What we’re about
Civilized Conversation seeks to revive the lost art of face-to-face thoughtful conversation. We're a diverse group of people from different parts of the political spectrum and varying backgrounds. Yet, we believe that it is possible to discuss controversial topics honestly and respectfully, as well as passionately.
We meet every Monday evening (except the last Monday of each month) at the same time and place to discuss a pre-set topic. Usually, it's related to politics or public affairs, but some topics are about religion, history, world politics, or even philosophy or science. Our format is an informal roundtable discussion by all present, with a moderator.
WHEN: Mondays 7pm - 9pm (except last Monday of each month).
WHERE: Panera Cafe, 5620 Balboa Ave., at the front of the giant shopping mall at Balboa and Genesee. Lots of free parking.
SIGN UP to the group and to attend specific mtgs at Meet-up.com.
Upcoming events (2)
See all- Will the U.S. public really support mass immigrant expulsions?Panera Bread, San Diego, CA
It's on now. Violence both by and against ICE agents is escalating. Detainments and arrests are turning into mass detainments and arrests. President Trump has promised to start denaturalizing foreign-born American citizens. Legal immigrant non-citizens are being swept up.
We all know the sordid details, too. Masked, anonymous, heavily armed agents raid worksites, homes, and even public spaces including courthouses on a daily basis. The U.S. Government has built a concentration camp for immigrants in the Florida Everglades, and President Trump says he wants to build many more. Peaceful protestors have been arrested, as have some Americans that tried to interfere with detainments. Meanwhile, at least twice by my count, ICE agents have been ambushed by armed gunmen, and tense confrontations between ICE agents and crowds are a daily occurrence.
With the scale and violence escalating so rapidly, it is time to ask: Will the public support this kind of mass expulsions once they become too omnipresent and visible to ignore? Given who is being targeted and how, the mass expulsions are going to start looking more and more like legalized ethnic cleansing. Given that most Trump supporters say they wanted only criminals deported, will MAGA stay loyal as people in their communities start to disappear?
Also, how, exactly, can members of the public "oppose" this? Even those Americans doing civil disobedience (i.e., break the law and face the consequences) MUST do so peacefully and non-violently. This does not mean that protestors must limit themselves to silent and ineffective witness, or to just politely asking for a little humanity from those enforcing a gross injustice. Americans of good faith must push back in ways that, to paraphrase MLK, Jr., are "non-violent but not non-coercive."
But, without the public on their side, opponents of President Trump's mass deportations will not win out - nor have a prayer of stopping the far worse actions that what's happening is but a prelude to (see KEY link, below).
Background Readings (optional) -
Public opinion –
· Gallup polls, in charts (cover only M, not illegal M).
· Trump policies: Mixed opinion, sharply split by party, but mostly negative. Note: Poll was mostly conducted before mass ICE/natl guard raids in L.A. began. Recommended.
- Not following cruelty of ICE raids in CA? Then shut up and read and look. Recommended.
· About ¼ of Americans worry they or someone close to them could be deported. So, ¾ do not.
· Although support for M as good for America in general is way UP since Trump took office, 40% of us support deporting all undocumented (at least notionally).What is coming, soon -
· Denaturalize any foreign-born citizen they want, for any or no stated reason. The Supreme Court decision to let them cancel 14th Amdt for now “gave birth to a disaster.” Recommended.
· Deport more people to 3rd country black holes. Another SCOTUS decision.
· Yet, Democrats can WIN this fight, at least the public opinion battle.
· KEY: The big strategy is to use broad presidential power over immigration as a workaround to build a U.S. police state apparatus. Recommended.
