Civic Conversations

All are invited to visit the McBride Memorial Library each Friday 11am–12pm to discuss the news of the week and what’s happening in our world.
This new community opportunity gives participants a chance to

Practice respectful civic engagement as we discuss current events
Build relationships with others in our community and make new friends

Our hope for these conversations is that participants will attend with a sense of openness, curiosity, and humility as we seek to understand each other and gain new perspectives. This is an opportunity to reclaim the ideal of civic public discourse.
What You Can Expect at Each Session:

Introductions
Suggestions for topics of discussion from participants
Voting on the topic(s) of discussion
A well-facilitated conversation following clear ground rules
Positive engagement as we share different points of view

Expectations to Abandon:

That you can persuade others that they are wrong and you are right about something of importance to them
That facts will be agreed upon and logic followed consistently

Ground Rules:

One person speaks at a time
Speak only for yourself
Avoid stereotyping (don’t lump others into groups)
Ask questions of curiosity (avoid ‘gotcha’ questions)
Refrain from personal attacks
Phones off