His proposed mission statement for a civics initiative states: “Advancing the cause of civility by sharing ideas, challenging beliefs and practicing civic engagement.” Silbernagel has an end goal in mind. “I want people to realize you can have different opinions and you can still respect each other.”
Head of the CMU Department of Theatre Arts Mo LaMee offers an example of how a variety of opinions about social issues has already been woven into an unexpected venue — theatre performances. LaMee said the theatre is a powerful place for tackling tough questions because responses to plays are emotional as well as intellectual — often in entirely different ways to different viewers.
“In the theatre we are always engaged in the larger picture. Drama is about two conflicting ideas,” he said. “I have discovered that encountering discomfort is the place where you really learn. That is where we have the potential to grow.
”Ta’lor Jackson said she is heartened by all these efforts to promote CMU as a marketplace of ideas. It will serve her well when she graduates next winter to follow a path that she hopes will include law school. She has also applied for an internship in a program called College to Congress. She would be assigned to do internship work for one party and would have a mentor in the other party.
She sees that as a good opportunity to further hone her listening skills and learn more about “why things are the way they are."
”Politics affect every area of our life. So, I want to try to figure out how it works,” she said. “I have a good start at that at CMU. I think the environment here promotes civil discourse. I think people are starting to listen.
