The attack on Israel and Israeli military action have seized our collective attention this week, and there’s no doubt that will remain a focal point for the foreseeable future. Even among experts in dialogue, engaging in nuanced conversations about such emotionally charged events presents a considerable challenge - especially when they involve deadly attacks on civilians. The historical backdrop of Israel and Palestine is undeniably complex, and many in the U.S. recognize the difficulties in discussing this topic. Given these complexities, it's noteworthy that this week's Divided We Fall’s article on navigating the complexities of the conflict was written by ChatGPT.

Amid the multitude of individuals and organizations discussing these events, one of the primary challenges many face right now is the need for unbiased information. Fortunately, resources like AllSides continue to be invaluable for understanding the historical context of the conflict, identifying and countering misinformation, and navigating news coverage without falling victim to manipulation. 

In addition to staying informed, it's essential to consider the well-being of both ourselves and our communities. An article from The Conversation published in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine offers practical advice on managing mental health when stepping away from the news isn’t an option.

Your commitment and engagement are deeply appreciated. Thank you for all you continue to contribute.

Featured Content

AllSides (Blog) October 9th: When Events Get in the Way

Divided We Fall (Article) October 9th: Navigating the Complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Essential Partners (Article) October 6th: Dialogue, Race, and Equity in the Religious Studies Classroom

FairVote (Report) October 4th: The “Motion to Vacate” and Electoral Incentives

Issue One (Report) September 26th: The High Cost of High Turnover - Issue One

Independent Voter Network (Article) October 6th: Congress In Chaos: How Extreme Minority Rule Has Broken Our Government

Mormon Women for Ethical Government (Toolkit) October 10th: Media Literacy Toolkit

RepresentUS (Event Recap) October 5th: American Democracy Summit 2023 Recap

US Values Alliance (Blog) October 4th: What Do We Mean When We Say Unity

Podcasts & Videos

A More Perfect Union (It’s Who You Know) September 29th: Unlikely Allies: Bringing Voices Together

Ballotpedia (On the Ballot) October 5th: The Grade's Alexander Russo on Improving Education Journalism

DaviesContent  (How Do We Fix It?) October 6th: Polarization Series: Is Social Media to Blame? Professor Chris Ball

The Fulcrum (Vital Signs of Democracy) October 3rd: What does it take to "do democracy?"

The McCourtney Institute for Democracy (Democracy Works) October 9th: A conflict at the heart of our political disagreements

Citizen Connect Featured Events

Black Women for Positive Change (October 2023 - All Month) Month of Nonviolence

Network for Responsible Public Policy (October 13th @ 5 pm EDT) Civil Liberties: The Next Hundred Years

Network for Responsible Public Policy (October 14th @ 5 pm CDT) The 2023 Bridge-Building Innovation Showcase

Braver Angels (October 17th @ 6:30 pm CDT) Ranked-Choice Voting and Depolarization

American Promise (October 17th @ 7 pm EDT) Leadership Speaker Series – Shaylyn Romney Garrett

Featured Fulcrum Articles

Your Take (The Fulcrum) October 11th: Your Take: Mccarthy ousted as Speaker

F. Willis Johnson (Bridge Alliance) October 11th: Observing the right to freely read 

Steph Scaglia (RepresentWomen) October 10th: Reimagining local governance: What we've learned so far from NYC's woman majority council

Kevin Frazier, October 6th: Artificial: New AI tools create opportunity to choose convenience over real human engagement

Chris McIsaac, October 5th: Efforts to fix Congress gain traction