00:17:04,843 to feel like I'm doing something that, you know, 375 00:17:04,843 --> 00:17:07,109 there's not a lot of opportunities for teenagers 376 00:17:07,109 --> 00:17:09,009 to be able to make a big impact. 377 00:17:09,009 --> 00:17:14,976 ♪♪ 378 00:17:14,976 --> 00:17:17,243 -Here in the Senate, 379 00:17:17,243 --> 00:17:21,309 only we can decide what our new normal is, 380 00:17:21,309 --> 00:17:24,009 and we ought to get to know one another. 381 00:17:24,009 --> 00:17:26,443 We don't know one another. 382 00:17:26,443 --> 00:17:28,843 We don't have to let circumstances 383 00:17:28,843 --> 00:17:31,276 dictate our future. 384 00:17:31,276 --> 00:17:37,209 Let us once again become a body of respect, humility, 385 00:17:37,209 --> 00:17:41,643 cooperation, achievement, and, yes, friendship. 386 00:17:41,643 --> 00:17:46,243 That can and should be our new normal. 387 00:17:46,243 --> 00:17:49,076 -You write about valuing norms, 388 00:17:49,076 --> 00:17:54,543 and I wonder how we should be striking a balance. 389 00:17:54,543 --> 00:17:56,343 One of our norms, for example, 390 00:17:56,343 --> 00:17:58,276 is this peaceful transfer of power. 391 00:17:58,276 --> 00:18:00,976 -So help me, God. 392 00:18:00,976 --> 00:18:02,176 [ Cheers and applause ] 393 00:18:02,176 --> 00:18:05,343 -It's literally an image that I remember seeing. 394 00:18:05,343 --> 00:18:07,976 Wow. This president just handed over control to the next one. 395 00:18:07,976 --> 00:18:09,809 And they're actually walking hand in hand, 396 00:18:09,809 --> 00:18:13,543 literally handing over the keys and inviting them in. 397 00:18:13,543 --> 00:18:15,609 And then there have been other norms 398 00:18:15,609 --> 00:18:17,943 that we, as a society, challenged. 399 00:18:17,943 --> 00:18:21,009 Why shouldn't women have the right to vote? 400 00:18:21,009 --> 00:18:23,543 Why shouldn't people of color have the right to vote? 401 00:18:23,543 --> 00:18:25,776 And that's really through challenge of those norms 402 00:18:25,776 --> 00:18:27,343 that we became a better society. 403 00:18:27,343 --> 00:18:31,076 So how do you figure out which norms to value, 404 00:18:31,076 --> 00:18:32,776 which norms to challenge? 405 00:18:32,776 --> 00:18:34,943 -Often situations begin as norms 406 00:18:34,943 --> 00:18:37,776 because some individual or group of individuals say, 407 00:18:37,776 --> 00:18:39,309 "This is a value." 408 00:18:39,309 --> 00:18:41,576 When the United States was created as a country -- 409 00:18:41,576 --> 00:18:43,876 first president, obviously, George Washington -- 410 00:18:43,876 --> 00:18:47,376 there was no restriction that he could only serve two terms. 411 00:18:47,376 --> 00:18:50,543 Washington thought it was important to establish the norm 412 00:18:50,543 --> 00:18:52,776 that presidents only serve two terms. 413 00:18:52,776 --> 00:18:55,176 He stepped down even though people wanted him to stay. 414 00:18:55,176 --> 00:18:57,009 He didn't want to create, if you will, 415 00:18:57,009 --> 00:18:58,376 the King of America. 416 00:18:58,376 --> 00:19:02,009 FDR then served nearly four terms, 417 00:19:02,009 --> 00:19:04,509 was elected four times, because in some ways 418 00:19:04,509 --> 00:19:06,443 of the Depression and World War II. 419 00:19:06,443 --> 00:19:08,076 But afterwards, we said, 420 00:19:08,076 --> 00:19:09,876 those were special circumstances, 421 00:19:09,876 --> 00:19:12,676 but we cannot ever allow that to happen again. 422 00:19:12,676 --> 00:19:14,843 And we passed an amendment to the Constitution 423 00:19:14,843 --> 00:19:17,309 limiting to two terms. 424 00:19:17,309 --> 00:19:19,109 Basically, the norm wasn't strong enough. 425 00:19:19,109 --> 00:19:21,909 We have the norm of the peaceful transfer of power. 426 00:19:21,909 --> 00:19:24,176 We didn't live up to it in 2020. 427 00:19:24,176 --> 00:19:25,876 We saw it with January 6th. 428 00:19:25,876 --> 00:19:27,909 We saw it with the refusal to concede, 429 00:19:27,909 --> 00:19:29,509 to accept the electoral results. 430 00:19:29,509 --> 00:19:31,476 You can't write that into law. 431 00:19:31,476 --> 00:19:34,076 That's something we can and should expect 432 00:19:34,076 --> 00:19:36,076 of our political leaders. 433 00:19:36,076 --> 00:19:40,076 So I think norms are great when they make sense 434 00:19:40,076 --> 00:19:43,076 and we can get people to voluntarily live up to them. 435 00:19:43,076 --> 00:19:45,043 When they won't, we've gotta ask ourselves, 436 00:19:45,043 --> 00:19:46,676 should we change the law? 437 00:19:46,676 --> 00:19:48,676 You also raise the totally legitimate thing is, 438 00:19:48,676 --> 00:19:50,976 what happens when values change or thinking change? 439 00:19:50,976 --> 00:19:54,143 Say, about gay rights and so forth, gay marriage. 440 00:19:54,143 --> 00:19:55,743 As a society, we've been willing to say, 441 00:19:55,743 --> 00:19:59,009 look, this was a norm in one era about marriage. 442 00:19:59,009 --> 00:20:00,409 Now we're gonna have a different one. 443 00:20:00,409 --> 00:20:02,843 And if we have to formalize things in laws and so forth, 444 00:20:02,843 --> 00:20:04,609 we'll do it. Societies, again -- 445 00:20:04,609 --> 00:20:09,176 democratic societies have the structural advantage of change. 446 00:20:09,176 --> 00:20:11,143 That's how democracies ought to operate. 447 00:20:11,143 --> 00:20:16,276 No one ever thought the rules and the norms and the -- 448 00:20:16,276 --> 00:20:18,476 that were established two and a half centuries ago 449 00:20:18,476 --> 00:20:22,043 were gonna be all we would need for time immemorial. 450 00:20:22,043 --> 00:20:24,243 The challenge with a democracy, though -- 451 00:20:24,243 --> 00:20:25,643 almost any institution -- 452 00:20:25,643 --> 00:20:28,976 is, how do you balance innovation and preservation? 453 00:20:28,976 --> 00:20:31,243 -Yeah. -What about our political DNA 454 00:20:31,243 --> 00:20:33,843 do we want to preserve and protect? 455 00:20:33,843 --> 00:20:36,443 And where do we have to adapt and change? 456 00:20:36,443 --> 00:20:38,109 But one thing is, rather than giving up on it, 457 00:20:38,109 --> 00:20:39,109 how do we improve it? 458 00:20:39,109 --> 00:20:40,876 It ain't gonna get better by itself. 459 00:20:40,876 --> 00:20:43,709 So I would say if you see areas of American society 460 00:20:43,709 --> 00:20:46,443 that are flawed, you see aspects of our economy 461 00:20:46,443 --> 00:20:49,543 or government that are flawed, you can't then sit back, 462 00:20:49,543 --> 00:20:50,976 or you shouldn't sit back and assume 463 00:20:50,976 --> 00:20:53,109 it's gonna sort itself out. Get involved. 464 00:20:53,109 --> 00:20:58,243 ♪♪ 465 00:20:58,243 --> 00:21:01,243 -One modern model for getting communities more involved -- 466 00:21:01,243 --> 00:21:04,076 a process called participatory budgeting. 467 00:21:04,076 --> 00:21:05,809 It encourages voter involvement 468 00:21:05,809 --> 00:21:08,576 by allowing community members to cast their vote 469 00:21:08,576 --> 00:21:11,143 on how to spend part of a public budget. 470 00:21:11,143 --> 00:21:13,176 The hope is that early engagement 471 00:21:13,176 --> 00:21:16,009 will yield long-term commitments towards self-governance 472 00:21:16,009 --> 00:21:19,009 and participating in all elections. 