Newsletter - October 2026
Over the last two months, I have spent considerable time reflecting on what it means to be a courageous citizen and when it is appropriate to engage in political discourse.
I am incredibly grateful for the tools and techniques I have learned from my involvement with Braver Angels. Those techniques have helped me strengthen relationships with friends and family, engage in constructive conversations with those I disagree with, and resist the temptation to label or negatively judge people whose political beliefs differ from mine.
What I have struggled with recently is how to put the Braver Angels concept of courageous citizenship into practice. Courageous citizenship has been described as choosing connection over contempt, listening without caricature, and seeking common ground where interests overlap. It goes beyond civil discourse by encouraging us to actively engage with people across our differences.
In our current society, where outrage is often monetized and people with differing political beliefs are frequently demonized, talking about politics has become something many of us avoid.
The dilemma I have been wrestling with is how to balance respect for others and their desire to avoid political discussions with the importance of encouraging constructive conversations about the issues facing our country.
I recently returned from a family wedding in France and a subsequent vacation in Greece. The opportunity to connect and celebrate with friends and family in France was a joy and privilege, and our time in Greece was both refreshing and enlightening.
As our country celebrates 250 years of independence, I have frequently heard references to America's "unique experiment in democracy."
While our nation's democratic experiment is certainly remarkable, my visit to Athens reminded me that the roots of democracy extend back more than 2,000 years before America's founding. In fact, democracy as we understand it began to take shape around 508 BCE in the ancient Greek city-state of Athens.
What I found particularly fascinating was the importance that was placed on civic participation and political discourse. Citizens gathered in public spaces, including the marketplace, to exchange ideas and debate the issues of their time. Eligible citizens also participated directly in the democratic process, debating and voting on important public decisions.
Of course, Athenian democracy was far from perfect. Women, enslaved people, and resident foreigners were excluded from political participation, and public debate was not always respectful or tolerant. Nevertheless, the expectation that citizens would actively participate in public affairs was an important feature of their democracy.
That experience left me wondering: Have we lost something important by allowing political discourse to become something we so often avoid?
We are a long way from normalizing constructive political conversations in our society, and I will continue to respect the wishes of those who prefer not to discuss politics and I will continue to be thoughtful about when and how I engage others.
However, I have also come to recognize that courageous citizenship means more than treating people with differing political beliefs respectfully. It means being willing to engage in difficult conversations, encouraging others to resist the temptation to demonize those they disagree with, and helping create opportunities for constructive dialogue about the important issues of our time.
One such issue is gerrymandering and its negative impact on our democracy.
In next month's newsletter, I plan to share an update on my Real Representation project and my efforts to promote the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus's gerrymandering reform framework. My goal is to work with Braver Angels to organize local workshops where citizens can learn about the proposed reforms, discuss and debate their merits, and help inform the resulting legislation.
I see these workshops as an opportunity to put courageous citizenship into practice — bringing people with differing political perspectives together to learn from one another and help shape solutions to an issue that affects us all.
Have a happy Halloween and a great month.
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