Besnette Hauser: Rediscovering common ground
Valley Voices
Courtesy photo
Recently, the beloved Muppet Elmo “checked in” with America on the social media platform X. Elmo asked, “How is everybody doing?” Thousands of responses flooded in, including professional athletes, Hollywood stars and national politicians.
The replies suggested that many respondents were not OK, personally or with the world around them. Elmo’s post demonstrated that many of us are working through challenging situations, and have significant concerns with society’s constant rancor, or both.
While many colleges are viewed as ivory towers on a hill — socially, economically and politically separated from their communities — Colorado Mountain College views itself as an integral part of its region, reflecting the values, ideals and hopes of the extraordinary mountain towns where CMC campuses are located. CMC and its home communities are one and the same.
Like Elmo, CMC is checking in with the communities it serves. National polls routinely demonstrate that individuals across the political spectrum are frustrated by partisan discourse, have worries about the future of our democracy, and feel like decisions are being made for them instead of by “the consent of the governed.”
Since its inception, CMC has brought together people from across Colorado’s Western Slope and exists as a place of learning and growth for anyone, regardless of background, income or ideology.
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In this spirit, we are again convening members of our community to engage in conversation, to listen and to understand by launching Rediscovering Common Ground, a nonpartisan series of community conversations about civic engagement and civil discourse inspired by CMC’s 2024 Common Reader, “The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens,” by Richard Haass, American diplomat and former president of the Council on Foreign Relations.
In partnership with Aspen Public Radio, we launched the series with an insightful and valuable dialogue between Dr. Haass; Walter Isaacson, historian, author, and former CEO of CNN; and Mary Louise Kelly, co-host of “All Things Considered” on National Public Radio. A recording of this event, which drew upward of 1,000 attendees, can be found on either the APR or CMC website.
Throughout the program, Haass and Isaacson reminded the audience that it has become easier than ever to isolate ourselves in echo chambers that reinforce our opinions without ever having to listen to others with different views. Haass even stated that as a society we have moved away from the era of broadcast news to narrow information sound bites fueled by our social media preferences. Some of the best information sources, he explained, are local media and public broadcasting where reporters and editors focus on issues impacting their audiences.
Isaacson added that as we have become more mobile, people are moving to cities or neighborhoods that mirror their values. As a result, we are less and less likely to interact with others who think or believe differently than we do. As an esteemed historian, he reminded attendees that the Founding Fathers did not agree with one another but found compromises to support a vision for a nation that had never existed before. Here, “e pluribus unum” (out of many, one) was possible.
With the Haass, Isaacson and Kelly conversation serving as a springboard, CMC will host free seminars in April and May across its region to reintroduce us to our neighbors, dig into the importance of civics, and remind us of what makes our communities so special. Coming together to advance a shared sense of hope couldn’t be more relevant or timely.
These events will serve as foundational discussions in advance of a book tour Haass will make to multiple CMC campuses in early October.
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As Elmo reminded us, it is important to check in with our family, friends and neighbors. We are all in this life together. Let’s share in its future and be proud of rediscovering our common ground.
Visit CMC’s website at https://coloradomtn.edu/common-ground/ or email commonground@coloradomtn.edu for information about the Rediscovering Common Ground series, including registering to attend an event, watching the virtual kickoff event, or obtaining free copies of “The Bill of Obligations.”
