This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Feb. 15, 2011 - Two Missouri members of the congressional Center Aisle Caucus -- U.S. Reps. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, and Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis -- will discuss a "Vision for Civility" at 4 p.m., Thurs., Feb. 24 in at Washington University.
The event will be held in the main dining room of the Charles F. Knight Executive Education Center and is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the John C. Danforth Center on Religion & Politics. The moderator will be the center's director, Wayne Fields, who is also the university's Lynne Cooper Harvey distinguished professor of English in Arts & Sciences.
According to organizers, the participants "will address the roles that citizens, elected leaders and the media can and should play in promoting civility in a democratic society and how we can all constructively engage in vigorous debates without demonizing those with whom we disagree."
As the news release explains:
"The Center Aisle Caucus was formed in 2005 to provide a forum for building relationships among members. Since then, the caucus has hosted many thought-provoking guests and events. Speakers have included former House Speaker Tom Foley, House Minority Leader Bob Michel, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin, pollster John Zogby, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, as well as ambassadors, authors and policy experts."
