I’m a historian and also an Oregon movement I’ve been doing that for about
movement I’ve been doing that for about
movement I’ve been doing that for about 20 you
20 you
20 you trying to build unions around the
trying to build unions around the
trying to build unions around the country as this chart will show I’ve
country as this chart will show I’ve
country as this chart will show I’ve been incredibly successful in this
been incredibly successful in this
been incredibly successful in this endeavor but when we do it right what we
endeavor but when we do it right what we
endeavor but when we do it right what we do well as we build community and that’s
do well as we build community and that’s
do well as we build community and that’s what I want to talk about tonight I want
what I want to talk about tonight I want
what I want to talk about tonight I want to talk about how we can move past fake
to talk about how we can move past fake
to talk about how we can move past fake news and embrace civility I want to talk
news and embrace civility I want to talk
news and embrace civility I want to talk about how we could find ourselves some
about how we could find ourselves some
about how we could find ourselves some hope in a divided world I want to talk
hope in a divided world I want to talk
hope in a divided world I want to talk how we can make things better and one of
how we can make things better and one of
how we can make things better and one of the things that I think is facing us
the things that I think is facing us
the things that I think is facing us today is a challenge is a decline in
today is a challenge is a decline in
today is a challenge is a decline in mediating Civic institutions let me say
mediating Civic institutions let me say
mediating Civic institutions let me say a little bit what I mean about that to
a little bit what I mean about that to
a little bit what I mean about that to be ridiculously simplistic the world as
be ridiculously simplistic the world as
be ridiculously simplistic the world as it is and the world as we see it aren’t
it is and the world as we see it aren’t
it is and the world as we see it aren’t the same thing right we look at the
the same thing right we look at the
the same thing right we look at the world through lenses through mediums
world through lenses through mediums
world through lenses through mediums that filter what is to get where we are
that filter what is to get where we are
that filter what is to get where we are and these mediums and of course you know
and these mediums and of course you know
and these mediums and of course you know the latin plural of medium is media are
the latin plural of medium is media are
the latin plural of medium is media are no longer serving a shared civic purpose
no longer serving a shared civic purpose
no longer serving a shared civic purpose like they used to they are no longer
like they used to they are no longer
like they used to they are no longer serving a shared civic purpose that in
serving a shared civic purpose that in
serving a shared civic purpose that in most of human history we’ve been able to
most of human history we’ve been able to
most of human history we’ve been able to rely on if we can go back in time for
rely on if we can go back in time for
rely on if we can go back in time for example in the Middle Ages talking about
example in the Middle Ages talking about
example in the Middle Ages talking about the church the Pope and kings in the
the church the Pope and kings in the
the church the Pope and kings in the Middle Ages and Middle Ages Europe used
Middle Ages and Middle Ages Europe used
Middle Ages and Middle Ages Europe used to battle over who got to a point the
to battle over who got to a point the
to battle over who got to a point the priests because the priest stood up in
priests because the priest stood up in
priests because the priest stood up in front of congregation and told you how
front of congregation and told you how
front of congregation and told you how to understand the world think of the
to understand the world think of the
to understand the world think of the power of that in the Civil War Abraham
power of that in the Civil War Abraham
power of that in the Civil War Abraham Lincoln who’s everybody’s favorite
Lincoln who’s everybody’s favorite
Lincoln who’s everybody’s favorite president and rightly so nonetheless had
president and rightly so nonetheless had
president and rightly so nonetheless had to shut down 300 different newspapers
to shut down 300 different newspapers
to shut down 300 different newspapers because they weren’t mediating the story
because they weren’t mediating the story
because they weren’t mediating the story of the civil war in a manner that
of the civil war in a manner that
of the civil war in a manner that benefited national unity in Vietnam
benefited national unity in Vietnam
benefited national unity in Vietnam after the Tet Offensive Lyndon Johnson
after the Tet Offensive Lyndon Johnson
after the Tet Offensive Lyndon Johnson was heard to say if I’ve lost Walter
was heard to say if I’ve lost Walter
was heard to say if I’ve lost Walter Cronkite I’ve lost America I’d ask you
Cronkite I’ve lost America I’d ask you
