Braver Angels is a volunteer civic organization founded in 2018 following one of the most divisive elections in United States history: the 2016 presidential race won by Republican candidate Donald Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Co-founders David Blankenhorn, Bill Dougherty and David Lapp were ‘inspired by the words of Abraham Lincoln, who not only called on Americans to summon the “better angels” of our nature — but called on us to find the courage needed to pursue a more perfect union, “with malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right.”’ (Braver Angels website quoting Lincoln’s 1865 Second Inaugural Address).
Moreover, they declare, “to meet the current moment in this time of national crisis, we need more than civility. We need to challenge ourselves to work together when we disagree. We need bravery.”
In early 2020 Better Angels changed its name to Braver Angels to reflect the courage needed to bridge the divide between Republicans–called reds–and Democrats–called blues. ‘In addition to holding workshops and national conventions, Better Angels has local chapters where people get together on a semi-regular basis in less structured formats. In addition the organization offers debates, having found that some Reds prefer that to the arguably touchy-feely vibe of the workshops.’ (David A. Graham,; December 29, 2018: “The Bipartisan Group That’s Not Afraid of Partisanship”. The Atlantic. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
The Braver Angels Challenge: Political Polarization
[Website statement at https://braverangels.org/our-story/#leadership]
Politics is tough. It always has been. American politics is competitive, thrilling, frustrating – and infuriating. The stakes are high. Issues are important. Outcomes matter. This is why we care, and should care, about our politics.
But do our politics have to be demonizing? Does it have to bring out the worst in us? Do our politics have to destroy the goodwill of our society? Is the dehumanizing of our fellow Americans something we should accept?
Affective political polarization (not only disagreement on issues but personal contempt and distrust) has been growing between us for at least 25 years. In other words the vitriol in American politics was a problem long before Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and the 2020 election.
Yet today, there is evidence to suggest that we are now as polarized as we have been since the Civil War. Americans no longer see their political opponents as simply wrong or misguided. They see them as enemies who must be defeated at all costs.
We do not accept this.
At Braver Angels we do not accept this division. We reject the normalizing of this extreme polarization. We say no to the break down of political and social life that it brings.
Our work is about building civic trust in the USA. It is about healing the wounds between left and right. It is about challenging institutions to be better, building community together, and discovering what it means to be American in our time.
Our work is about supporting a more perfect union. Our work is about inspiring the beloved community. At Braver Angels, our work is about building a house united. Our mission is to bring Americans together to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic.
- We do so by observing the Braver Angels Way:
- We state ours views freely and fully, without fear.
- We welcome opportunities to engage with those with whom we disagree.
- We treat people who disagree with us with honesty and respect.
- We seek to disagree accurately, avoiding exaggeration and stereotypes.
- We look for common ground where it exists, and if possible, find way to work together.
- We believe that all of us have blind spots and none of us are not worth talking to.
- We believe that, in disagreements, both sides share and learn. In Braver Angels, neither side is teaching the other or giving feedback on how to think or say things differently.
Our work ethic is citizen-leadership; we’re many volunteers assisted by a professional staff.
We’re guided by the Braver Angels Rule: At every level of organizational guidance, red and blue leaders are equally represented. Regarding race, ethnicity, and social and economic class, our constant striving is to be an organization that reflects the country we seek to serve.
