Following a screening of “Undivide Us,” a documentary about bridging the political divide, at the Durango Public Library on Tuesday, attendees waded into murky political subjects in a post-film discussion.
The League of Women Voters of La Plata County hosted the screening and plans to hold another screening of the film in Bayfield in July.
League facilitators guided the post-film discussions, posing questions to attendees and ensuring everyone had their chance to speak.
About 70 mostly gray-haired attendees stayed after the film for the discussion. They delved into hot topic issues such as abortion, immigration, gun control, education and climate change – topics also touched on in the film. At times, the topics intersected one another, notably with climate change and immigration.
Rachel Turiel, a LWV facilitator, kicked off discussions with a quote from “High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out” by Amanda Ripley.
“Democrats think Republicans are richer, older, crueller and more unreasonable than they are in real life,” she said, quoting the book. “Republicans think Democrats are more godless, gay and radical than they actually are.”
“So you can see how easy it is to form these strong and polarized views of each other. So our goal today in these small groups is to bring in curiosity and nuance and complexity,” she added.
The discussions were held “confidentially” so people would feel comfortable speaking about their personal views in a safe setting, facilitators said.
Facilitators said the discussions were an exercise in exploring curiosity meant to entice people out of their comfort zones, to experience uncertainty and to seek answers.
At one table, attendees pondered the question, “What is a political issue that matters to you deeply that you also have internal conflicts with?”
One participant, who described himself as pretty close to center on the left-right political spectrum, said immigration is just such a political issue for himself. He is all for accepting new people into the United States and the country needs diversity, but at the same time, “we have allowed it to get out of control.”
He said American culture is being “diluted,” “corrupted” and “not being embraced by immigrants.”
Such perspectives have gotten him into trouble with his more liberal-minded friends, he added, who overheard him one day and accosted him, telling him second- and third-generation Americans of immigrant descendancy do adopt American traditions.
Another participant said she strongly opposed firearms. But after marrying her husband, she’s opened her mind as to why people see utility and safety in them. Still, she doesn’t think she’d be capable of shooting someone, even in the case of a home invasion.
Another participant said a moment in “Undivide Us” that resonated with her was a scene where two people landed on opposite sides of a question about how much influence parents should have over what their children are taught in school.
The scene struck her powerfully because she is a former educator.
In the film, a gay Black man says it’s inappropriate for LGBTQ issues and history to be taught in the classroom – that the subject should be left to parents – and the gay, lesbian and trans community has an “agenda” for queer-focused education. He acknowledges his views and his sexual orientation appear to be at odds at first glance. A substitute teacher disagrees with him and says no such agenda exists to her knowledge.
The participant said social studies can be a controversial subject. She’s had discussions with parents who were uncomfortable with their 10-year-old children viewing textbook photos related to the Holocaust. But it’s a teacher’s job to comprehensively review such topics and offer varying perspectives in the mission to provide a strong education.
Another participant said immigration troubles her. Not because she believes hateful rhetoric about immigrants being “criminals” – she does not – but because of the possibility of “the next great migration” compelled by climate change.
She said most immigrants come to the United States to seek a better life and to give their children good educations. But she can’t imagine how the country will deal with a massive surge in immigration spurred by drastic temperature changes and more frequent severe weather across the globe.
One other participant said she has always been firmly pro-choice when it comes to whether abortions should be legal and accessible to women. But when she had her own child, who was born prematurely about 25 weeks into her pregnancy, she knew she was holding a living, breathing, tiny human. That’s caused her internal conflict about second- and third-trimester abortions.
Kristi Kendall, director of “Undivide Us,” said in an interview with The Durango Herald earlier this month she set out to make the film because of how toxic and divisive American politics has become.
She didn’t know what to expect from focus group participants recruited to engage one another in dialogues for the film. Members of the film crew said in the film they weren’t sure if conversations would result in people changing their minds or flinging their fists at one another.
But the focus groups got along well despite their differences. Some of the people even became friends, even though nobody changed in their beliefs.
“You don't have to move your opinion in order to shift how you feel about the people on the other side,” she said. “The big lesson is just try to put yourself in someone else's shoes before you judge.”
Similar interactions occurred during the post-screening discussion Tuesday. There were no shouting matches, although the room grew loud as people eagerly shared their views. Sometimes, groups laughed together. Near the end of the session, an energetic applause erupted from one group that was clearly enjoying the chance to talk to one another.
Laurie Meininger, LWVLPC board president, said before the screening of “Undivide Us” the discussions weren’t meant to change anyone’s opinions, but to start dialogues and get people to exchange perspectives.
cburney@durangoherald.com