Cronkite I’ve lost America I’d ask you for a moment is there anyone in America
for a moment is there anyone in America
for a moment is there anyone in America today who has that kind of stature or a
today who has that kind of stature or a
today who has that kind of stature or a president would say if I’ve lost this
president would say if I’ve lost this
president would say if I’ve lost this person I’ve lost America I don’t think
person I’ve lost America I don’t think
person I’ve lost America I don’t think there is I don’t think there is any more
there is I don’t think there is any more
there is I don’t think there is any more and when President Obama stepped down
and when President Obama stepped down
and when President Obama stepped down from office he said he wanted to see the
from office he said he wanted to see the
from office he said he wanted to see the press curate the news
press curate the news
press curate the news and this is what he was talking about
and this is what he was talking about
and this is what he was talking about and I appreciate the sentiment but I say
and I appreciate the sentiment but I say
and I appreciate the sentiment but I say good riddance I say good riddance we are
good riddance I say good riddance we are
good riddance I say good riddance we are in a democratic society we are
in a democratic society we are
in a democratic society we are individuals we should not be looking for
individuals we should not be looking for
individuals we should not be looking for hierarchies we should not be looking for
hierarchies we should not be looking for
hierarchies we should not be looking for more Cronkite’s we should not care
more Cronkite’s we should not care
more Cronkite’s we should not care whether or not we’re all sitting down at
whether or not we’re all sitting down at
whether or not we’re all sitting down at the same time in front of the same
the same time in front of the same
the same time in front of the same television sets to figure out who shot
television sets to figure out who shot
television sets to figure out who shot jr we are we are better than that as a
jr we are we are better than that as a
jr we are we are better than that as a society and what we want to do if we
society and what we want to do if we
society and what we want to do if we want to communicate with each other
want to communicate with each other
want to communicate with each other through each other’s eyes it’s fall back
through each other’s eyes it’s fall back
through each other’s eyes it’s fall back on the oldest means of communicating
on the oldest means of communicating
on the oldest means of communicating that we have the oldest means of
that we have the oldest means of
that we have the oldest means of creating mediating civic institutions
creating mediating civic institutions
creating mediating civic institutions conversation and the challenge here is
conversation and the challenge here is
conversation and the challenge here is that conversation is you and I practice
that conversation is you and I practice
that conversation is you and I practice it is not well suited for this purpose
it is not well suited for this purpose
it is not well suited for this purpose we’ve lost track of the art of
we’ve lost track of the art of
we’ve lost track of the art of conversation in many ways but it is
conversation in many ways but it is
conversation in many ways but it is possible to do things differently it is
possible to do things differently it is
possible to do things differently it is possible to make conversation itself a
possible to make conversation itself a
possible to make conversation itself a civic institution we in the labour
civic institution we in the labour
civic institution we in the labour movement do this and this is why I’m
movement do this and this is why I’m
movement do this and this is why I’m going to draw upon my experience as a
going to draw upon my experience as a
going to draw upon my experience as a labor organizer to talk with you about
labor organizer to talk with you about
labor organizer to talk with you about how we use conversation to build
how we use conversation to build
how we use conversation to build institutions now some of my colleagues
institutions now some of my colleagues
institutions now some of my colleagues called an individual meeting or a
called an individual meeting or a
called an individual meeting or a one-on-one I like the term organizing
one-on-one I like the term organizing
one-on-one I like the term organizing conversation an organizing conversation
conversation an organizing conversation
conversation an organizing conversation is what I do when I knock on someone’s
is what I do when I knock on someone’s
is what I do when I knock on someone’s door to ask them if they want to join a
door to ask them if they want to join a
door to ask them if they want to join a union it’s what I do if someone is a
union it’s what I do if someone is a
union it’s what I do if someone is a leader in an organization I want to ask
leader in an organization I want to ask
leader in an organization I want to ask them to step up it’s what I do when
them to step up it’s what I do when
them to step up it’s what I do when someone’s having trouble and I need to
someone’s having trouble and I need to
