Voice of the Mid-Columbia | Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, Wash. |
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| Chris Sivula has worked as a writer and editor at the Tri-City Herald for more than 25 years. He moved from the newsroom to the editorial section in 2002 and was named editorial page editor in 2005. Have a question about the Herald's opinion pages? Click here to send Chris an e-mail. |
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closeWe’re doing something we haven’t done before at our next Community Conversation — doubling back and repeating a topic.
We might have been a little premature when we invited readers to come talk about health care over two nights last year.
The issue seems a lot riper for picking about now.
Every few months, the Tri-City Herald partners with the Benton Franklin Dispute Resolution Center to sponsor a Community Conversation.
We try to pick a controversial topic, but the moderator provided by the dispute resolution center and the ground rules that participants agree to prevent the conversation from turning into a shouting match.
In fact, the format virtually guarantees everyone gets a chance to be heard, and everyone has the opportunity to learn a lot more about the other side of the debate.
We think that’s good for democracy.
Think of it as a grown-up alternative to the shouting matches that pass for political debate today. Or an antidote to the vitriolic clamor that’s designed not to persuade but to energize a base that’s already convinced.
Our next conversation is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 27 and 28. Participants must commit to attend both nights.
Send a 25-word or less description of why you want to join the conversation on health care, along with your name, address and phone number to forum@tricityherald.com or call Shelly Norman at 582-1470. Deadline to apply is Oct. 23.
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