The Gift of Thanksgiving, of Gratefulness
Thanksgiving was formally declared a public holiday by then-President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. This was during the height of the American Civil War-and the polarization, violence and sorrow that marked it. One hundred and fifty five years later-Thanksgiving remains a public holiday. It remains a challenging concept given the division of our times. The actual…
Read MorePolitics at Thanksgiving: Conversations at Family Holiday Gatherings
Understand the Dynamics Increasingly Americans no longer simply vote for a political party, but derive their primary identity from it. For some toward either outside edge facts, complexity, basic decency, and the health of the republic do not matter. All that matters is that our team wins. Tribalism reigns. We lose. There are several anxieties…
Read MoreFrom Rage to Reconciliation, from Tragedy to Transformation – Part Two
They were doing everyday activities we take for granted. Stopping at a gas station. Pausing for prayer. Traveling home. Yet each turned tragic-in some cases, life ending. None were the result of simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Each was the result of aggression. Each person was targeted because they seemed…
Read MoreFrom Rage to Reconciliation, From Tragedy to Transformation, Part One
 They were doing everyday activities we take for granted. Stopping at a gas station. Pausing for prayer. Traveling home. Yet each turned tragic-in some cases, life ending. None were the result of simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Each was the result of aggression. Each person was targeted because they…
Read MoreBridging Bias, Fear and Hate
Tribalism has become a buzzword in public discourse today, describing the increasing tendency of Americans to more sharply define boundaries of ‘us’ or ‘them’, using such perceptions to determine who or what they’ll listen to and support, or ignore and oppose; whose misdeeds they’ll forgive and whose they’ll publicize. Tribalism, identity politics is not new;…
Read MoreMoving Beyond Me Too
The problem of sexual harassment and abuse of adults and children in the home, at school and at work has been well documented. New cases emerge almost daily. In this episode of Challenge 2.0, our panelists examine effective programs and efforts to support victims and prevent new cases…and what we can learn from them. The…
Read MoreIslamophobia: Not Just a Muslim Problem
Airs on MeTV on Sunday, on November 25. Prejudice, hatred and violence directed toward Muslim-Americans existed well before 9/11. However Islamophobia has greatly expanded since the 2001 attacks on the World Trace Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. What are the roots of Islamophobia, what is the damage done-not just to…
Read MoreChallenge 2.0: From Me to We
How can we bridge the challenges we face and come together as one human family? How can we see our differences as gifts to be enjoyed rather than feared?  Father William Treacy, Aneelah Afzali, Rabbi Danny Weiner and Pastor Terry Kyllo participated in the discussion with Jeff Renner moderated the panel. MeTV Chanel List Host:  Jeff Renner…
Read MoreFaith and Activism, Lessons from the 1960’s (Part Two)
In our previous Challenge 2.0 episode, we examined the interconnection of activism, faith and the media during the turbulent era of the 1960’s. We revisited the faith and hope that lived in so many, perhaps expressed best by Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior who said ‘Only when it is dark enough can you see the…
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