473 00:21:19,009 --> 00:21:21,376 Residents in Evanston, Illinois, gave it a try, 474 00:21:21,376 --> 00:21:24,209 deciding how to spend $3 million of the city's 475 00:21:24,209 --> 00:21:26,976 American Rescue Plan Act money. 476 00:21:28,909 --> 00:21:30,109 -My name is Matt Ourne. 477 00:21:30,109 --> 00:21:31,943 I'm the participatory budgeting manager 478 00:21:31,943 --> 00:21:33,609 for the City of Evanston. 479 00:21:33,609 --> 00:21:35,643 Hey, Shelly. Hey, Kimon. 480 00:21:35,643 --> 00:21:37,576 It's okay. Perfect timing. 481 00:21:37,576 --> 00:21:39,709 We're right down the hall in Bobby's room. 482 00:21:39,709 --> 00:21:40,609 Let me come with. 483 00:21:40,609 --> 00:21:44,009 And today is Second Project Expo 484 00:21:44,009 --> 00:21:46,876 for the participatory budgeting process. 485 00:21:46,876 --> 00:21:48,809 What's gonna happen today is 486 00:21:48,809 --> 00:21:52,343 several of the budget delegates who developed proposals -- 487 00:21:52,343 --> 00:21:56,109 they spent seven months with us working hard 488 00:21:56,109 --> 00:21:58,509 to make a huge list of ideas 489 00:21:58,509 --> 00:22:01,909 into a list of 20 proposals for the community to vote on. 490 00:22:01,909 --> 00:22:04,843 So this is their opportunity to meet with community members, 491 00:22:04,843 --> 00:22:06,409 tell them about their proposals, 492 00:22:06,409 --> 00:22:11,409 and an opportunity for community members to learn more and vote. 493 00:22:11,409 --> 00:22:13,009 Hey, Renee, welcome in. 494 00:22:13,009 --> 00:22:14,909 We had over 300 people 495 00:22:14,909 --> 00:22:17,009 come to our events when we were collecting ideas. 496 00:22:17,009 --> 00:22:19,276 We collected over 1,300 ideas 497 00:22:19,276 --> 00:22:21,776 for how this money should be spent. 498 00:22:21,776 --> 00:22:24,176 -Very first time that the City of Evanston is doing it. 499 00:22:24,176 --> 00:22:26,943 I believe that every single demographic 500 00:22:26,943 --> 00:22:29,143 that is represented in the City of Evanston 501 00:22:29,143 --> 00:22:30,943 are represented today. 502 00:22:30,943 --> 00:22:35,209 And everyone is vying for a part of that $3 million. 503 00:22:35,209 --> 00:22:38,676 -Roughly half of the people who have been engaging with us 504 00:22:38,676 --> 00:22:41,876 have not participated in a city meeting before 505 00:22:41,876 --> 00:22:44,509 or talked to a public official before. 506 00:22:44,509 --> 00:22:46,543 So these are really people that aren't -- 507 00:22:46,543 --> 00:22:48,009 haven't engaged before with the city 508 00:22:48,009 --> 00:22:50,543 that are engaging now, which is really exciting. 509 00:22:50,543 --> 00:22:52,476 -So our vision was... 510 00:22:52,476 --> 00:22:56,409 -It's a really great initiative for ideas 511 00:22:56,409 --> 00:23:00,243 and initiative that would normally not be funded. 512 00:23:00,243 --> 00:23:03,109 It's really giving power back to the community. 513 00:23:03,109 --> 00:23:05,109 And I think that's amazing. 514 00:23:05,109 --> 00:23:06,709 -When I started doing this, 515 00:23:06,709 --> 00:23:08,909 we didn't really know what was gonna happen, right? 516 00:23:08,909 --> 00:23:10,909 Doing a participatory budgeting process -- 517 00:23:10,909 --> 00:23:14,643 if people don't come and people don't help us, it doesn't work. 518 00:23:14,643 --> 00:23:16,709 People showed up consistently. 519 00:23:16,709 --> 00:23:20,276 Most of the folks here came to seven meetings 520 00:23:20,276 --> 00:23:21,809 over the course of seven months. 521 00:23:21,809 --> 00:23:24,443 They had additional meetings with city staff 522 00:23:24,443 --> 00:23:26,076 to help develop their proposals 523 00:23:26,076 --> 00:23:27,876 into something that can be implemented. 524 00:23:27,876 --> 00:23:32,309 I think in a democracy, it doesn't work without people. 525 00:23:32,309 --> 00:23:34,276 And this is a microcosm of that. 526 00:23:34,276 --> 00:23:36,909 [ Indistinct conversation ] 527 00:23:36,909 --> 00:23:39,576 -I guess it makes me wanna participate a little more 528 00:23:39,576 --> 00:23:42,876 because I feel like this might actually make a difference 529 00:23:42,876 --> 00:23:44,909 in the Evanston community. 530 00:23:44,909 --> 00:23:46,909 -I think this is real democracy. 531 00:23:46,909 --> 00:23:50,043 I think this is democracy at its finest. 532 00:23:50,043 --> 00:23:52,643 -Everyone say "participatory budgeting." 533 00:23:52,643 --> 00:23:54,309 All right, we got it. 534 00:23:54,309 --> 00:23:55,543 -Thank you. 535 00:23:55,543 --> 00:23:57,576 [ Cheers and applause ] 536 00:23:57,576 --> 00:24:00,109 -There's a project in Illinois -- 537 00:24:00,109 --> 00:24:04,176 participatory budgeting, where people get to decide on 538 00:24:04,176 --> 00:24:07,576 how to spend some portion of government funds. 539 00:24:07,576 --> 00:24:10,276 What do you think the impacts are? 540 00:24:10,276 --> 00:24:11,976 -I like when people do these projects. 541 00:24:11,976 --> 00:24:14,676 They come away from them with a better appreciation 542 00:24:14,676 --> 00:24:17,643 that, gee, politics can be hard, 543 00:24:17,643 --> 00:24:20,309 but also politics can be interesting. 544 00:24:20,309 --> 00:24:22,776 And I can often, by participating, 545 00:24:22,776 --> 00:24:25,543 get a little bit more than I can as a bystander. 546 00:24:25,543 --> 00:24:28,209 You know, democracy is not a spectator sport. 547 00:24:28,209 --> 00:24:31,743 Democracy requires people to suit up and get on the field. 548 00:24:31,743 --> 00:24:34,509 The most important thing is to be a voter, 549 00:24:34,509 --> 00:24:36,176 to be an informed voter. 550 00:24:36,176 --> 00:24:38,009 This country was founded on people 551 00:24:38,009 --> 00:24:41,843 fighting for the right to vote and govern ourselves. 552 00:24:41,843 --> 00:24:45,109 I continue to be stunned when so many Americans 553 00:24:45,109 --> 00:24:47,943 who have that right don't exercise it. 554 00:24:47,943 --> 00:24:50,209 The stakes are enormous in these elections. 555 00:24:50,209 --> 00:24:51,576 The differences are real. 556 00:24:51,576 --> 00:24:55,043 The consequences will affect their lives. 557 00:24:55,043 --> 00:24:57,543 So I want Americans to get informed 558 00:24:57,543 --> 00:24:59,709 and then to to vote. 559 00:24:59,709 --> 00:25:04,243 ♪♪ 560 00:25:04,243 --> 00:25:05,476 -Across the ages, 561 00:25:05,476 --> 00:25:08,176 there have been many examples of compromise. 562 00:25:08,176 --> 00:25:10,676 The great compromise of 1787 563 00:25:10,676 --> 00:25:12,609 during the Constitutional Convention 564 00:25:12,609 --> 00:25:14,709 set up the two houses of Congress 565 00:25:14,709 --> 00:25:18,009 and established the Electoral College. 566 00:25:18,009 --> 00:25:20,309 The 1964 Civil Rights Act 567 00:25:20,309 --> 00:25:23,309 was debated furiously before a compromise bill 568 00:25:23,309 --> 00:25:25,043 passed the Senate. 569 00:25:25,043 --> 00:25:27,576 -The Civil Rights Act of 1964 570 00:25:27,576 --> 00:25:30,543 is signed at the White House by President Johnson. 571 00:25:30,543 --> 00:25:33,143 -The 1983 Social Security Act, 572 00:25:33,143 --> 00:25:34,843 finalized through a quiet agreement 573 00:25:34,843 --> 00:25:36,743 between House Speaker Tip O'Neill 574 00:25:36,743 --> 00:25:38,276 and President Ronald Reagan... 575 00:25:38,276 --> 00:25:40,843 -This is indeed a happy day. 576 00:25:40,843 --> 00:25:43,143 -...well-known political adversaries. 