At its most fundamental level, politics is a competition of ideas – ideas that become law.

At its most effective, that competition begins with the recognition that we hold some things in common.

We all want safe streets, education for our children, a prosperous community and national security.  But we disagree vigorously about how to achieve them.

Is it possible to disagree without labeling each other as “stupid,” “evil” or “part of a paranoid fringe?”  Can we actually disagree without being disagreeable and really listen to each other?

You bet we can!  More importantly, we MUST!  Try it, you might just like it!  

This ToolKit provides you with ideas about how you can help raise the levels of civility and civic literacy in our community.

  • Join the Civility Campaign! 
    • Civility is more than just being courteous or nice. It’s about how we see each other, talk to each other, listen to each other, work together and even disagree with each other. BUT being courteous and being nice is a great place to start! Be part of being the difference.
    • Join our “Good Deed Challenge” on social media
  • Join our “Did You Know” Campaign! 
    • Each Monday UWS:CCC posts one “Did You Know” fact of the day related to Civility or Civic Literacy. You can find each week listed here or check out our Instagram: @united.we.standccc for a shareable short version!
    • Use these to start your city council, school board, and other government agencies meetings, post on your agency website or include in your newsletter.  Learn something new about civility or civic literacy every week in just a few minutes and share with your constituents!
  • Organize a community conversation – for many reasons!
    • To understand our shared values and the meaning of community                                        
    • To reinforce the importance of “community” composed of various viewpoints and experiences
    • To increase trust through understanding – while continuing to disagree  
    • The “All America Conversations Toolkit” provides a wealth of “how-to” create that conversation:     
    • For small groups, large groups, town halls, existing meetings
  • Encourage yourself and your government agency staff to complete an online course or webinar on the Constitution and how our government works.  When possible, find a way to incentivize them! For elected officials, briefly share at your city council, school board or other agency meeting the most important thing you learned from your course.  Combine it with our “Did You Know” campaign.
      • “Did You Know” that only 25% of our nation’s elected officials can name even one of the five rights guaranteed in the First Amendment?”  In short, we all need to brush up!
    • The quickest and easiest online introduction to our Constitution is the National Constitution Center’s “Interactive Constitution” where you can check out each of the Constitution’s 7 Articles and 27 Amendments.  Read them, explore their history, their meaning today, as follow discussions by scholars of different perspectives on what they agree upon and what they disagree about.
    • “Documents of Freedom” is a great digital course produced by the Bill of Rights Institute.  Designed primarily for high school students and their teachers it works for anyone interested in our government and its history.
    • “Voices of History” available from the Bill of Rights Institute, is a series of brief (about fifteen minutes) videos perfect for groups or individual learning and covers topics such as “Being an American,” “Congress and the Constitution” and “Founders and the Constitution.”  
    • Reading something is generally better than reading “about” something. To explore our country’s Founding Documents, check out the Bill of Rights Institute’s short digital courses on the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the other Amendments and more!  Read about our Founding Fathers (and Mothers, too – well, at least one).
    • The Ashbrook Center at Ashland University offers free online webinars on the Constitution and American history, using original documents.  You can choose from many courses and completion certificates are awarded (if you complete the webinar!):
  • Learn by watching – Civility in Action (and Incivility in Action!!)
  • Register for on-line Civility Training with the Institute for Civility in Government
    • Intended to deepen your understanding of civility, heighten appreciation for why it is important in government and politics, and increase your civility skills, the webinar is based on the book Reclaiming Civility in the Public Square: 10 Rules That Work.  $25 fee.
  • Commit to having an open mind – not changing your mind, but being open to others’ opinions and new evidence or information.  Why bother? Here’s why….
    • It will help you find the truth.                          
    • It will make you more persuasive.            
    • It opens opportunities for growth and learning

Remember – it was once believed that the sun revolved around the earth and the earth was flat. Galileo was censored and tried because he disagreed.  But he was right!

      • OpenMind is a free, interactive, professionally-based platform designed to foster intellectual humility, empathy, and mutual understanding. 
      • Create an account and then choose between “Classroom or Campus”, “Company”, “Organization or Local Community”, “Religious Community”, or “On your own.”
      • It takes about two hours to complete and you even earn a certificate upon completion! You will be better for it.
    • Additional available essays, videos, academic articles, and books can add to your effort.
  • Have “Lunch Across the Aisle” – that is, with someone who is different than you or holds views different from yours.  But don’t go unprepared and don’t try to convince the other person about anything…just focus on learning about them and from them. 

“…You and I ought not to die until we have explained ourselves to each other.” — From John Adams’ end-of-life letters to lifelong political foe Thomas Jefferson

  • Spend just 5 – 10 minutes a day learning about the origin of our government, the Constitution, the Founders who drafted it and why it was amended immediately in response to its critics.   You vote, you should know!
      • Constitution Facts gives you thorough, rapid-fire, everything-you-need-to-know information about the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Founders and more!  For each section, you will find a quiz. Can you pass them?
  • Take the 7-Day Civility Challenge through Revive Civility  – Be a connector of respect and civility and share your challenge activities.
    • Use these hashtags to share and engage others:
      • #civilitychallenge
      • #ReviveCivility
  • Be civil on social media – here are some tips for fostering civility on social media and a fun exercise using a text messaging platform for high school and colleges students as well as adults who enjoy their cell phones as much as the younger generation!

Law

  • Incorporate civility training and practice at legal and judicial educational activities, bar and professional programs.
    • “Civility Matters” presentations have been given in Orange County at:
      • Chapman University School of Law        
      • Orange County Bar Association Last Dash
      • University of California Irvine School of Law
      • Western State University
      • Whittier Law School