Summary: Over the years I have developed an appreciation for the idea of "liberty and justice for all" - liberty being the rights of the individual and justice being the rights of the members of our society. These two opposing concepts occur for me as a dance in a ballroom called the Constitution. So when it feels like something has gone sideways within this republic's democracy, I look to THAT dance in THAT ballroom for answers and solutions. But when the topic has anything to do with guns.... American Ingenuity, that magical thing that happens when everyone brings their unique perspective to the table and uses the creative tension of their differences to make something better than what anyone imagined - doesn't have a chance if the conversation is blocked by polarizing rhetoric. What I hear and see is more shaming than discussing; more yelling than listening; and, more righteousness than problem solving. This is not a conservative problem or a liberal problem. It is our problem. If you want to be a part of the solution, if you believe in the magic of American Ingenuity, you can start by participating in critical listening and civil speaking on LUNCH WITH LOUDEN.