577 00:25:43,143 --> 00:25:45,176 -None of us here today would pretend 578 00:25:45,176 --> 00:25:46,776 that this bill is perfect. 579 00:25:46,776 --> 00:25:49,909 Each of us had to compromise one way or another, 580 00:25:49,909 --> 00:25:52,043 but the essence of bipartisanship 581 00:25:52,043 --> 00:25:54,343 is to give up a little in order to get a lot. 582 00:25:54,343 --> 00:25:57,643 -After compromising on some gun restrictions, 583 00:25:57,643 --> 00:25:59,609 Senator Chris Murphy from Connecticut 584 00:25:59,609 --> 00:26:03,343 was able to pass legislation that went into effect in 2023. 585 00:26:03,343 --> 00:26:07,709 -We are very proud to have an agreement 586 00:26:07,709 --> 00:26:12,943 between 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats in the Senate 587 00:26:12,943 --> 00:26:14,943 to pass the most significant piece 588 00:26:14,943 --> 00:26:19,776 of anti-gun-violence legislation in nearly 30 years. 589 00:26:19,776 --> 00:26:23,376 -There's several arguments for being open to compromise. 590 00:26:23,376 --> 00:26:26,476 One is it's just possible -- it's good you're sitting down -- 591 00:26:26,476 --> 00:26:29,176 that the person on the other side may have a point. 592 00:26:29,176 --> 00:26:31,443 You may actually learn something. 593 00:26:31,443 --> 00:26:33,609 You may actually change a little bit. 594 00:26:33,609 --> 00:26:36,509 I love the relationship between Justice Scalia 595 00:26:36,509 --> 00:26:39,109 and Ruth Bader Ginsburg when they were on the court. 596 00:26:39,109 --> 00:26:43,009 One was a conservative, one was a liberal or progressive, 597 00:26:43,009 --> 00:26:44,509 and they found that their interactions 598 00:26:44,509 --> 00:26:46,343 actually strengthened their own thinking, 599 00:26:46,343 --> 00:26:48,709 strengthened their own writing when it came to opinions. 600 00:26:48,709 --> 00:26:50,043 I love that as an example. 601 00:26:50,043 --> 00:26:51,743 So often people have to be willing, 602 00:26:51,743 --> 00:26:53,409 and Ronald Reagan was really good about this. 603 00:26:53,409 --> 00:26:55,909 He used to stand up and say, "Hey, take half a loaf. 604 00:26:55,909 --> 00:26:57,376 That's today. Maybe next year 605 00:26:57,376 --> 00:27:00,643 I can get another slice of the loaf and work at that." 606 00:27:00,643 --> 00:27:02,076 Again, I understand it's hard. 607 00:27:02,076 --> 00:27:04,576 Often you're rewarded for refusal to compromise, 608 00:27:04,576 --> 00:27:06,709 but refusing to compromise often means 609 00:27:06,709 --> 00:27:09,009 you don't get anything done. And you've gotta ask yourselves, 610 00:27:09,009 --> 00:27:13,143 is that really the best of all the available options? 611 00:27:13,143 --> 00:27:15,443 Often not. And I think for politicians, 612 00:27:15,443 --> 00:27:17,809 if they do compromise -- and I learned this 613 00:27:17,809 --> 00:27:21,043 from working for 41, George Herbert Walker Bush -- 614 00:27:21,043 --> 00:27:22,676 it's not enough to do the right thing. 615 00:27:22,676 --> 00:27:24,843 I think when political leaders compromise, 616 00:27:24,843 --> 00:27:27,176 they've gotta stand up and explain why they did it. 617 00:27:27,176 --> 00:27:30,609 -And let's ensure that America stands before the world 618 00:27:30,609 --> 00:27:34,843 united, strong, at peace, 619 00:27:34,843 --> 00:27:38,109 and fiscally sound. 620 00:27:38,109 --> 00:27:40,809 But of course, things may be difficult. 621 00:27:40,809 --> 00:27:43,443 We need compromise. We've had dissension. 622 00:27:43,443 --> 00:27:45,876 We need harmony. 623 00:27:45,876 --> 00:27:48,443 We've had a chorus of discordant voices. 624 00:27:48,443 --> 00:27:50,576 -Here were the options I was faced, and I know some of you 625 00:27:50,576 --> 00:27:52,776 aren't gonna be happy with me for compromising, 626 00:27:52,776 --> 00:27:54,776 but here is why I did it. 627 00:27:54,776 --> 00:27:57,409 Here is why I think we are better off, 628 00:27:57,409 --> 00:27:59,009 despite all the imperfections 629 00:27:59,009 --> 00:28:02,043 or limits or flaws of what was agreed to. 630 00:28:02,043 --> 00:28:03,309 So the more you compromise, 631 00:28:03,309 --> 00:28:05,343 the more you have to explain and educate. 632 00:28:05,343 --> 00:28:13,309 ♪♪ 633 00:28:13,309 --> 00:28:15,776 -If we want to have a democratic society, 634 00:28:15,776 --> 00:28:19,243 we can't not teach our kids about how it works. 635 00:28:19,243 --> 00:28:22,476 We left off with the 13th, 14th, and 15th, 636 00:28:22,476 --> 00:28:23,943 the Reconstruction Amendments. 637 00:28:23,943 --> 00:28:25,609 This is my 21st year teaching. 638 00:28:25,609 --> 00:28:28,176 I've taught just about every social studies class 639 00:28:28,176 --> 00:28:30,043 you could imagine. 640 00:28:30,043 --> 00:28:33,943 Congress changed dramatically its composition 641 00:28:33,943 --> 00:28:35,843 in the first two election cycles 642 00:28:35,843 --> 00:28:38,376 after the 15th Amendment was passed. 643 00:28:38,376 --> 00:28:41,676 20% of the members were African American. 644 00:28:41,676 --> 00:28:43,276 And then the Southern states were like, 645 00:28:43,276 --> 00:28:46,043 whoa, whoa, whoa, we gotta figure out what to do. 646 00:28:46,043 --> 00:28:49,743 Government is, by far, my favorite class to teach. 647 00:28:49,743 --> 00:28:51,343 Of all the classes, I think it's the most 648 00:28:51,343 --> 00:28:53,409 practically important class. 649 00:28:53,409 --> 00:28:58,376 Very problematic and had a huge shaping impact on society then 650 00:28:58,376 --> 00:29:01,043 and for generations afterwards. 651 00:29:01,043 --> 00:29:04,676 And you could probably say it still has an impact on us today. 652 00:29:04,676 --> 00:29:07,709 The simplest thing that I hope for 653 00:29:07,709 --> 00:29:12,009 is that when they leave here next year, they go and vote. 654 00:29:12,009 --> 00:29:14,309 Beyond that, you know, I really hope 655 00:29:14,309 --> 00:29:16,576 that they understand the general process, 656 00:29:16,576 --> 00:29:19,843 and I hope that they are able to realize 657 00:29:19,843 --> 00:29:22,376 that the voting that they do, 658 00:29:22,376 --> 00:29:25,509 that the people who they elect are writing legislation 659 00:29:25,509 --> 00:29:28,543 that is gonna shape their lives and their children's lives. 660 00:29:28,543 --> 00:29:30,043 And that's the future of the United States. 661 00:29:30,043 --> 00:29:32,543 Why hasn't it been added? 662 00:29:32,543 --> 00:29:36,109 -The Founding Fathers believe that without education, 663 00:29:36,109 --> 00:29:38,843 there could not be successful democracy. 664 00:29:38,843 --> 00:29:40,909 Up until the 1960s, American high schools 665 00:29:40,909 --> 00:29:44,709 required up to three courses in government and civics. 666 00:29:44,709 --> 00:29:46,509 -I'm so glad I'm an American. 667 00:29:46,509 --> 00:29:50,609 -But in the last half century, civics education has eroded. 668 00:29:50,609 --> 00:29:54,876 A 2022 civics assessment known as the Nation's Report Card 669 00:29:54,876 --> 00:29:57,176 showed a dip in civics and history scores 670 00:29:57,176 --> 00:30:00,109 among eighth graders over a four-year period. 671 00:30:00,109 --> 00:30:04,409 It was the lowest recorded score since 1998. 672 00:30:04,409 --> 00:30:07,343 -We are failing ourselves by not teaching 673 00:30:07,343 --> 00:30:09,843 and requiring civics in our schools 674 00:30:09,843 --> 00:30:11,976 and in our colleges and universities. 