♪ ♪ >> ERIC: IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE HORRIFIC JUNE POLITICAL SHOOTINGS THAT LEFT SPEAKER EMERITA MELISSA HORTMAN AND HUSBAND MARK DEAD AND INJURED SENATOR JOHN HOFFMAN AND WIFE YVETTE, MANY MINNESOTANS FOUND THEMSELVES WONDERING WHAT CAN BE DONE TO TONE DOWN THE VIOLENT RHETORIC THAT HAS BECOME A PART OF POLITICS IN AMERICA.

ENTER A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO DO THIS KIND OF WORK REGULARLY, AND YOU END UP WITH AN INITIATIVE CALLED "WHAT CAN WE DO WEEKS."

IT'S THE BRAINCHILD OF SHANNON WATSON, WHO HEADS UP "MAJORITY IN THE MIDDLE," A GROUP WHOSE MISSION IS TO BRING PEOPLE FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM TOGETHER.

ASSISTING HER WITH THIS EFFORT IS NATHAN STOCK, AN EXPERT ON CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

JOINING THEM TONIGHT IS LIBBY STEGGER, WHO RUNS CIVIC BRIDGERS, ONE OF THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS EFFORT.

WELCOME, ONE AND ALL.

YOU HAD THE KICKOFF YESTERDAY, SHANNON.

TELL US ABOUT THAT AND TELL US ABOUT THE LONG-RANGE GOAL HERE.

>> SO THE ONGS-RANGE GOAL IS GIVE PEOPLE SOMETHING TO DO.

LIKE YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THE LAST TIME I WAS HEAR, WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO?

AND THIS IS THE ANSWER.

THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO, NOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH THE FUNERALS.

JOHN AND YVETTE ARE ON THE MEND.

THIS IS THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO AND THIS IS GIVING SPACE AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO GET ENGAGED.

>> Cathy: SO YOU HAD THE KICKOFF.

>> YES.

>> Cathy: AT THE HUMANITIES CENTER.

>> YES.

>> Cathy: PEOPLE WERE ASKED TO DO SOMETHING SPECIFIC.

WHAT WAS THAT?

>> YES, WE ASKED PEOPLE TO SIGN THE CIVIC PLEDGE FOR A STRONGER MINNESOTA, WHICH THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE VERY EASY FOR EVERYBODY IN MINNESOTA TO AGREE ON.

NATHAN'S GOT SOME BACKGROUND IN THIS, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE PEOPLE KIND OF FIND THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S EASY THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO AGREE ON.

>> Eric: HOW TOUGH IS IT TO UNWIND WHAT IS APPARENTLY A NEW CULTURE IN POLITICS WITH THE TOUGH LANGUAGE AND WORSE?

>> WELL, WE'VE BEEN IN A POLITICAL AND MEDIA ENVIRONMENT FOR YEARS NOW THAT REWARDS BAD BEHAVIOR.

RIGHT?

OUTRAGE.

DEMONIZATION GETS CLICKS AND SOMETIMES VOTES.

SIGNING THIS PLEDGE AND THE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT SHANNON'S ORGANIZING IS A START TOWARD BUILDING A CIVIC COALITION HAT CAN DEMAND SOMETHING BETTER.

WE NEED TO CHANGE THE INCENTIVES, RIGHT?

AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT 85% OF AMERICANS REJECT POLITICAL VIOLENCE.

THE REAGAN FOUNDATION OUT IN CALIFORNIA PUT OUT A SURVEY BACK IN THE SPRING THAT SAID THAT 72% OF OUR FELLOW AMERICANS WANT TO BE PART OF RESTORING CIVILITY.

83% EXPECT THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO GET ALONG, TO COOPERATE ACROSS POLITICAL LINES.

THE TASK IN FRONT OF US THEN IS TO LIFT UP OUR VOICES, TO MAKE IT KNOWN THAT WE DON'T WANT TO LIVE LIKE THIS, THAT MOST AMERICANS WANT A BETTER STANDARD OF CIVIC BEHAVIOR, AND THIS LEDGE IS A STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.

>> Cathy: LIBBY, SO, YES, MOST PEOPLE WOULD WANT THEIR LAWMAKERS TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER, BUT, LIBBY, POLITICIANS DON'T SEEM TO BE GETTING THAT MESSAGE.

>> SOMETIMES NOT.

SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO KNOW IN THE FACE OF SUCH A HUGE CHALLENGE HOW WE AS INDIVIDUALS CAN EFFECT CHANGE, HOW CAN WE PART OF IT.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO AT CIVIC BRIDGERS IS WE HELP YOUNG PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR BUILD THE SKILLS AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO HELP REBUILD THAT CIVILITY.

AND SOMETIMES IT'S IN POLITICS AND SYSTEMS.

AND SOMETIMES IT IS IN HOW WE TREAT OUR NEIGHBORS, HOW WE SHOW UP IN SPACES AND HOW WE PUT THE IDEA OF PLURALISM AT THE CENTER.

THAT CAN BE OUR COMMON GROUND.

AND AS NATHAN SHOWS THROUGH ALL OF THESE IMPORTANT STATISTICS, PEOPLE DO WANT TO COME TOGETHER ACROSS DIFFERENCES.

WE NEED THE SPACE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

WE NEED TO UT THAT AT THE CENTER.

>> Eric: HOW DO YOU AVOID JUST PREACHING TO THE CHOIR?

>> I THINK THE VOTERS HAVE PLACE IN THIS.

LETTING THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS, LETTING THEIR LEADERS AND WHOEVER THAT IS, THAT'S IN ACADEMIA, THAT'S IN FAITH GROUPS, WHATEVER, HAVING NORMAL PEOPLE SAY, YEP, THIS IS WHAT I EXPECT, AND THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO SIGN ONTO AND THIS IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO.

AND AGAIN, LIKE, INCENTIVIZING GOOD BEHAVIOR INSTEAD OF INCENTIVIZING THE DIVISION.

>> Cathy: I REMEMBER, I WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS EFFORT WITH ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL, AND THIS PERSON SAID, IF YOU TONE DOWN THE RHETORIC, DON'T YOU INFRINGE ON FIRST AMENDMENT SPEECH RIGHTS?

AND I SAID, WELL, I'LL ASK MY FRIENDS HERE ON THE PANEL.

I MEAN, WHAT OF THAT, PERHAPS?

>> WELL, IN THIS COUNTRY, WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, ESSENTIALLY THAT SHOULDN'T CHANGE.

BUT IT'S ALSO CLEAR THAT WHEN ELITES, POLITICAL LEADERS, DEMONIZE GROUPS F PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR POLITICS, THEIR IDENTITY, THEIR RELIGION, THEIR SKIN COLOR, THAT KIND OF LANGUAGE DOES EAD TO REAL-WORLD VIOLENCE.

WE HAVE MANAGED OUR DEMOCRACY JUST FINE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS WITHOUT ENGAGING IN THAT KIND OF CONDUCT, AND WE HAD A MUCH MORE PEACEFUL SOCIETY.

SO WE'RE NOT EXPECTING THAT EVERYONE'S GOING TO MAGICALLY GET ALONG, RIGHT?

THAT WOULD BE BORING.

WE'RE GOING TO DEBATE BUT WE CAN DO THAT WITHIN CERTAINLY REASONABLE GUARD RAILS.

>> Eric: DO YOU EXPECT THE LEADERS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND WHO KNOWS WHO THEY'LL BE IN THE 2026 SESSION, BUT I THINK TALK TO SOME OF THOSE FOLKS AND OPERATIVES AND SO FORTH, DO YOU EXPECT THERE TO BE LEEK A CAUCUS MEETING WHERE THAT ISSUE COMES UP AND THEY'LL SAY TONE IT DOWN.

THE LEADERS WILL TELL THE RANK AND FILE, TONE IT DOWN ON THE FLOOR DURING DEBATE FOR INSTANCE OR IS IT GOING TO BE THAT FAR-REACHING?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I HOPE SO.

I KNOW THIS IS ALREADY A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION NOW AMONGST LEADERS.

LIKE, WHAT DO WE DO?

HOW MUCH DO WE SAY.

HOW MUCH DO WE USE EMOTION IN TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE?

SO I THINK THE -- THE VIOLENCE ON THE 14TH JUST REALLY DEMONSTRATED HOW BADLY THIS CAN GO.

AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO GO THERE AGAIN.

AND SO JUST IT BEING SO PERSONAL, I THINK THEY'LL HAVE EXTRA INCENTIVE TO TRY TO TONE IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

>> Eric: THE SUSPECT JUST HAD AN OLD-FASHIONED LEGAL PAD FOR HIS MANIFESTO, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.

