A Drinking & Smoking Summit

Some may have seen the guest opinion in today’s Tucson Citizen announcing the Drinking Liberally / Smoking Conservatively Summit this Thursday starting at 6pm at the Shanty on 4th Avenue and 9th Street:

Partisanship has acquired a bad name of late. It’s become closely
associated with the name-calling, character assassination, fear
mongering and actively misleading propaganda that we see far too often
in politics now.

But true partisanship, a passionate belief in one’s values and
ideology and a dedication to promoting them, is an essential component
of a vigorous democracy.

Just as peer-review is essential to scientific progress, healthy partisanship is essential to political and social progress.

Science advances only through criticism, rivalry and purposeful
debate based on observation, experimentation, and speculation. Guided
by careful, honest peer-review and trial and error, scientists have
come ever closer to understanding and mastering the natural world.

Similarly, robust democratic decision-making is not possible
without the error correction provided by peer-review. Only with the aid
of criticism, even if harsh or born of out-right rivalry, can we hope
to discover the truth.

In an effort to promote honest and substantive partisan
conversation of this kind, the committed liberals of Tucson’s Drinking
Liberally chapter and the committed conservatives of Tucson’s Smoking
Conservatively have joined together to sponsor a Citizen Summit.

It is our hope that this summit will be a place for political
rivals to be citizens first and foremost, bringing together interested
citizens of all ideological persuasions to freely and respectfully
speak their minds and respond to the calls of their consciences.

All are welcome.

Too often in our current political climate, fraternizing with our
ideological opposites is considered fraternizing with the enemy.

In reality, it is an opportunity to learn about their views, explain our own and engage in open intellectual debate.

We reject the idea that it is healthy or desirable to engage in
political discourse only with those who agree with you. We reject the
notion that you cannot respect, befriend or learn from those with whom
you strongly and fundamentally disagree politically.

In a nation of free citizens who must cooperate to make democratic
decisions, our political leaders cannot be effective unless they work
productively with those with whom they disagree.

Because a vigorous and productive trade in the marketplace of
ideas is vital to our society, we call on politicians to rediscover the
proper etiquette of peer-reviewed politics.

Hard-nosed political realism, the lessons of history and simple
humility all teach us that no single viewpoint or political ideology
can sustain a pluralistic democratic society.

If peer-reviewed partisan politics is to flourish, then we cannot
view those of other parties or persuasions as enemies. Such an attitude
fosters the detrimental type of partisanship that leads to the complete
avoidance of real issues.

We must view our counterparts across the aisle, across the room,
across the nation as fellow citizens, honorable Americans and worthy
rivals: in short, as our respected peers.

Engaging those with different views, both socially and
intellectually, is necessary to the development of strong and
respectful peer relationships and a healthy democratic process.

Ambitious goals are not achieved in one night, nor as a result of
any single event. They come from habits long cultivated and commitments
long honored.

Our Citizen Summit is just one attempt to begin to rehabilitate
our democracy as a tool for shaping a better society. Together, we will
recommit to shared American values, strengthen our social ties as
fellow citizens and begin to explore informally our respective roles as
constructive political peers and rivals.

We hope you’ll join us.

Michael Bryan is host
of Tucson’s Drinking Liberally and Editor of BlogForArizona.com.

Other
people who signed this Guest Opinion are:
• Frank Antenori, Republican
candidate for state House, District 30.
• Cheryl Cage, Democratic
candidate for state Senate, District 26.
• Ray Carroll, Republican
member of the Pima County Board of Supervisors.
• Andrea Dalessandro,
Democratic candidate for state House, District 30.
• Steve Farley,
Democratic state senator, District 28.
• Don Jorgensen, Democratic
candidate for state House, District 26.
• Jeffrey Latas, vice chair,
Arizona Democratic Party.
• Vic Williams, Republican candidate for
state House, District 26 and Host of Tucson’s Smoking Conservatively.

I hope we’ll see you there, too.