675 00:30:11,976 --> 00:30:15,143 That is fixable. That is correctable. 676 00:30:15,143 --> 00:30:17,409 We have the ability to do it. 677 00:30:17,409 --> 00:30:19,309 There's no excuse not to do it. 678 00:30:19,309 --> 00:30:23,243 -Something has happened over the past 30 or 40 years 679 00:30:23,243 --> 00:30:27,276 to diminish the importance of education 680 00:30:27,276 --> 00:30:31,076 in our system, our government, our values. 681 00:30:31,076 --> 00:30:32,843 I remember taking a course in high school 682 00:30:32,843 --> 00:30:34,509 called Problems of Democracy. 683 00:30:34,509 --> 00:30:36,576 I wonder if that even exists anymore. 684 00:30:36,576 --> 00:30:39,576 -In September, independent Senator Angus King of Maine 685 00:30:39,576 --> 00:30:41,843 and Republican James Lankford of Oklahoma 686 00:30:41,843 --> 00:30:45,543 introduced a bill to strengthen civics education nationally. 687 00:30:45,543 --> 00:30:50,976 -I don't think people are coming up generation by generation 688 00:30:50,976 --> 00:30:55,343 who have that kind of gut-level understanding 689 00:30:55,343 --> 00:30:58,109 of our constitutional system. 690 00:30:58,109 --> 00:31:00,176 And it leads to the problems 691 00:31:00,176 --> 00:31:02,676 of a declining support for democracy, 692 00:31:02,676 --> 00:31:04,743 declining support for elections. 693 00:31:04,743 --> 00:31:07,376 Elections are the most fundamental check and balance 694 00:31:07,376 --> 00:31:09,843 in the Constitution -- regular elections. 695 00:31:09,843 --> 00:31:13,043 And if you have a lot of people that don't have 696 00:31:13,043 --> 00:31:16,543 that sort of basic feeling about elections 697 00:31:16,543 --> 00:31:17,843 and about the Constitution 698 00:31:17,843 --> 00:31:19,276 and how the system's supposed to work -- 699 00:31:19,276 --> 00:31:21,376 and it's supposed to be cumbersome and difficult. 700 00:31:21,376 --> 00:31:23,576 I think the framers succeeded 701 00:31:23,576 --> 00:31:25,909 beyond their wildest dreams sometimes. 702 00:31:25,909 --> 00:31:31,776 But it's really important to have a civic education. 703 00:31:31,776 --> 00:31:35,043 -So we've got Angus King from Maine, 704 00:31:35,043 --> 00:31:37,943 I think James Lankford from Oklahoma, 705 00:31:37,943 --> 00:31:41,043 trying to put out a civics-education legislation. 706 00:31:41,043 --> 00:31:42,643 Think that'll work? 707 00:31:42,643 --> 00:31:46,243 -I think civics-education legislation is a start. 708 00:31:46,243 --> 00:31:49,409 If you were a parent and you had a child going to school -- 709 00:31:49,409 --> 00:31:53,476 whether it's middle school, high school, college -- 710 00:31:53,476 --> 00:31:55,943 you would say to the school, the school authorities, 711 00:31:55,943 --> 00:31:59,143 "You are responsible for making sure 712 00:31:59,143 --> 00:32:03,943 my son or daughter can read, can write, can do basic math, 713 00:32:03,943 --> 00:32:06,509 can think critically, can use computers 714 00:32:06,509 --> 00:32:08,809 in this age of technology." 715 00:32:08,809 --> 00:32:11,676 Why is it any less important that these schools 716 00:32:11,676 --> 00:32:15,543 don't prepare them to be citizens in this democracy? 717 00:32:15,543 --> 00:32:17,843 Isn't that the obligation of the schools? 718 00:32:17,843 --> 00:32:23,276 So I would love to see that mandated at schools, 719 00:32:23,276 --> 00:32:24,843 at every level. 720 00:32:24,843 --> 00:32:26,709 I think they ought to understand, 721 00:32:26,709 --> 00:32:28,243 what is a democracy. 722 00:32:28,243 --> 00:32:31,676 I think students ought to learn the value of democracies, 723 00:32:31,676 --> 00:32:33,343 the strengths and the weaknesses, 724 00:32:33,343 --> 00:32:34,609 the kind of thing we're talking about. 725 00:32:34,609 --> 00:32:36,209 Students ought to understand the rights, 726 00:32:36,209 --> 00:32:39,609 but also the obligations of citizens. 727 00:32:39,609 --> 00:32:42,243 -And while there are efforts to bolster knowledge 728 00:32:42,243 --> 00:32:44,909 of how government works inside classrooms, 729 00:32:44,909 --> 00:32:46,376 other organizations are working 730 00:32:46,376 --> 00:32:48,243 to pick up the slack in other ways. 731 00:32:48,243 --> 00:32:50,676 The nonprofit organization DoSomething 732 00:32:50,676 --> 00:32:52,376 is encouraging young Americans, 733 00:32:52,376 --> 00:32:54,376 through the lens of civics and democracy, 734 00:32:54,376 --> 00:32:57,209 to impact their communities and their future. 735 00:32:57,209 --> 00:32:58,876 [ Cheers and applause ] 736 00:33:00,909 --> 00:33:04,943 -When you guys think of the word "democracy," 737 00:33:04,943 --> 00:33:06,676 what do you think of? -Voting. 738 00:33:06,676 --> 00:33:08,643 -Voting. -For the people. 739 00:33:08,643 --> 00:33:09,909 -For the people. 740 00:33:09,909 --> 00:33:11,643 -You hear the term "democracy" and it feels like, 741 00:33:11,643 --> 00:33:12,943 what does that actually mean? 742 00:33:12,943 --> 00:33:14,443 And does that relate to me? 743 00:33:14,443 --> 00:33:15,876 -Unity. 744 00:33:15,876 --> 00:33:17,709 -Empowerment. -Empowerment. 745 00:33:17,709 --> 00:33:20,009 -The right to live. -The right to live. 746 00:33:20,009 --> 00:33:22,776 Okay. Are you a poet? [ Laughter ] 747 00:33:22,776 --> 00:33:24,009 -But what we know to be true is 748 00:33:24,009 --> 00:33:26,243 young people are incredibly passionate 749 00:33:26,243 --> 00:33:27,976 about what's happening to themselves 750 00:33:27,976 --> 00:33:29,243 and what's happening in their communities. 751 00:33:29,243 --> 00:33:31,309 -Like, things like housing security or like... 752 00:33:31,309 --> 00:33:33,376 -And yet, if we don't help them understand, 753 00:33:33,376 --> 00:33:36,243 or as I like to say, demystify democracy 754 00:33:36,243 --> 00:33:38,409 for young people, respectfully, 755 00:33:38,409 --> 00:33:42,209 they're never gonna get the change they seek. 756 00:33:42,209 --> 00:33:44,443 -The questions in front of you are the questions 757 00:33:44,443 --> 00:33:47,076 that we've been asking young people around New York City 758 00:33:47,076 --> 00:33:48,909 about, you know, what they wanna see change in New York, 759 00:33:48,909 --> 00:33:50,843 what they love about their community. 760 00:33:50,843 --> 00:33:52,709 When I describe DoSomething, I say that 761 00:33:52,709 --> 00:33:54,443 we're essentially supporting young people 762 00:33:54,443 --> 00:33:56,509 in doing something in their communities 763 00:33:56,509 --> 00:33:58,443 around issues that they're passionate about. 764 00:33:58,443 --> 00:34:01,209 -How would you say, if you had the power to change that, 765 00:34:01,209 --> 00:34:02,543 what would you do? 766 00:34:02,543 --> 00:34:05,009 -So we are all about trying to give them the tools, 767 00:34:05,009 --> 00:34:06,443 the knowledge, and the skills 768 00:34:06,443 --> 00:34:08,376 to be able to do that more effectively. 769 00:34:08,376 --> 00:34:12,243 -Maybe I would go towards, um, 770 00:34:12,243 --> 00:34:15,643 trying to add it to a ballot measure. 