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UD's Center for Political Communication hosts its annual National Agenda speaker series to promote civil and constructive dialogue about current issues affecting today's political landscape in America. This year's series explores the many divides that exist in the United States, including gender, geographic, religious, partisan, and cultural. David Joy mentioned on stage that “an event like this is a prime example in encouraging meaningful dialogue.”
“I write from a very personal perspective about what divides us and what brings us together,” said Joy. He spoke about the tendency to stereotype people in other parts of the country, and to break that habit American must fight against stereotypes that promote “ignorance, lack of personal responsibility, and violence.”
Appalachia is a region that scales from Mississippi to New York and many tend to stereotype its culture, environment, and people. In his essay, David Joy recalls a memory that speaks to this issue. He said, “I once had a media escort wheeling me around in a Mercedes through some noisy city who asked what people where I'm from thought of my work before stuttering, 'Or can they read?' I ate it and let that feeling roll around in my stomach and just said, 'Yes, we can read.'”
“To regionalize is so often to marginalize. Instead, see the humanity and question that, rather than where they come from. We all keep looking for differences, but now more than ever I think we need to start seeing our similarities." To break down barriers among polarized groups, people must take time to understand other viewpoints, said Joy. “Encourage meaningful dialogue. It takes bravery and empathy to listen to other perspectives.”