The Way: Tobias Read on In-Person Education, Novick on Kotek / Kristof, Gomez on Law Enforcement
PLUS: a new piece from Rep. Wilde and Beatrice Khan's submission on SROs.
Did you miss “The Liftoff”?
Read the latest version here
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Editor’s Note:
There are two different kinds of tolerance: thick and thin. Thick tolerance requires actually understanding what you’re tolerating, whereas thin tolerance amounts to “You do you.” It’s much easier to practice thin tolerance. And...most of us do.
Our democracy depends on us getting much better at thick tolerance — not just accepting someone’s views but working with them to learn why they hold those views and creating space for their views to actually change a few of your own.
Thin tolerance marked my collegiate career. The diversity of students at the University of Oregon created several opportunities to learn more about different views. Little space, though, existed to actually analyze those views — to ask earnest questions, to ask “dumb” questions, and to ask hard questions. Instead, most students, like myself, found our beliefs and staunchly defended them while not worrying that anyone would ever push us to vigorously defend them. That explains why I was such a strong Democrat back in those days.
As President of the College Democrats of Oregon, I rarely encountered students with conservative views on campus and, when I did, I had no clue they held “red” stances and never responded to challenges they may have had to my Democratic beliefs. That made me a weak Democrat. I didn’t have the practice of externally defending my views so I had no reason to internally test them myself. It also made whatever conservatives were on campus less able representatives of their views — they, too, didn’t benefit from an atmosphere of thick tolerance.
Thick tolerance requires more from both the skeptic and the devout. The skeptic can’t merely assume the superiority of their views while feigning an acceptance of other viewpoints. By compelling engagement, thick tolerance turns the skeptic into a perpetual learner, rather than a constant defender of their own rightness. My first experience with thick tolerance came on a bus full of Americans and Canadians touring Taiwan.
During a trip focused on learning more about Taiwan’s democracy, the young adults on the bus felt comfortable turning the questions we asked of our hosts on to one another. Our hours-long drives created the time and space for exchanges of views and stories — in some cases, the chats made Democrats more blue and vice versa. Generally, though, the exchanges resulted in some modification by both sides.
The friends I made on that trip don’t hold the same views as me. Yet, we’ve stayed in touch for years because we practiced thick tolerance together. This is also what I imagine has kept Adam Davis and his camping partner so close for so long — they have met someone who truly wants to understand their perspective and who is also willing to actually learn from that exchange. Just as my friends and I had the physical proximity and time associated with a bus ride, Adam benefited from the closeness tied to hiking with someone as well as the time that coincides with navigating the outdoors.
While we cannot send everyone on a bus or out for a hiking trip to learn about and experience tick tolerance, we can try to lessen reliance on mediums that seem to only facilitate thin tolerance. Social media, for instance, doesn’t allow for physical proximity with someone nor time with that person. So when we’re looking for ways to build a stronger democracy, we need to seek out ways to create the conditions where thick tolerance is actually possible.
One step in the right direction may be scaling up programs like Make America Dinner Again. Though not as lengthy as a bus ride or camping trip, even the hours spent making and eating a meal together can help strangers practice thick tolerance together.
Here’s to a better Oregon,
Kevin
To look forward to:
Our #GovernorGoals series. Learn more about how you can help shape the future of our state here.
Nathan Howard shares an update on Measure 109.
To read:
Rep. Wilde calls for more accountability of the executive branch. Too many agencies have avoided pressure to incorporate meaningful reform after egregious mistakes.
Read more here.
Tobias Read makes clear that remote learning will not remedy the growing learning loss in schools. He states his dedication to keeping kids in-person.
Read more here.
Steve Novick compares Tina Kotek and Nicholas Kristof as candidates for governor. While he’d support either as the Democratic nominee, he thinks one has proven themselves more deserving of the opportunity.
Read more here.
Jessica Gomez outlines specific steps she’d take as governor to improve the relationship between law enforcement and community members.
Read more here.
Beatrice Khan discusses the importance of listening to student voices as districts decide whether to keep School Resource Officers on campus.
Read more here.
Tim Nesbitt asks what candidates for election in 2022 are doing to prep the class of 2025 for academic and professional success.
Read more here.
To do:
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Join our editorial team or nominate someone to join
Tell us how we can improve!
Photo credit: "Oregon Trail Murals, Vale, Oregon" by Ken Lund is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0