Film maker David Hoffman has been very concerned about the partisan divide. To him, it looks like an extreme version of what he experienced in 1969, when 50% of Americans were for the Vietnam War and the other 50% were against it. Families broke up. Friendships ended. It took years for these horrific partisan feelings to ease. Currently, on David’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6wBro4B4pf9xnBh9Xi2zcQ), some of his commentators (although not the majority) see everything in partisan terms. Examples? Bluegrass music. Food. Education. Workstyle and Homestyle. Families. The result is anger and in some cases, hate speech. David asked his colleague Bill Shireman to speak to this issue because Bill has spent much of his life helping companies and organizations and partisans, across that divide and find common ground.

Cover Image Credit : Jakob Owens