Seeking Common Ground…Holy Ground

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“A priest, a rabbi, and an imam walk into a synagogue…” Sounds like the start of a punchline for a joke.  However, this was no joke but rather the first in a series of interfaith meetings between spiritual leaders in West Hartford, Connecticut who decided to look for common ground following a number of hate incidents in their community.  They held their first meeting in March and it was so successful that they are planning on a second forum later in May.  One question they will be looking to answer is “how does the dialogue continue when the other doesn’t want to participate?” For more on how they came together and what they plan for the future.

Link here.

In Jordanian city hit by ISIS, old lessons on Christian-Muslim coexistence

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Muslim and Christian residents of Karak, Jordan, say putting community first, and respecting each other’s religious sensitivities, are key to more than coexistence. They call it interdependence. Read more about it HERE

Cranes, curlews, and cows — the delicate debate over Oregon’s federal lands

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A PBS News Hour story about how ranchers, federal officials and environmental groups are coming together to deal with conflict over cattle grazing on public lands in Oregon. Earlier this year, the conflict made national headlines because of a military style standoff. Now the parties are listening to one another, respectfully, and making good progress to finding solution. Watch the program HERE.

What I learned as a liberal talking head on Fox News (+video)

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NEW YORK — In the fall of 2013, I gave a TED talk on what I learned as a progressive, on-air talking head at Fox News, where I worked for two years before leaving and joining my current home, CNN. After all, one of the most frequent questions I was asked during my time at Fox was how I did it, how I was a fox in the henhouse – or a hen in the Fox house, if you will. Read more about it HERE

Moving beyond suspicion, Muslims and Evangelicals seek common ground

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Muslim and Christian residents of Karak, Jordan, say putting community first, and respecting each other’s religious sensitivities, are key to more than coexistence. They call it interdependence. Read more about it HERE

Politicians and Citizens Talking Without Shouting? It Can Happen.

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The cynical view of political discourse is that, in these polarized times, members of Congress can’t really persuade their constituents. If talk does anything, leaders can only mobilize their supporters and tell them how they should think and vote. But in a new study, my collaborators (Kevin Esterling, David Lazer, William Minozzi and the Congressional Management Foundation) and I found something potentially much more encouraging about how political leaders and citizens can talk to each other. Read more

Two Ministers Forge Friendship Across a Church Divide

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The two ministers were foes before they ever met, partisans in a war they did not start, but partisans nonetheless. For four years, they did not speak. But in the spring of 2011, the Rev. Tory Baucum drove 100 miles south to Richmond to introduce himself to the Rev. Read more about it HERE

Japan and South Korea: Don’t let history dictate the future

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HONOLULU AND WASHINGTON — For South Koreans, Ahn Jung-geun is a “national hero” – the independence activist who in 1909 assassinated the Japanese colonial governor of Korea. He struck at the embodiment of a hated imperial power and sacrificed his life for national independence. Read more about it HERE

Tunisia’s model for bridging political and social divides

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BARCELONA, SPAIN; AND WASHINGTON — After more than two years of negotiations, a new constitution came into force in Tunisia last month. It was hailed by Islamists and liberals alike as a paradigm of compromise. Read more about it HERE

Top GOP taxwriter pushes overhaul of tax code: We can’t ‘afford to wait’

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WASHINGTON — Rep. Dave Camp (R) of Michigan said at a Monitor breakfast Wednesday that he is going to push ahead with tax reform – even though his plan, unveiled on Feb. 26, was considered “dead on arrival” due to objections from both parties and the political risk of debating such a big issue in an election year. Read more about it HERE