Hidden Common Ground
American democracy is in danger. Here's how universities can help to protect it.
Higher education must lead. Together, we need to engage even more people in discussion and debate about our country’s future, on campus and beyond.
Jim Ryan and Melody Barnes
Opinion contributors
Five months after the insurrection of Jan. 6, the country is still waiting for answers. How could this have happened – and why? Who should be held to account for an attack on the heart of our government? Were mistakes made in preparation or response?
These are important questions that demand a reply. But our inability to answer – or even debate – them reflects the deepening chasm in our democracy and raises even more urgent issues.
What must we do to protect and strengthen the principles that define and guide our American experiment? How can we build a democratic culture that bolsters our institutions and ensures they work effectively – for everyone? How can we repair damage that’s already been done?