someone’s having trouble and I need to sit down and figure out what’s going on
sit down and figure out what’s going on
sit down and figure out what’s going on with them the American labor movement as
with them the American labor movement as
with them the American labor movement as an institution is built on a foundation
an institution is built on a foundation
an institution is built on a foundation and maintained on a foundation of
and maintained on a foundation of
and maintained on a foundation of millions and millions of individual
millions and millions of individual
millions and millions of individual organizing conversations so let me talk
organizing conversations so let me talk
organizing conversations so let me talk a little bit about how a labor movements
a little bit about how a labor movements
a little bit about how a labor movements organizing conversation is different
organizing conversation is different
organizing conversation is different from the way you and I think about
from the way you and I think about
from the way you and I think about regular conversation first it’s it’s
regular conversation first it’s it’s
regular conversation first it’s it’s public and I don’t mean by that that
public and I don’t mean by that that
public and I don’t mean by that that we’re airing dirty laundry or sharing
we’re airing dirty laundry or sharing
we’re airing dirty laundry or sharing secrets but what I mean is we’re seeking
secrets but what I mean is we’re seeking
secrets but what I mean is we’re seeking a public relationship with people we’re
a public relationship with people we’re
a public relationship with people we’re seeking a public relationship with
seeking a public relationship with
seeking a public relationship with people inviting them into civil society
people inviting them into civil society
people inviting them into civil society through the media
through the media
through the media of conversation a second element of an
of conversation a second element of an
of conversation a second element of an organizing conversation is that it’s
organizing conversation is that it’s
organizing conversation is that it’s intentional we go into a conversation
intentional we go into a conversation
intentional we go into a conversation knowing what we’re going to say to whom
knowing what we’re going to say to whom
knowing what we’re going to say to whom we’re going to say where and when we’re
we’re going to say where and when we’re
we’re going to say where and when we’re going to say it and what our goals are
going to say it and what our goals are
going to say it and what our goals are we don’t do that a lot with conversation
we don’t do that a lot with conversation
we don’t do that a lot with conversation we do it in writing we do it with
we do it in writing we do it with
we do it in writing we do it with speeches and we do it in conversations
speeches and we do it in conversations
speeches and we do it in conversations where there’s a power dynamic right if
where there’s a power dynamic right if
where there’s a power dynamic right if you’re going to ask your boss for a
you’re going to ask your boss for a
you’re going to ask your boss for a raise you plan that when I asked my wife
raise you plan that when I asked my wife
raise you plan that when I asked my wife to marry me I planned that out but when
to marry me I planned that out but when
to marry me I planned that out but when there’s not a power dynamic winner is
there’s not a power dynamic winner is
there’s not a power dynamic winner is not an urgency of personal gain we don’t
not an urgency of personal gain we don’t
not an urgency of personal gain we don’t often out we often aren’t intentional in
often out we often aren’t intentional in
often out we often aren’t intentional in having conversations a third element of
having conversations a third element of
having conversations a third element of an organizing conversation is that it
an organizing conversation is that it
an organizing conversation is that it involves exploration without argument as
involves exploration without argument as
involves exploration without argument as everybody knows argument is the death
everybody knows argument is the death
everybody knows argument is the death trap of conversation you all have been
trap of conversation you all have been
trap of conversation you all have been in that place where you have started an
in that place where you have started an
in that place where you have started an argument and you know even if you’re a
argument and you know even if you’re a
argument and you know even if you’re a hundred percent right and there are a
hundred percent right and there are a
hundred percent right and there are a hundred percent wrong they’re never
hundred percent wrong they’re never
hundred percent wrong they’re never going to say it and if you’re a hundred
going to say it and if you’re a hundred
going to say it and if you’re a hundred percent wrong and they’re one hundred
percent wrong and they’re one hundred
percent wrong and they’re one hundred percent right you’re never going to say
percent right you’re never going to say
percent right you’re never going to say it because you get your back up and once
it because you get your back up and once
