SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT: No Labels Scouting Mission

The ultimate question we are trying to answer with the George Fox University Civility Project is this:

What can a follower of Jesus do to help America escape its cycle of ever-increasing polarization?

To explore every possible answer to this question, the Project needs help from people like you.

For example, we need two or three people to apply for acceptance to No Labels' National Youth Congress, participate in the quarterly Zoom sessions, and check out the professional development and internship opportunities -- and then report back to us.

You can read excerpts here from correspondence I received recently from No Labels' field coordinator Madison Hennesey Mangels. Madison also sent an info sheet which you can see here.

The No Labels website touts No Labels' role in the formation of a bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus (PSC) comprising approximately 50 members, evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. The Problem Solvers have been getting noticed lately on the national political landscape, especially for their role in forging a compromise on the most recent COVID-19 relief bill.

What is No Labels' potential as a key ally in the movement to enhance civility in our public square? Can it avoid getting captured by one of the major political parties? Or becoming like them?

Or is this a chance to get in early on a movement that's going to make a big difference for our political culture?

We need spies... no, not spies. We need observers. You don't need to go in undercover. We'll tell Madison why you're coming -- to help us discern whether the Civility Project should promote No Labels and the Problem Solvers caucus as they try to pull Congress out of its polarized mud pit.

Would you be willing to apply for acceptance to the Youth Congress, participate in the quarterly Zoom sessions, and check out the professional development and internship opportunities?

Let me know if you are interested. Or tell us about other people age 18 - 35 who might be interested in taking on this Special Assignment. It would be good to get two or three signed up by No Labels' January 15th deadline.

As always, if you want to negotiate with a professor to do this to fulfill a class assignment, or for field experience or independent study credit, I'll be happy to support you in those discussions.

If you're interested, email me at civility@georgefox.edu.

-- Ron