771 00:34:15,643 --> 00:34:17,643 -And so through DoSomething's platform, 772 00:34:17,643 --> 00:34:19,509 young people come and they get engaged 773 00:34:19,509 --> 00:34:22,209 on the causes they care about, and we get them to take action, 774 00:34:22,209 --> 00:34:23,776 not just, like, wagging their finger 775 00:34:23,776 --> 00:34:25,943 and complaining, but actually saying, 776 00:34:25,943 --> 00:34:29,409 oh, if there is someone in my community who needs books 777 00:34:29,409 --> 00:34:31,576 or someone in my community who needs food, 778 00:34:31,576 --> 00:34:33,609 then I can really be a part of that solution, right? 779 00:34:33,609 --> 00:34:36,543 So it's getting the young person to go from caring about cause 780 00:34:36,543 --> 00:34:38,709 to taking action. 781 00:34:38,709 --> 00:34:40,709 -From all these events. we will have talked to 782 00:34:40,709 --> 00:34:43,009 like almost 1,000 young people. 783 00:34:43,009 --> 00:34:45,276 -Who's here that care about their community? 784 00:34:45,276 --> 00:34:48,809 -We feel like the more that they can find their own voice 785 00:34:48,809 --> 00:34:51,243 and see their role in democracy 786 00:34:51,243 --> 00:34:53,343 and take leadership and take action, 787 00:34:53,343 --> 00:34:55,743 the more that they will feel a part of it 788 00:34:55,743 --> 00:34:58,243 and more likely to be actively engaged. 789 00:34:58,243 --> 00:35:01,976 -And most importantly, we wanna make this place better! 790 00:35:01,976 --> 00:35:04,876 Yeah! That's what I'm talking about. 791 00:35:04,876 --> 00:35:07,176 Better starts with us. 792 00:35:07,176 --> 00:35:12,543 ♪♪ 793 00:35:12,543 --> 00:35:15,076 -The whole concept of being a brother's keeper 794 00:35:15,076 --> 00:35:17,409 or a sister's keeper -- we have obligations 795 00:35:17,409 --> 00:35:19,709 to one another in this society, 796 00:35:19,709 --> 00:35:21,709 and if people do not succeed in this society, 797 00:35:21,709 --> 00:35:23,309 that's gonna have implications for us. 798 00:35:23,309 --> 00:35:25,543 So even if it's -- even if you're not motivated 799 00:35:25,543 --> 00:35:27,643 by a concern for your fellow human being, 800 00:35:27,643 --> 00:35:30,143 you should be motivated by self-interest. 801 00:35:30,143 --> 00:35:33,143 -In 1980, tragedy motivated Candy Lightner 802 00:35:33,143 --> 00:35:35,776 to push for tougher penalties for drunk driving 803 00:35:35,776 --> 00:35:39,609 after her 13-year-old daughter was killed by a drunk driver. 804 00:35:39,609 --> 00:35:42,343 She formed the grassroots organization MADD, 805 00:35:42,343 --> 00:35:44,709 or Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 806 00:35:44,709 --> 00:35:48,009 which grew to more than 400 chapters around the world, 807 00:35:48,009 --> 00:35:50,309 passing drunk-driving legislation 808 00:35:50,309 --> 00:35:52,909 both at state levels and nationally. 809 00:35:52,909 --> 00:35:54,576 MADD's lobbying efforts helped raise 810 00:35:54,576 --> 00:35:57,443 the legal drinking age to 21. 811 00:35:57,443 --> 00:36:00,509 -I love Mothers Against Drunk Driving for several reasons. 812 00:36:00,509 --> 00:36:02,276 One, as you say, it's a great way 813 00:36:02,276 --> 00:36:04,609 of promoting the common good. 814 00:36:04,609 --> 00:36:07,876 It's a way that you don't drive drunk. 815 00:36:07,876 --> 00:36:09,409 It helps you. 816 00:36:09,409 --> 00:36:12,043 But at least as important, if not more important, 817 00:36:12,043 --> 00:36:14,076 it protects other people. 818 00:36:14,076 --> 00:36:17,909 So that gets to the core of the common-good idea. 819 00:36:17,909 --> 00:36:20,376 -Food pantries, public parks, mass transit 820 00:36:20,376 --> 00:36:22,776 are also examples of the common good. 821 00:36:22,776 --> 00:36:24,609 So are libraries. 822 00:36:24,609 --> 00:36:28,709 By the 1800s, free public libraries were commonplace. 823 00:36:28,709 --> 00:36:31,143 Over the centuries, they've evolved by providing 824 00:36:31,143 --> 00:36:35,576 additional resources for the public, well beyond books. 825 00:36:35,576 --> 00:36:38,443 In 2023, New York's Brooklyn Public Library 826 00:36:38,443 --> 00:36:41,543 celebrated its 125th anniversary, 827 00:36:41,543 --> 00:36:44,009 drawing thousands of new members to its libraries 828 00:36:44,009 --> 00:36:46,843 by showcasing a cultural icon. 829 00:36:46,843 --> 00:36:49,309 -Libraries have always been part of the common good. 830 00:36:49,309 --> 00:36:53,343 We're one of the most democratic institutions around. 831 00:36:53,343 --> 00:36:57,443 We here at Brooklyn welcome millions of visitors a year 832 00:36:57,443 --> 00:36:59,576 to our thousands of programs. 833 00:36:59,576 --> 00:37:03,443 And the real connection we make is what does the community need? 834 00:37:03,443 --> 00:37:05,076 And that's why we wanna do this work. 835 00:37:05,076 --> 00:37:10,009 [ Jay-Z song plays ] 836 00:37:10,009 --> 00:37:12,909 -I came here today to come specifically to -- 837 00:37:12,909 --> 00:37:14,676 for the exhibit -- the Jay-Z exhibit. 838 00:37:14,676 --> 00:37:17,309 I have been a big fan and am really excited 839 00:37:17,309 --> 00:37:20,376 that this exhibit is here in Brooklyn. 840 00:37:20,376 --> 00:37:23,076 -There are 13 limited-edition Jay-Z library cards, 841 00:37:23,076 --> 00:37:25,643 one for each album that he created. 842 00:37:25,643 --> 00:37:27,109 -I didn't know there was a special card, 843 00:37:27,109 --> 00:37:29,176 so it's a nice added bonus. 844 00:37:29,176 --> 00:37:30,643 I also got the inside scoop 845 00:37:30,643 --> 00:37:33,809 that if I go to different library locations, 846 00:37:33,809 --> 00:37:35,509 I can possibly get the other cards. 847 00:37:35,509 --> 00:37:38,243 So I am -- I think I'm gonna take part in that. 848 00:37:38,243 --> 00:37:40,409 -I'm so excited to get it because 849 00:37:40,409 --> 00:37:42,276 I heard it's a limited card. 850 00:37:42,276 --> 00:37:44,643 -[ Rapping ] ♪ Slammin' Bentley doors like we invented doors ♪ 851 00:37:44,643 --> 00:37:47,343 -Jay was given his library card 852 00:37:47,343 --> 00:37:50,576 as a young kid in school and told about the library. 853 00:37:50,576 --> 00:37:52,109 And obviously, he's a writer, right? 854 00:37:52,109 --> 00:37:55,009 I mean, Jay's the first rapper to ever be inducted 855 00:37:55,009 --> 00:37:57,043 into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. 856 00:37:57,043 --> 00:38:00,176 So there's a lot of synergy between him and the library. 857 00:38:00,176 --> 00:38:02,443 -♪ Flying paper planes through the projects ♪ 858 00:38:02,443 --> 00:38:03,643 ♪ Now the whole projects on my jet ♪ 859 00:38:03,643 --> 00:38:05,443 -Jay-Z's a Brooklyn guy. 860 00:38:05,443 --> 00:38:06,976 For us, it was a natural connection. 861 00:38:06,976 --> 00:38:10,076 And Jay-Z is such a wordsmith. 862 00:38:10,076 --> 00:38:13,576 We are up to about 55,000 card signups, 863 00:38:13,576 --> 00:38:16,343 and about 33,000 of those are brand-new users, 864 00:38:16,343 --> 00:38:19,209 people who had never had a BPL card before. 865 00:38:19,209 --> 00:38:22,076 So we're actively engaging those folks to say, you know, 866 00:38:22,076 --> 00:38:23,409 you got this great library card, 867 00:38:23,409 --> 00:38:25,743 but don't forget about all the amazing services 868 00:38:25,743 --> 00:38:28,376 you now have available at your fingertips with that. 869 00:38:28,376 --> 00:38:31,843 This is for the people, right? It's a public place. 