McClintic Library - Civil Discourse

This page reflects the interest of the Pocahontas County Free Libraries (PCFL) to promote responsible citizenship by encouraging people to engage important and critical issues of our time. The libraries have both the privilege and responsibility to provide both material resources as well as forums to facilitate the process of citizen deliberation of issues.

Many issues are of course controversial, in particular when political, economic, religious, moral, or philosophical ideologies come into play. PCFL seeks to provide materials for an array of positions within the spectrum of viewpoints. In the upcoming year a special "Point Counter Point" special collection will be developed and housed at Green Bank Library as a special resource to all PCFL branches.

While sharp debate of issues is important to our society, civil discourse should be conducted on a level that respects the basic humanity of those who reflect other viewpoints. In other words, argumentation should stand on its own ability to convey truth and not be muddied with personal smears, falsehoods, or demagogic propaganda. This page provides links to resources that seem to be making an effort to bring civil discourse in areas of sharp controversy. These resources are for information only and do not imply PCFL endorsement unless noted.

Library Bill of Rights of the American Library Association is policy of PCFL. This document outlines the basic parameters involving equitable access to information, the provision for a information that reflects a spectrum on issues, and censorship.

The Freedom to Read Statement of the American Library Association is policy of PCFL.
This document underscores the proactive position of libraries in advocating for free expression of ideas as a vital component of democracy.

The United States Constitution is the legal foundation for the United States. Citizens are encouraged to be familiar with this document. This website also has a discussion forum.

Teaching Tolerance is an outreach of the Southern Poverty Law Center to schools and communities interested in fostering understanding of and respect for differences. The E Pluribus Unum receives the twice yearly magazine. The website has helpful ideas.

Search for Common Ground seeks to transform the way the world deals with conflict: away from adversarial approaches, toward cooperative solutions.

National Association for Community Mediation supports the maintenance and growth of community-based mediation programs and processes. Mediation presents the opportunity to express differences and improve relationsips and mututal understanding, whether or not an agreement is reached.

Abortion is one of the most controversial and volatile debates in the country. The Common Ground Network for Life and Choice wasan organization that was able to bring together in respectful dialogue persons of starkly contrasting positions, but that group is now joined in with Search for Common Ground (see site listed above). Recommendations for links that objectively and civily discuss abortion.

Culture Wars 101 is a website authored by the late Johannes Claerbout. The site presents the positions of groups on both (or several) sides of a controversial issue. Issues include Abortion, Homosexuality, Separation of Church and State, School Vouchers, and others. The site is somewhat outdated.

Healing Israel/Palestine: A Path to Peace and Reconciliation is the title of a book by Michel Lerner. "A first step is for both sides to stop the 'blame game' and the attempts to make one side 'right' and the other side 'wrong.' Both Israelis and Palestinians have legitimate claims, both sides have been unnecessarily hurtful and cruel toward the other—and both sides have co-created the current mess....it is possible to be both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine, to recognize that both people's best chance for lasting security lies in a new spirit of generosity, open-hearted reconciliation, a genuine commitment to non-violence, and in finding a path toward peace..." Lerner is a leader in the Jewish organization Tikkun.