Tracy K. Smith Quotes

I have and I will always work to promote a civil public discourse.

However, it must always remain a dialogue, and never an imposition of the church's own convictions and methods. Propose, not impose. To serve, and not to dominate.

I'm in the civil discourse business. I think it takes all kinds. And more power to everybody.

Our civilization is becoming less civil. You don’t have the right to demonize somebody just because they disagree with you.

Learn to respect sincerity of conviction in our opponents.

The best thing we can do when we want to elevate civil dialogue in our American political discourse is to do whatever we can to make sure we treat others kindly with dignity and respect, and that's what I intend to do.

It's a very important thing to learn to talk to people you disagree with.

We need to in this country begin again to raise civil discourse to another level. I mean, we shout and scream and yell and get very little accomplished, but you can disagree very much with the next guy and still be friends and acquaintances.

Civility is not about dousing strongly held views. It's about making sure that people are willing to respect other perspectives.

You should be able to voice your opinion and respect the voice of the other side. You should be willing to educate yourself and know what it is you're dealing with.

Civility is not not saying negative or harsh things. It is not the absence of critical analysis. It is the manner in which we are sharing this territorial freedom of political discussion. If our discourse is yelled and screamed and interrupted and patronized, that's uncivil.

The world I want to live in is a world where everybody is a bit more uncertain about their arguments and is a bit more open to other people's arguments. I think that we can engage ideas without ad hominem attacks.

You don't tell people who disagree with you they'd be better off somewhere else. And you don't reduce them to stereotypes; you address them as fully formed people worthy of respect. You try to persuade them.

We may disagree on some things, but we can do so without being disagreeable.

…in every locality we should look beyond our noses; and at least say nothing on points where it is probable we shall disagree.

Happy the generation where the great listen to the small, for it follows that in such a generation the small will listen to the great.

We cannot learn from one another until we stop shouting at one another

Try and understand--there are views other than yours.

Let's cultivate an environment, not just in beauty pageants but in society in general, where we argue like we're right but listen like we're wrong.

I'm all for a passionate debate, and sometimes things can be heated, which is fine, up to a point. As long as we remember that we are human beings.

One of the hallmarks of higher education and of democracy is the ability to converse with people with whom we disagree.

It's important for people to, instead of automatically assuming everything the opposite side says is incorrect, you have to at least listen and see why someone might feel a certain way.

You have to learn to have discourse with people you don't necessarily agree with.

As Christians we need to be patient, understanding, and kind. Instead of going on the attack, we can ask genuine questions. Instead of bristling when our narrative is summarily dismissed, we can carefully explain our way of seeing things. And when we are wrong, we won't be afraid to say so.

Everyone has a responsibility to not only tolerate another person's point of view, but also to accept it eagerly as a challenge to your own understanding. And express those challenges in terms of serving other people.