870 00:38:31,843 --> 00:38:34,243 The common good of being able to reach people, 871 00:38:34,243 --> 00:38:37,243 the common good of being able to reintroduce the library 872 00:38:37,243 --> 00:38:38,976 to people who potentially may have thought 873 00:38:38,976 --> 00:38:41,843 that it wasn't for them. 874 00:38:41,843 --> 00:38:43,776 -I hope that this exhibit 875 00:38:43,776 --> 00:38:45,576 has shown people that we're welcoming 876 00:38:45,576 --> 00:38:49,276 and we want you to be here and you belong here. 877 00:38:49,276 --> 00:38:54,543 ♪♪ 878 00:38:56,076 --> 00:38:59,509 -Political violence has been part of America's history -- 879 00:38:59,509 --> 00:39:01,509 presidential assassinations, 880 00:39:01,509 --> 00:39:05,376 Jim Crow violence, bombings by activist groups. 881 00:39:05,376 --> 00:39:08,209 Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 882 00:39:08,209 --> 00:39:10,676 influenced the growth of peaceful protest 883 00:39:10,676 --> 00:39:12,143 and nonviolent resistance 884 00:39:12,143 --> 00:39:14,109 during the Civil Rights Movement. 885 00:39:14,109 --> 00:39:16,876 We've had very good historical examples 886 00:39:16,876 --> 00:39:19,709 where nonviolence has worked. 887 00:39:19,709 --> 00:39:23,009 Obviously, I'm thinking from Gandhi to MLK Jr. 888 00:39:23,009 --> 00:39:26,443 But right now, I don't know if it's the distance 889 00:39:26,443 --> 00:39:29,843 between those historical events and today, 890 00:39:29,843 --> 00:39:32,143 a different set of conditions on the ground, 891 00:39:32,143 --> 00:39:35,109 but people are much more open to the idea 892 00:39:35,109 --> 00:39:38,676 of fighting fire with fire and saying, 893 00:39:38,676 --> 00:39:41,309 "This is how the other side wants to play it? 894 00:39:41,309 --> 00:39:43,876 Fine. than we need to do this, too." 895 00:39:43,876 --> 00:39:45,343 What's the problem with that? 896 00:39:45,343 --> 00:39:48,776 -Because if fire leads to more fire, 897 00:39:48,776 --> 00:39:51,043 we're all gonna be caught up in the burning building, 898 00:39:51,043 --> 00:39:53,143 and the building's gonna be this country. 899 00:39:53,143 --> 00:39:55,943 The introduction of force is just gonna invite 900 00:39:55,943 --> 00:39:57,743 or trigger the use of force against it. 901 00:39:57,743 --> 00:39:59,909 It's almost like Newton -- for every action, 902 00:39:59,909 --> 00:40:02,476 there's an equal and opposite reaction. 903 00:40:02,476 --> 00:40:04,609 If people introduce force and violence 904 00:40:04,609 --> 00:40:05,876 into the political space, 905 00:40:05,876 --> 00:40:08,443 it's gonna be met with force and violence. 906 00:40:08,443 --> 00:40:11,976 -If, as Haass says, fire leads to more fire, 907 00:40:11,976 --> 00:40:15,143 the events of January 6th would be the kindling. 908 00:40:15,143 --> 00:40:18,343 Politically motivated violence is on the rise, 909 00:40:18,343 --> 00:40:20,776 from Senate hearings in Congress... 910 00:40:20,776 --> 00:40:22,843 -Sir, this is the time, this is the place. 911 00:40:22,843 --> 00:40:25,609 If you wanna run your mouth, we can be two consenting adults. 912 00:40:25,609 --> 00:40:26,943 We can finish it here. 913 00:40:26,943 --> 00:40:29,043 -Okay, that's fine. Perfect. -You wanna do it now? 914 00:40:29,043 --> 00:40:31,243 -I'd love to do it right now. -Well, stand your butt up, then. 915 00:40:31,243 --> 00:40:33,076 -You stand your up butt up. -Oh, hold it. 916 00:40:33,076 --> 00:40:35,109 -Oh, stop it. -Is that your solution? 917 00:40:35,109 --> 00:40:37,343 -...to city council meetings... 918 00:40:37,343 --> 00:40:38,809 [ Indistinct shouting ] 919 00:40:38,809 --> 00:40:41,643 ...and threats against politicians and their families. 920 00:40:41,643 --> 00:40:43,509 -We're just learning about a home invasion 921 00:40:43,509 --> 00:40:46,409 at Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco residence. 922 00:40:46,409 --> 00:40:50,143 -Resisting violence has become a formidable challenge. 923 00:40:50,143 --> 00:40:52,909 -The challenge is to make this experiment work 924 00:40:52,909 --> 00:40:54,376 with both things we need to do, 925 00:40:54,376 --> 00:40:55,943 but also things we need to avoid. 926 00:40:55,943 --> 00:41:00,009 And one of the things we need to avoid is political violence 927 00:41:00,009 --> 00:41:02,809 becoming more commonplace. 928 00:41:02,809 --> 00:41:06,276 There'll be no winners if that were to happen. 929 00:41:06,276 --> 00:41:09,376 So we've gotta have political leaders 930 00:41:09,376 --> 00:41:11,543 essentially delegitimizing it, 931 00:41:11,543 --> 00:41:13,876 religious leaders delegitimize it, 932 00:41:13,876 --> 00:41:16,543 teachers not only delegitimizing it, 933 00:41:16,543 --> 00:41:19,576 but imparting the skills so young people learn 934 00:41:19,576 --> 00:41:21,876 how to disagree without the violent -- 935 00:41:21,876 --> 00:41:23,576 without the disagreement spilling over 936 00:41:23,576 --> 00:41:26,109 into violence. 937 00:41:26,109 --> 00:41:30,943 ♪♪ 938 00:41:30,943 --> 00:41:35,209 -You say that one of the obligations 939 00:41:35,209 --> 00:41:38,676 is to respect government service. 940 00:41:38,676 --> 00:41:41,176 And for a lot of people 941 00:41:41,176 --> 00:41:44,109 at the ends of the political spectrum right now, 942 00:41:44,109 --> 00:41:46,876 they would just say, "I don't respect this government enough." 943 00:41:46,876 --> 00:41:49,276 -Government's not a choice. Government's out there. 944 00:41:49,276 --> 00:41:51,143 We've got tens of millions of people 945 00:41:51,143 --> 00:41:53,076 at the federal level, the state level, 946 00:41:53,076 --> 00:41:55,643 the county level, the city level. 947 00:41:55,643 --> 00:41:57,676 So government's a fixture of life. 948 00:41:57,676 --> 00:42:00,509 I love the idea that talented people 949 00:42:00,509 --> 00:42:02,009 have a stint in government. 950 00:42:02,009 --> 00:42:04,309 We have an all-volunteer military. 951 00:42:04,309 --> 00:42:06,209 I think that's fantastic. 952 00:42:06,209 --> 00:42:08,943 -Active service members, National Guardsmen, 953 00:42:08,943 --> 00:42:10,409 veterans, and reservists -- 954 00:42:10,409 --> 00:42:12,809 more than 1.3 million Americans 955 00:42:12,809 --> 00:42:16,109 are members of the United States military, 956 00:42:16,109 --> 00:42:18,976 but government service goes beyond the armed forces. 957 00:42:18,976 --> 00:42:22,709 Federal, state, and city jobs are accessible to everyone. 958 00:42:22,709 --> 00:42:24,476 They include public-service jobs 959 00:42:24,476 --> 00:42:26,609 like the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps, 960 00:42:26,609 --> 00:42:28,576 now in its 30th year. 961 00:42:28,576 --> 00:42:32,243 One program, Lead for America, gives members the chance 962 00:42:32,243 --> 00:42:34,543 to serve in communities they call home. 963 00:42:34,543 --> 00:42:37,776 -I'd love to see more talented people do public service. 964 00:42:37,776 --> 00:42:40,143 California has recently introduced 965 00:42:40,143 --> 00:42:42,676 public-service options for young people, 966 00:42:42,676 --> 00:42:44,943 and you go serve the community or the state. 967 00:42:44,943 --> 00:42:47,409 It's a great educational opportunity for them. 968 00:42:47,409 --> 00:42:52,543 It's a great opportunity to improve the society. 969 00:42:52,543 --> 00:42:54,943 -In both big cities and rural towns, 970 00:42:54,943 --> 00:42:56,709 young people are taking the lead 971 00:42:56,709 --> 00:42:59,209 in returning home to serve their communities. 