Name: "Conclave" - A conversation about certainty
Start: 2025-10-02T23:00:00.000Z
Location: Unitarian Universalist Society of South Suffolk

Immigration remains a lightning-rod issue across the country—and here in Portland, it’s especially personal. As a sanctuary city, Portland limits cooperation between local law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Yet protests outside the ICE facility in Southwest Portland—some peaceful, some not—are sparking new debates about how immigration laws are enforced.

This week, Crossing Party Lines invites you to join a thoughtful, respectful conversation about ICE and interior immigration enforcement. Whether you view ICE as an essential agency upholding the law, a broken system in need of reform, or something in between, your perspective is welcome.
Together, we’ll ask:

* Who should have the final say in immigration enforcement—federal, state, or local authorities—and why?
* Even if you support the role of ICE, are there tactics that go too far in your view? What values or life experiences shape that opinion?
* Can you recall a moment—personal or public—that deeply influenced your views on immigration enforcement?
* What would it look like for Portland to resolve its immigration tensions in the next decade—and what principles would help us get there?
* Why do certain places—schools, hospitals, churches—feel “off-limits” to enforcement efforts, and how did those boundaries become so meaningful to you?

You don’t need to be an expert—just come with curiosity and a willingness to listen. This is a chance to hear from neighbors with different experiences and political beliefs in a space grounded in civility, curiosity, and connection.
Whether you’re here to question, challenge, defend, or simply understand, your voice matters.

Crossing Party Lines: Portland, OR

CrossingPartyLines - National

Jack B

claire

Judy Zehr

Belle

Border Patrol in Our Backyard: Portland Talks About ICE

Hillsdale Library

The Price of Education: Who Pays, Who Profits, Who Loses?

Public education is often called the foundation of our democracy — but who decides how much it’s worth? School funding comes from federal, state, and local sources, yet the way it’s divided leaves some schools thriving while others fall behind. For some, it’s a matter of fairness. For others, it’s about responsibility. And for many, it raises deeper questions: What does “public” really mean in public education, and who should carry the cost?

At this conversation, we’ll dig into the values and trade-offs behind school funding — and explore what kind of future we want for our schools and communities.

* What are your thoughts about disparity in funding for our public schools?
* What changes would you want to make if any?
* What does the public in public education mean to you?
* What do you think about the relationship between funding and education?
* Do you feel public education should be free? Why or why not?
* Should everyone, including people without children, have to pay for public schools?
*

This will be an opportunity to explore the values and priorities behind school funding decisions and how they affect students, families, and communities across the country.
Please do your best to arrive at the beginning of the meeting – once we are in breakout rooms and the conversations have started, the meeting doors close to new arrivals. The breakout rooms open (and the doors close) approximately 15 minutes after the hour.

We would love to hear your thoughts on our social media pages. Don't miss topic announcements, updates, news! Follow us on:

* Instagram @crossingpartylines
* Twitter @crosspartylines
* Facebook @crossingpartylines

The Price of Education: Who Pays, Who Profits, Who Loses?

Online event

**NOTE**: This is a special event jointly hosted by Crossing Party Lines and the Outrage Overload podcast. We will be RECORDING this conversation to share on the podcast and on our website as a response to the many people who ask what our conversations are really like. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to be recorded. You don't need to share your full name.

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Every era brings its own set of trials—but which challenges define *this* moment in history?

In this conversation, we’ll explore what people across the political spectrum see as the most pressing issues facing the United States today. Are we most threatened by forces from within—like political polarization or institutional mistrust—or from beyond our borders? Is the greatest danger economic inequality or moral decay, climate change or a weakening of civic values?

We’ll begin by exploring how we decide which national issues are most important right now? Other questions we may explore include:

* What patterns or trends do you see connecting the biggest problems we face?
* Do you think today’s challenges are new—or echoes of issues we’ve faced before?
* If you had to explain to someone from another country what the U.S. is struggling with most, what would you say?
* Which challenges do you think Americans are overlooking—or misunderstanding?
* If one major issue could be solved tomorrow, which would make the biggest difference for the country?

**REMINDER**: This is a special event jointly hosted by Crossing Party Lines and the Outrage Overload podcast. We will be RECORDING this conversation to share on the podcast and on our website as a response to the many people who ask what our conversations are really like. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to be recorded.

What Are the Top 3 Challenges Facing the USA Today?

Crossing Party Lines - Braver Angels Long Island Alliance present a film-discussion program inspired by the film "Conclave" on October 2 @ 7pm at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Bay Shore. We’ll view a few scenes together and open a dialogue on how the story speaks to our polarized times. Please watch the full movie ahead of time (available on [Amazon Prime](https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.d997b66f-bf11-4c52-ade3-e465edfd4e0b?autoplay=0&ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb)) so you’ll be ready to dive in.

Conclave follows the election of a new pope amid secrecy, politics, and moral complexity. At its heart, it is the journey of a leader who wrestles with faith, doubt, identity, and duty. The story challenges assumptions from across the spectrum, offering both moments of comfort and moments of discomfort.

We’ll be joined by a couple of special guests to deepen the conversation, one of whom is Vicki Toale; Catholic Sister and Former Professor of Theology & Religious Studies at Molloy University.

We may explore the following questions among others:

* What touched you most about this film?
* Which character were you rooting for, and why?
* If you could step into the Sistine Chapel during this conclave, how do you think you would vote? And whose fears do you identify with?
* In what ways, if at all, does Conclave challenge both liberal and conservative perspectives?
* The primary character Lawrence says in the film - “Certainty is the great enemy of unity. Certainty is the deadly enemy of tolerance”. Do you agree or disagree?
* What role does certainty play in how we engage with those we disagree with today?
* Can doubt actually strengthen our faith or values?

Join the Crossing Party Lines discussion and have a voice in our nation’s conversation! People of all views are welcomed, appreciated, and heard.

Follow the conversation on our social media:
[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/crossingpartylinesli)
[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/crossingpartylinesli)
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Crossing Party Lines Long Island NY

Herb

Swati Srivastava

"Conclave" -  A conversation about certainty

Unitarian Universalist Society of South Suffolk

Crossing Party Lines

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Our Mission is to foster a sense of civility and community among politically dissimilar Americans by transcending divisive media politics through mediated, face to face discussion groups that explore our shared values and interests as individuals and as a nation.

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