Sean V. O’Brien: Rebuilding local institutions is pivotal for renewing civility in our communities

By Sean V. O’Brien

In Yuval Levin’s most recent book, “A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream,” he lays out the social crises defining our time. Be it our culture wars or bitter partisan divides further acidifying the bonds that tie us together, Americans are feeling more and more alienated from one another – and this descension weakens our families, communities and society.

Levin is the director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington, D.C., public policy think tank dedicated to defending human dignity, expanding human potential, and building a freer and safer world. In “A Time to Build,” he argues that while both sides of the political spectrum have responded to this division with populist anger directed toward our institutions – “political revolution,” “drain the swamp,” etc. – this is actually a misdiagnosis. It is his view that it is the lack of the common entities which unite us that is leading us down this dark path.

He asserts it is time for us to recommit ourselves to these entities, these institutions in our communities. From our churches to classrooms, local governments to civic and community organizations, to our military, families and neighborhoods, Levin believes we can renew the ties that bind Americans by rebuilding the faith and function of these institutions which must continue to be the very pillars of our society. I agree.

Inspired by Levin’s scholarly work and the mission he calls upon his fellow Americans to adopt, AEI initiated the Civic Renewal Fellowship. A yearlong program, the first cohort of 20 fellows includes business and community leaders, elected officials, representatives of free-market think tanks, and state and local leaders from across the country. As a member of this inaugural group, I am joining my colleagues in spending the year learning more about the principles of civil discourse and strong institutions and exploring how each of us can help rebuild our nation’s institutions from the local level up.

We have been engaging with successful case studies in communities across the country, including by hearing from business and philanthropic leaders who are working to strengthen their local communities and the promise of the American dream. Later this month, we will be meeting in Indianapolis to hear how state- and community-based strategies, policies and partnerships are increasing economic opportunity and mobility for Hoosier families and communities. In doing so, we can each return to our home communities and states and analyze how we can apply these best practices locally.

I was encouraged to join the AEI Fellowship by 8th Legislative District Rep. Stephanie Barnard, who is a founding member and vice-chair of the Tri-Cities Civility Caucus. The group is comprised of community members from differing perspectives and political affiliations who have been meeting monthly for the past five years to practice “disagreeing without being disagreeable.”

They were inspired by members of Congress who, in the aftermath of the 2017 Congressional baseball practice shooting, paired up – one Democrat and one Republican – to actively work to serve as better role models by treating one another with respect in their discourse, despite their differences. Two of our state’s own U.S. representatives, Dan Newhouse and Derek Kilmer, joined one another in traveling to each other’s districts and learning more about the other’s local communities, perspectives and priorities.

This year, Washington Lt. Gov. Denny Heck has undertaken a civic health project to analyze the social ills facing our state. In partnership with the William D. Ruckelshaus Center – an institution formed jointly by the University of Washington and Washington State University to develop collaborative, durable and effective solutions for complex public policy challenges in our state – Heck has been touring the state meeting with local elected officials and community leaders to hear firsthand how they believe we can rebuild civic engagement and civility in our neighborhoods and institutions across Washington.

The Greatest Generation helped lead a renaissance in community-building and civic participation in the decades after World War II. But now, there are myriad studies over the past few decades showing a rapid decline in the faith Americans have in our governments and institutions, as well as in civic group memberships, church-going and even in the simple dialogue we engage in with our neighbors. I have seen it firsthand in my travels across the state speaking with groups like Rotary and Kiwanis clubs that are struggling to grow participation of younger generations.

The elected officials who have stepped up to address the root causes of our divisions should be commended. This work is laudable and important. But at the end of the day, it’s going to take all of us working within our daily, local lives to renew confidence and trust in one another and in our nation. By rebuilding the very fabric that makes up our community bonds, we can fortify our faith in one another.

Sean V. O’Brien is Eastern Washington director for Washington Policy Center and is a Civic Renewal Fellow with the American Enterprise Institute. He is based in the Tri-Cities. Members of the Cowles family, owners of The Spokesman-Review, have previously hosted fundraisers for the Washington Policy Center and sit on the organization’s board.