972 00:42:59,209 --> 00:43:01,876 -Why do I do this? -For one young Iowan, 973 00:43:01,876 --> 00:43:04,009 it's also an opportunity to both serve 974 00:43:04,009 --> 00:43:07,109 and to bring an awareness of his culture to others. 975 00:43:10,076 --> 00:43:12,143 -I wanted today, 976 00:43:12,143 --> 00:43:17,043 through the beautiful power of digital media... 977 00:43:17,043 --> 00:43:19,176 [ Snapping fingers ] 978 00:43:19,176 --> 00:43:22,443 ...to bring the Sikh community from Des Moines to you. 979 00:43:22,443 --> 00:43:24,409 My name is JJ. 980 00:43:24,409 --> 00:43:27,743 I am an Iowan, 981 00:43:27,743 --> 00:43:32,009 I'm a Sikh American, and I am an 982 00:43:32,009 --> 00:43:35,009 American Connection Corps member. 983 00:43:35,009 --> 00:43:37,609 -This Is a bracelet that represents 984 00:43:37,609 --> 00:43:39,409 Sikhism and my culture. 985 00:43:39,409 --> 00:43:43,576 -So today I was able to bring digital stories 986 00:43:43,576 --> 00:43:46,576 from the Sikh community in West Des Moines, 987 00:43:46,576 --> 00:43:50,709 to West Branch, which is a rural community. 988 00:43:50,709 --> 00:43:54,876 I remember reading something about 989 00:43:54,876 --> 00:43:56,943 Lead for America. 990 00:43:56,943 --> 00:43:59,676 And the whole shtick was, 991 00:43:59,676 --> 00:44:03,576 we will fund your work 992 00:44:03,576 --> 00:44:05,676 if you come back to your hometown. 993 00:44:05,676 --> 00:44:08,609 And I was like, what? That's amazing! 994 00:44:10,409 --> 00:44:14,009 Now as an American Connection Corps member, 995 00:44:14,009 --> 00:44:19,543 I'm dedicated to using digital medium to tell stories. 996 00:44:19,543 --> 00:44:21,843 -Hi. My name is Abe Polstein, 997 00:44:21,843 --> 00:44:24,376 and I'm an open book. 998 00:44:24,376 --> 00:44:26,876 -I think what's beautiful about digital storytelling 999 00:44:26,876 --> 00:44:28,109 is it's inclusive, 1000 00:44:28,109 --> 00:44:29,976 it's accessible, it's sustainable. 1001 00:44:29,976 --> 00:44:34,209 -My family and I have fled the war-torn country of Bosnia. 1002 00:44:34,209 --> 00:44:38,709 -In some ways, it allows folks to be in the same room 1003 00:44:38,709 --> 00:44:40,709 who might not always have that opportunity. 1004 00:44:40,709 --> 00:44:46,443 -But, you know, the end of the journey, we found freedom. 1005 00:44:46,443 --> 00:44:49,043 -And that's what I love about the service 1006 00:44:49,043 --> 00:44:51,643 I'm involved in. Its connection. 1007 00:44:51,643 --> 00:44:54,309 And when you can connect people together, 1008 00:44:54,309 --> 00:44:57,943 it takes on a -- that connection takes on a life of its own. 1009 00:44:57,943 --> 00:45:00,643 -...my culture. -Oh, yeah. That's wonder... 1010 00:45:00,643 --> 00:45:02,476 -We're seeing a lot of acknowledgement 1011 00:45:02,476 --> 00:45:04,109 on the importance of service 1012 00:45:04,109 --> 00:45:07,476 and the role that service can play 1013 00:45:07,476 --> 00:45:10,243 in building the country we want to see. 1014 00:45:10,243 --> 00:45:13,676 -I'm committed to Iowa because it's home, 1015 00:45:13,676 --> 00:45:15,476 and I wanna leave this home 1016 00:45:15,476 --> 00:45:20,109 a little better than when I arrived. 1017 00:45:20,109 --> 00:45:25,709 ♪♪ 1018 00:45:25,709 --> 00:45:27,543 -You know, throughout this book, 1019 00:45:27,543 --> 00:45:30,909 you're asking people to put the country first. 1020 00:45:30,909 --> 00:45:32,976 Sounds simple, but define it. 1021 00:45:32,976 --> 00:45:35,676 -Can I just confess I find it depressing 1022 00:45:35,676 --> 00:45:37,376 that I even had to mention it? 1023 00:45:37,376 --> 00:45:39,476 I would've thought it was pretty self-evident. 1024 00:45:39,476 --> 00:45:41,443 But when I get up in the morning 1025 00:45:41,443 --> 00:45:43,543 and I turn on television or I read the newspapers, 1026 00:45:43,543 --> 00:45:47,643 I see glaring examples where people in our public life 1027 00:45:47,643 --> 00:45:51,876 are not putting the country before party or person. 1028 00:45:51,876 --> 00:45:53,976 And a lot of them know better. 1029 00:45:53,976 --> 00:45:57,776 -Right now, there are gonna be people who would say 1030 00:45:57,776 --> 00:46:02,443 that January 6th was, in their opinion, 1031 00:46:02,443 --> 00:46:04,409 putting the country first, right? 1032 00:46:04,409 --> 00:46:08,743 That they feel so strongly 1033 00:46:08,743 --> 00:46:12,709 about their vision of what this country is 1034 00:46:12,709 --> 00:46:16,676 that they needed to do that. 1035 00:46:16,676 --> 00:46:18,576 -I've heard that from several people. 1036 00:46:18,576 --> 00:46:22,009 Those who went into the Capitol on January 6th -- 1037 00:46:22,009 --> 00:46:23,809 they all thought they were patriots. 1038 00:46:23,809 --> 00:46:24,943 -Right. 1039 00:46:24,943 --> 00:46:27,043 -What I fall back on when I hear that 1040 00:46:27,043 --> 00:46:28,309 is a quote of Ronald Reagan. 1041 00:46:28,309 --> 00:46:30,476 So it was in his farewell address, 1042 00:46:30,476 --> 00:46:32,543 and he said, "Patriotism is good," 1043 00:46:32,543 --> 00:46:34,309 and he applauds it. And then Reagan says, 1044 00:46:34,309 --> 00:46:38,209 "But patriotism in and of itself is not enough." 1045 00:46:38,209 --> 00:46:39,943 What Ronald Reagan then went on to say is 1046 00:46:39,943 --> 00:46:42,776 we need informed patriotism. 1047 00:46:42,776 --> 00:46:45,743 And the problem with the people on January 6th 1048 00:46:45,743 --> 00:46:46,843 is what they were doing 1049 00:46:46,843 --> 00:46:49,076 was not in the traditions of this country. 1050 00:46:49,076 --> 00:46:50,909 That's not how we promote or pursue 1051 00:46:50,909 --> 00:46:52,976 our political ends in this country. 1052 00:46:52,976 --> 00:46:55,809 Informed patriotism say 1053 00:46:55,809 --> 00:46:58,176 there's a way to go about promoting 1054 00:46:58,176 --> 00:47:00,709 or advancing your political agenda. 1055 00:47:00,709 --> 00:47:02,309 It doesn't involve violence. 1056 00:47:02,309 --> 00:47:04,676 It doesn't involve attacking police officers. 1057 00:47:04,676 --> 00:47:08,976 It doesn't involve invading the space of Congress. 1058 00:47:08,976 --> 00:47:11,043 There's legitimate, lawful ways 1059 00:47:11,043 --> 00:47:13,743 of advancing your political agenda, 1060 00:47:13,743 --> 00:47:16,109 and that's what American politics are all about. 1061 00:47:16,109 --> 00:47:18,209 -Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox 1062 00:47:18,209 --> 00:47:21,176 is working to put country before partisan politics. 1063 00:47:21,176 --> 00:47:23,609 A chairman of the National Governors Association, 1064 00:47:23,609 --> 00:47:26,476 he's launched the Disagree Better campaign 1065 00:47:26,476 --> 00:47:29,109 to encourage fellow governors to disagree 1066 00:47:29,109 --> 00:47:32,076 in ways that find solutions and solve problems. 1067 00:47:32,076 --> 00:47:34,476 -So there's lots of metrics that we're looking at. 1068 00:47:34,476 --> 00:47:37,676 -He first found success with this concept in 2020 1069 00:47:37,676 --> 00:47:39,343 when he and his political opponent, 1070 00:47:39,343 --> 00:47:40,776 Democrat Chris Peterson, 1071 00:47:40,776 --> 00:47:43,709 appeared in a campaign ad called One Nation, 1072 00:47:43,709 --> 00:47:45,876 which highlighted their shared values 1073 00:47:45,876 --> 00:47:48,876 and put partisanship aside ahead of their election. 