it because you get your back up and once you get your back up and once you stop
you get your back up and once you stop
you get your back up and once you stop engaging and stop listening you’re not
engaging and stop listening you’re not
engaging and stop listening you’re not going anywhere so how do we thread the
going anywhere so how do we thread the
going anywhere so how do we thread the needle of having a purposeful
needle of having a purposeful
needle of having a purposeful conversation that does something to
conversation that does something to
conversation that does something to engage people without getting stuck into
engage people without getting stuck into
engage people without getting stuck into an argument what we do what we teach as
an argument what we do what we teach as
an argument what we do what we teach as organizers is identifying people
organizers is identifying people
organizers is identifying people self-interest now don’t mistake this for
self-interest now don’t mistake this for
self-interest now don’t mistake this for selfishness or self-centeredness those
selfishness or self-centeredness those
selfishness or self-centeredness those are two very different things
are two very different things
are two very different things self-interest is a natural state of
self-interest is a natural state of
self-interest is a natural state of being we all have it it’s an answer to
being we all have it it’s an answer to
being we all have it it’s an answer to the question what makes you you what
the question what makes you you what
the question what makes you you what makes you tick that’s the answer to your
makes you tick that’s the answer to your
makes you tick that’s the answer to your self-interest when you talk to someone
self-interest when you talk to someone
self-interest when you talk to someone you ask them what they do for a living
you ask them what they do for a living
you ask them what they do for a living you might ask them why did you get into
you might ask them why did you get into
you might ask them why did you get into that and they’ll answer the question in
that and they’ll answer the question in
that and they’ll answer the question in the labor movement we asked a step
the labor movement we asked a step
the labor movement we asked a step deeper in an organizing conversation we
deeper in an organizing conversation we
deeper in an organizing conversation we asked a step deeper what makes you the
asked a step deeper what makes you the
asked a step deeper what makes you the kind of person who did that now that’s a
kind of person who did that now that’s a
kind of person who did that now that’s a transgressive question right it pushes
transgressive question right it pushes
transgressive question right it pushes someone to answer more than they might
someone to answer more than they might
someone to answer more than they might want to it pushes them a little deeper
want to it pushes them a little deeper
want to it pushes them a little deeper but that’s what we need to do to have
but that’s what we need to do to have
but that’s what we need to do to have engagement in this society
engagement in this society
engagement in this society we need to have engagement that goes
we need to have engagement that goes
we need to have engagement that goes deeper right now the mediators that we
deeper right now the mediators that we
deeper right now the mediators that we have in our society are mostly
have in our society are mostly
have in our society are mostly manifestations of our self-interests but
manifestations of our self-interests but
manifestations of our self-interests but don’t dig into it we might find a
don’t dig into it we might find a
don’t dig into it we might find a Facebook meme that we really think is
Facebook meme that we really think is
Facebook meme that we really think is funny and it may speak to our
funny and it may speak to our
funny and it may speak to our self-interest but in no way tries to
self-interest but in no way tries to
self-interest but in no way tries to address how we got that self-interest or
address how we got that self-interest or
address how we got that self-interest or where that came from and so we ask we
where that came from and so we ask we
where that came from and so we ask we ask questions a lot of the lines of how
ask questions a lot of the lines of how
ask questions a lot of the lines of how did you get to be the way you got to be
did you get to be the way you got to be
did you get to be the way you got to be what are you the kind of person who does
what are you the kind of person who does
what are you the kind of person who does that that’s how we build deep
that that’s how we build deep
that that’s how we build deep conversations in self interest in the
conversations in self interest in the
conversations in self interest in the American labor movement the way I know
American labor movement the way I know
American labor movement the way I know I’ve really gotten through to somebody
I’ve really gotten through to somebody
I’ve really gotten through to somebody is when they say to me no one’s ever
is when they say to me no one’s ever
is when they say to me no one’s ever asked me that before because once you