BUT SEEMS TO ME, SOCIAL MEDIA MAY HAVE A BROADER IMPACT ON THIS KIND OF THING.

>> WE CERTAINLY SEE THAT SOCIAL MEDIA CAN PLAY A ROLE AND AS CAN MEDIA.

WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY.

WE ALL ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HOW WE SHOW UP, AND WHETHER IT'S IN SOCIAL MEDIA SPACES, WHETHER IT'S IN OUR NEIGHBORS, WHETHER IT'S IN CAUCUS ROOMS, EACH OF US HAS A ROLE TO PLAY AND MAKE SURE WE ARE STEPPING INTO THAT.

SO WE ACTUALLY TRAIN ON THAT.

WE TRAIN HOW TO ENGAGE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

HOW DO YOU WANT TO SHOW UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN WAYS THAT BRIDGE DIVIDES.

>> Cathy: SO YOU'RE MORE OF A GRASS-ROOTS EFFORT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT AND THAT'S WHAT SHANNON'S BEEN ABLE O DO IS CREATE THIS COALITION OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF ORGANIZATIONS -- >> Cathy: WHICH IS TERRIFIC, BUT I'M WONDERING, AS A MEMBER OF THE MEDIA, YOU TALKED ABOUT REWARDING BAD BEHAVIOR, AND OBVIOUSLY THE MEDIA HAS DONE THAT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, RIGHT?

SO WHAT'S THE ROLE OF THE MASS MEDIA IN THIS?

>> IN FAIRNESS, JOURNALISM NEEDS CONFLICT FOR A GOOD STORY.

AND I THINK HIGHLIGHTING WHERE PEOPLE ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND THE CONFLICTS THEY ACE WHILE TRYING TO DEFEAT A PROBLEM, NOT NECESSARILY DEFEAT EACH OTHER, THAT CAN BE THE GOOD CONFLICT IN THE STORY?

>> LIBBY?

>> YEAH, I AGREE, SHANNON.

WE NEED MEDIA IN THIS.

AND IT IS OKAY TO ENGAGE IN CONFLICT.

IT IS NOT OKAY TO DEHUMANIZE.

AND SO I DON'T SEE YOU ALL DOING THAT.

I SEE YOU ALL HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE NEED YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO ENGAGE WITH MEDIA AND HOW TO HEAR WHAT THEY ARE HEARING AND UNDERSTAND, IS THIS INFLAMING OR IS THIS SOMETHING I CAN BE A PART OF?

>> AND ONE OTHER CHANGE THAT THE MEDIA HAS STARTED TO MAKE IN RECENT YEARS IS BEING MORE SENSITIVE IN HOW THEY REPORT ON THESE ISSUES.

DON'T READ THE MANIFESTO.

DON'T SAY THE NAME OF THE SHOOTER.

CENTER THE VICTIMS.

REMIND YOUR AUDIENCE WHO IS REALLY HARMED BY THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR.

AND I THINK THAT HAS GOTTEN BETTER.

>> Eric: DO PEOPLE IN THE POLITICAL PUBLIC POLICY WORLD HAVE TO SELF-CENSOR?

IS THAT WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE ALL HAVE TO SELF-CENSOR.

THE -- WHAT WAS IT CALLED?

IN LIKE THE 1960s WHERE WE HAD THE SUBLIMINAL MESSAGING IN ADVERTISING?

LIKE, THAT WAS SUPER EFFECTIVE.

>> Eric: THEY PUT COKE UP ON THE MOVIE SCREEN FOR A SECOND.

>> AND SO YOUR BRAIN WOULD RECOGNIZE IT, BUT YOU WOULDN'T, LIKE, NATURALLY KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING BUT YOU WOULD WANT A COKE.

LIKE, WE'VE DETERMINED THAT THAT IS PSYCHOLOGICALLY HARMFUL, SO WE DON'T DO THAT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S EFFECTIVE.

THAT'S THE SAME THING WE NEED TO DO IN POLITICS.

EVEN THOUGH THOSE THINGS ARE EFFECTIVE, WE NEED TO NOT DO THAT TO SORT OF FOR THE GRAIRT GOOD.

>> Cathy: IS THERE A WEBSITE THAT VIEWERS CAN CHECK OUT?

>> THERE IS.

WHATWECANDOWEEK.ORG.