1074 00:47:48,876 --> 00:47:50,143 -I'm Spencer Cox, 1075 00:47:50,143 --> 00:47:52,443 your Republican candidate for Utah governor. 1076 00:47:52,443 --> 00:47:53,576 -And I'm Chris Peterson, 1077 00:47:53,576 --> 00:47:55,443 your Democratic candidate for governor. 1078 00:47:55,443 --> 00:47:57,976 -I've been concerned about toxic polarization 1079 00:47:57,976 --> 00:47:59,576 in our country for a long time. 1080 00:47:59,576 --> 00:48:03,176 In 2020, I was running for governor at the same time 1081 00:48:03,176 --> 00:48:05,276 that Trump and Biden were running 1082 00:48:05,276 --> 00:48:06,943 against each other for president. 1083 00:48:06,943 --> 00:48:08,676 And I was very concerned. 1084 00:48:08,676 --> 00:48:11,609 My friend said, "Well, why don't you do something about it?" 1085 00:48:11,609 --> 00:48:12,876 So I thought about it all weekend 1086 00:48:12,876 --> 00:48:14,209 and had this crazy idea 1087 00:48:14,209 --> 00:48:16,376 to reach out to my opponent, the Democrat, 1088 00:48:16,376 --> 00:48:18,176 who I was running against, 1089 00:48:18,176 --> 00:48:20,343 and say, you know, "Why don't we film an ad together?" 1090 00:48:20,343 --> 00:48:22,276 We are currently in the final days 1091 00:48:22,276 --> 00:48:24,109 of campaigning against each other. 1092 00:48:24,109 --> 00:48:27,143 -But our common values transcend our political differences. 1093 00:48:27,143 --> 00:48:28,709 And the strength of our nation 1094 00:48:28,709 --> 00:48:30,376 rests on our ability to see that. 1095 00:48:30,376 --> 00:48:33,009 -We are both committed to American civility 1096 00:48:33,009 --> 00:48:35,009 and a peaceful transition of power. 1097 00:48:35,009 --> 00:48:37,876 -And we hope Utah will be an example to the nation. 1098 00:48:37,876 --> 00:48:40,609 -Because that is what our country is built on. 1099 00:48:40,609 --> 00:48:42,143 The ad -- it went viral 1100 00:48:42,143 --> 00:48:44,443 in 2020 in ways we didn't expect. 1101 00:48:44,443 --> 00:48:46,176 We've asked some fellow governors 1102 00:48:46,176 --> 00:48:47,976 if they would be willing to do this. 1103 00:48:47,976 --> 00:48:49,776 The response has been very positive. 1104 00:48:49,776 --> 00:48:51,743 -We're Committed to disagreeing better. 1105 00:48:51,743 --> 00:48:54,109 -Like in 2019, when we came together 1106 00:48:54,109 --> 00:48:56,443 to end the Kansas City economic border war. 1107 00:48:56,443 --> 00:48:58,476 -Be curious, ask questions. 1108 00:48:58,476 --> 00:49:00,976 If you still disagree, that's okay, but you might find 1109 00:49:00,976 --> 00:49:02,976 that you aren't as far apart as you think. 1110 00:49:02,976 --> 00:49:06,476 -It's not about showing the other side how wrong they are. 1111 00:49:06,476 --> 00:49:09,009 It's about what's best for America. 1112 00:49:09,009 --> 00:49:11,609 -You may be a Democrat. I may be a Republican. 1113 00:49:11,609 --> 00:49:14,876 But we're both Americans. That's our common identity. 1114 00:49:14,876 --> 00:49:18,009 And if we put country first over party, 1115 00:49:18,009 --> 00:49:20,809 that allows us now a framework 1116 00:49:20,809 --> 00:49:22,576 to start to work together to solve problems. 1117 00:49:22,576 --> 00:49:23,809 My name's Spencer Cox. 1118 00:49:23,809 --> 00:49:24,776 -And I'm Chris Peterson. 1119 00:49:24,776 --> 00:49:27,409 -And we approve this message. 1120 00:49:27,409 --> 00:49:29,609 -There are so many good things happening in our country 1121 00:49:29,609 --> 00:49:31,543 that are getting very little attention. 1122 00:49:31,543 --> 00:49:33,543 And if people only see the worst, 1123 00:49:33,543 --> 00:49:37,709 then they start to act that way, and we can definitely do better. 1124 00:49:37,709 --> 00:49:41,576 -Yeah. American democracy is not gonna be protected or preserved 1125 00:49:41,576 --> 00:49:45,443 or saved by some individual coming on the political scene 1126 00:49:45,443 --> 00:49:49,276 who's gonna wave a magic wand and somehow say, "Okay," 1127 00:49:49,276 --> 00:49:51,876 say and do things and then American democracy will be fine 1128 00:49:51,876 --> 00:49:54,476 for another 250 years. It doesn't work that way. 1129 00:49:54,476 --> 00:49:57,209 It's going to work. It's gonna be protected 1130 00:49:57,209 --> 00:50:01,376 and preserved and saved because hundreds of millions 1131 00:50:01,376 --> 00:50:03,476 of Americans are gonna do the right thing. 1132 00:50:03,476 --> 00:50:05,276 -Yeah. -They're going to push back 1133 00:50:05,276 --> 00:50:07,376 against violence. They're gonna get involved. 1134 00:50:07,376 --> 00:50:08,709 They're gonna get informed. 1135 00:50:08,709 --> 00:50:10,709 They're gonna look out for the common good. 1136 00:50:10,709 --> 00:50:13,643 They're gonna ask that civics be taught in our schools. 1137 00:50:13,643 --> 00:50:16,109 They're gonna support programs of public service. 1138 00:50:16,109 --> 00:50:18,043 And that's the way this democracy 1139 00:50:18,043 --> 00:50:20,843 has evolved over the centuries. 1140 00:50:20,843 --> 00:50:22,743 And that's the way it's gonna last 1141 00:50:22,743 --> 00:50:25,843 and do well for centuries to come. 1142 00:50:25,843 --> 00:50:27,709 -Through democracy, everybody can -- 1143 00:50:27,709 --> 00:50:30,643 ideally, everybody can be involved. 1144 00:50:30,643 --> 00:50:32,809 -Young people are entering office. 1145 00:50:32,809 --> 00:50:36,676 Young people are being elected. Things are changing. 1146 00:50:36,676 --> 00:50:38,276 -I'm definitely gonna speak to my parents 1147 00:50:38,276 --> 00:50:41,343 and my family about, you know, voting and the importance of it 1148 00:50:41,343 --> 00:50:42,843 because it's important that, you know, 1149 00:50:42,843 --> 00:50:45,109 our voices are heard, too. 1150 00:50:45,109 --> 00:50:48,076 -Even though that our main goal is not the same, 1151 00:50:48,076 --> 00:50:50,809 our purpose is the same. We all want the same thing. 1152 00:50:50,809 --> 00:50:53,576 We all want to live better. We all want to feel better. 1153 00:50:53,576 --> 00:50:56,109 We all want for people around us to be healthy, 1154 00:50:56,109 --> 00:50:59,776 be thriving, to live. 1155 00:50:59,776 --> 00:51:02,343 -It's not just our elected officials 1156 00:51:02,343 --> 00:51:03,809 that help run this country. 1157 00:51:03,809 --> 00:51:06,676 It's the people that are walking the streets every day. 1158 00:51:06,676 --> 00:51:09,576 It's you. It is me. 1159 00:51:11,576 --> 00:51:14,876 -Democracy was meant to be adaptive, but it was also, 1160 00:51:14,876 --> 00:51:17,643 as I like to say, meant to be a full-contact sport. 1161 00:51:17,643 --> 00:51:20,776 And we need everybody playing in democracy, participating 1162 00:51:20,776 --> 00:51:25,576 and making their voice heard, in order to make it our own. 1163 00:51:25,576 --> 00:51:28,776 -As history shows us, democracy is not easy. 1164 00:51:28,776 --> 00:51:31,176 It takes sustained work. 1165 00:51:31,176 --> 00:51:35,109 The good news -- there are signs from every corner of each state 1166 00:51:35,109 --> 00:51:37,409 that Americans care about democracy 1167 00:51:37,409 --> 00:51:40,343 and are finding ways to help preserve it. 1168 00:51:40,343 --> 00:51:42,943 I'm Hari Sreenivasan, and this has been 1169 00:51:42,943 --> 00:51:45,743 "A Citizen's Guide to Preserving Democracy." 1170 00:51:47,443 --> 00:52:16,109 ♪♪