Note: This is a rebroadcast of the episode with Kevin Kuns in July of 2023. Because we seem to be in the same or worse political situation than when this was first recorded, I felt it worth a revisit of the wisdom, strength and hope in the words of people like Kevin Kuns.
Drawing from personal experiences of living in different countries, having a diverse employment background, running successful companies and being involved in the Colorado Democratic Party, my guest today, Kevin Kuns and I explore how we can turn the tide on the toxic political landscape we are now living in. We also discuss what the word "patriot means" and how that word is being used against our groups of citizens today.
Kevin helps us identify some ways we have become polarized politically, what is dividing us and how we can begin to walk into unification beyond our differences. He shares his experiences on the campaign trail when he was running for office to represent District 58, on the Western Slope of Colorado. One of the things that impressed him most was that people he spoke with were not angry about issues. They were angry and frustrated by not being heard.
He stresses that a lot of people in the USA are moving away from extremism and the divisiveness that are threatening our democracy. He says we need to move into dialogue and listening to each other, while understanding we all pretty much have the same values and respecting each other's right to hold different opinions.
By way of encouraging us to be in conversation and respect for each other, he referenced a book called, "A Bigger Table," by John Pavlovitz. This book is available on Amazon Books.
Besides the ideas above, Kevin encourages us to check out some of the organizations around the USA dedicated to restoring civility and offering all voices a chance to be at the table. Some resources for finding and/or participating in these organizations are found below.
Unify America at https://www.unifyamerica.org/
Unify Montrose at https://www.unifymontrose.org/
Restore the Balance at https://www.restorethebalance.org/
Country First at https://www.country1st.com/
To catch up with Gabriel Tafoya, the composer, producer and performer of the song "The Pivot" on this episode, go to gtmeanboyz@gmail.com
The website to connect with Laura Padgett is https://lauralpadgett.com
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