Talking Politics with People Unlike Ourselves

Do you avoid certain family members, neighbors and co-workers because you are afraid you will start screaming at them that they are brainwashed and uninformed about the Bush administration's disastrous policies?  Are you starting to limit your social life and political discussions to people who already think the way you do?   Do you want to be able to attend the family reunion and the neighborhood block party without coming across like the obsessed political junkie you really are, and still help these people remove their blinders in a loving way?  Don't know how to start the conversation? 

In this election year, many moderates and progressives want to motivate others to become politically active, to share their commitment to particular candidates, and to vote. This quickly leads to a desire to communicate more effectively with people who differ from themselves in style, interests, party affiliation or level of interest in politics.

Commonweal Institute’s Talking Politics with People Unlike Ourselves workshop provides new tools for reaching the uncommitted, the wavering, and people unlike themselves. It’s been very popular with outreach activists who want to be persuasive with family members, neighbors, work colleagues, and the general public. Click here for tips on what you can do between now and the election.

WE NEED YOUR HELP to make these techniques available to progressives and moderates all across the country. Your donation will help us put the workshop into written form—an easy-to-use, self-instructional manual—and distribute it widely. If we raise enough money, we may even make a DVD that gives practical and successful examples of how to talk politics with a purpose. Your tax-deductible donation of $25 or more will help disseminate this vital information.   Donate now and be the first to be notified when the materials are published.

Testimonials:

“You are a real pro.  You know your subject matter and did a great job of leading the discussion.  We may not agree on our politics but I am proud of the job you are doing.”

“I took one of these valuable seminars….shortly after the California primary ended. I have often used the info I learned, and believe it has enabled me to campaign more effectively…. Dr. Forrest covers high quality techniques for (and practice with) how to talk about the election with people who are somehow different from yourself including those who might see the world differently from yourself -- and then how to maximize the likelihood that you might persuade them through the interaction(s), even if this entails some sort of shift in the other person's views. This seems to be a critical skill set for those doing outreach to conservatives and independents….”

Articles:

How to talk politics without popping a vein, by Jeff Elder, San Diego Union Tribune, September 26, 2004

Talking Politics with People Unlike Ourselves, by Wade Hudson, at Common Dreams, August 5, 2004