asked me that before because once you
asked me that before because once you get to that point then that person
get to that point then that person
get to that point then that person starts thinking and then that
starts thinking and then that
starts thinking and then that conversation stops being a tactic and it
conversation stops being a tactic and it
conversation stops being a tactic and it becomes something that has institutional
becomes something that has institutional
becomes something that has institutional heft because at that moment a
heft because at that moment a
heft because at that moment a conversation becomes mediating and once
conversation becomes mediating and once
conversation becomes mediating and once people start media once it starts
people start media once it starts
people start media once it starts mediating people start to think they
mediating people start to think they
mediating people start to think they start to examine they start to
start to examine they start to
start to examine they start to deliberate now the Center for
deliberate now the Center for
deliberate now the Center for deliberative democracy in Stanford at
deliberative democracy in Stanford at
deliberative democracy in Stanford at Stanford University has been working on
Stanford University has been working on
Stanford University has been working on this for 20 years and I’m going to give
this for 20 years and I’m going to give
this for 20 years and I’m going to give a really brief example of what they do
a really brief example of what they do
a really brief example of what they do what they do is they’ll take a group of
what they do is they’ll take a group of
what they do is they’ll take a group of people and the first half they’ll call
people and the first half they’ll call
people and the first half they’ll call on the phone and ask a poll a polling
on the phone and ask a poll a polling
on the phone and ask a poll a polling question on a public policy issue just
question on a public policy issue just
question on a public policy issue just like any other poll that you get the
like any other poll that you get the
like any other poll that you get the other half they’ll invite to a weekend
other half they’ll invite to a weekend
other half they’ll invite to a weekend forum where they listen to experts
forum where they listen to experts
forum where they listen to experts they’ll talk to each other they’ll read
they’ll talk to each other they’ll read
they’ll talk to each other they’ll read the written materials they will
the written materials they will
the written materials they will deliberate every time they do this every
deliberate every time they do this every
deliberate every time they do this every time the Center for deliberative
time the Center for deliberative
time the Center for deliberative democracy runs this experiment people
democracy runs this experiment people
democracy runs this experiment people end up seeing the world on shared terms
end up seeing the world on shared terms
end up seeing the world on shared terms in 2007 they did an experiment in Texas
in 2007 they did an experiment in Texas
in 2007 they did an experiment in Texas Texas where they wanted to know people’s
Texas where they wanted to know people’s
Texas where they wanted to know people’s responsiveness to whether or not they
responsiveness to whether or not they
responsiveness to whether or not they would want pay more on their energy bill
would want pay more on their energy bill
would want pay more on their energy bill for wind and solar energy so the people
for wind and solar energy so the people
for wind and solar energy so the people that they just called on the phone and
that they just called on the phone and
that they just called on the phone and asked fifty two percent said they would
asked fifty two percent said they would
asked fifty two percent said they would put and pay more on their electric bill
put and pay more on their electric bill
put and pay more on their electric bill for wind and solar energy but the group
for wind and solar energy but the group
for wind and solar energy but the group that they put in a forum when they
that they put in a forum when they
that they put in a forum when they deliberated with each other 80
deliberated with each other 80
deliberated with each other 80 four percent this is Texas we call oil
four percent this is Texas we call oil
four percent this is Texas we call oil Texas T right this is what we think of
Texas T right this is what we think of
Texas T right this is what we think of when we think of Texas in yet when they
when we think of Texas in yet when they
when we think of Texas in yet when they had a chance when they had a chance to
had a chance when they had a chance to
had a chance when they had a chance to shed themselves of the inhibiting
shed themselves of the inhibiting
shed themselves of the inhibiting mediators that told them if your fort I
mediators that told them if your fort I
mediators that told them if your fort I have to be against it when they allowed
have to be against it when they allowed
have to be against it when they allowed their own rational minds to make the
their own rational minds to make the
their own rational minds to make the decision they saw the world in shared
