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Kentucky chosen to launch online discussions aimed at decreasing divisions

Left to riight-Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton-longtime political observer Bob Babbage-Meeting of America Co-Founder Pearce Godwin
Stu Johnson
Left to riight-Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton-longtime political observer Bob Babbage-Meeting of America Co-Founder Pearce Godwin

Kentucky has been chosen to launch an effort to decrease divisions in society. The idea is to do so through a gathering of individuals and recognizing shared humanity, values, and concerns. Meeting of America is the organization behind the initiative. Co-Founder Pearce Godwin participated in the announcement Thursday on the Transylvania campus.

“Division is destroying America and it’s destroying relationships that we all hold dear. Toxic polarization. This way that we’re demonizing each other across differences is a grave threat to our families, our communities, and our country,” said Godwin.

Godwin said the process involves an online platform for guided conversations in small groups of five. Participants are automatically matched across differences for one-hour conversations. Co-Founder and actor Andrew Shue noted Kentucky was chosen for the launch because it’s a bit of the heartland with a rural-urban combination.

Julie Babbage is serving as the Kentucky Director for Meeting of America.

“The goal is to just bring people together, get them talking to one another and start to turn down that heat that we feel so intensely right now as a nation and then figure out where do we go from here. How can we actually do things together, again, not having changed our minds necessarily on the issues, but changed our hearts in the process,” said Babbage.

Online signups are open now at MeetingofAmerica.us with discussions to start later this fall.

Here's more with Meeting of America Co-Founder Andrew Shue:

4ANDREWSHUE.mp3

Here's more with Kentucky Director for Meeting of America Julie Babbage:

4JULIEBABBAGE.mp3

Stu has been reporting for WEKU for more than 35 years. His primary beat is Lexington/Fayette government.
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