decision they saw the world in shared
decision they saw the world in shared terms and this is the final piece of
terms and this is the final piece of
terms and this is the final piece of what makes an organizing conversation
what makes an organizing conversation
what makes an organizing conversation important a deep and abiding faith in
important a deep and abiding faith in
important a deep and abiding faith in the basic decency rationality honesty
the basic decency rationality honesty
the basic decency rationality honesty and humanity of all people you’ve
and humanity of all people you’ve
and humanity of all people you’ve probably guessed which side of the
probably guessed which side of the
probably guessed which side of the political spectrum I’m on many people on
political spectrum I’m on many people on
political spectrum I’m on many people on my side of the political spectrum like
my side of the political spectrum like
my side of the political spectrum like to think that people on the other side
to think that people on the other side
to think that people on the other side must be stupid or must be conned in some
must be stupid or must be conned in some
must be stupid or must be conned in some way there’s a whole book what’s the
way there’s a whole book what’s the
way there’s a whole book what’s the matter with Kansas by thomas frank which
matter with Kansas by thomas frank which
matter with Kansas by thomas frank which has as its premise that people on the
has as its premise that people on the
has as its premise that people on the other side of the political aisle the
other side of the political aisle the
other side of the political aisle the white working-class have been hoodwinked
white working-class have been hoodwinked
white working-class have been hoodwinked and they don’t know what their own
and they don’t know what their own
and they don’t know what their own self-interests are think of a
self-interests are think of a
self-interests are think of a condescension that’s in that concept
condescension that’s in that concept
condescension that’s in that concept think of the condescension behind saying
think of the condescension behind saying
think of the condescension behind saying how can they think that instead of
how can they think that instead of
how can they think that instead of thinking how can they think that and
thinking how can they think that and
thinking how can they think that and asking that question and allowing them
asking that question and allowing them
asking that question and allowing them to deliberate nothing in human history
to deliberate nothing in human history
to deliberate nothing in human history has ever happened without purposeful
has ever happened without purposeful
has ever happened without purposeful mediating conversation Malcolm Gladwell
mediating conversation Malcolm Gladwell
mediating conversation Malcolm Gladwell rights of the four young men really boys
rights of the four young men really boys
rights of the four young men really boys who led the first lunch counter sit-in
who led the first lunch counter sit-in
who led the first lunch counter sit-in in greensboro north carolina in 1960
in greensboro north carolina in 1960
in greensboro north carolina in 1960 these were four friends they lived near
these were four friends they lived near
these were four friends they lived near each other in college dorm rooms they
each other in college dorm rooms they
each other in college dorm rooms they spent months talking with each other
spent months talking with each other
spent months talking with each other about this they shared every interest
about this they shared every interest
about this they shared every interest they had with each other they worked on
they had with each other they worked on
they had with each other they worked on together they deliberated together they
together they deliberated together they
together they deliberated together they talked together and then they joined
talked together and then they joined
talked together and then they joined their self interest in a civic-minded
their self interest in a civic-minded
their self interest in a civic-minded act of civil disobedience conversation
act of civil disobedience conversation
act of civil disobedience conversation deliberation action idle chitchat isn’t
deliberation action idle chitchat isn’t
deliberation action idle chitchat isn’t going to change the world but a
going to change the world but a
going to change the world but a purposeful organizing conversation can
purposeful organizing conversation can
purposeful organizing conversation can move people to see their own best selves
move people to see their own best selves
move people to see their own best selves I encourage you to go out and practice
I encourage you to go out and practice
I encourage you to go out and practice this and help other people see the best
this and help other people see the best
this and help other people see the best selves they can be and build a better
selves they can be and build a better
selves they can be and build a better society thank
society thank
society thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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