Racial and Ethnic Tensions - Kettering Foundation...a. Stories: Many participants of color connected to the issue on a personal level, sharing stories about racism and dis-crimination

Racial and Ethnic TensionsWhat Should We Do?

Racial and Ethnic TensionsWhat Should We Do?

Doble Research Associates

NIF Report on the Issues

National Issues Forums (NIF)The National Issues Forums (NIF) is a nonpartisan nationwide network of educational and community organizations that convenes forums for citizens to deliberate about public issues. NIF forums do not advocate a specific solution or point of view. Rather, deliberative forums provide a way for citizens to exchangeideas and experiences with one another, and make more thoughtful and informeddecisions. For more information about NIF, contact NIF Research, 100 Commons Road, Dayton, OH 45459-2777. Phone: (800) 433-7834. www.nifi.org

Doble Research Associates, Inc.Doble Research Associates is a public interest consulting firm that specializes in exploringpublic opinion about complex issues. For more information, contact Doble Research at 375 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632. (201) 568-7200. www.dobleresearch.com

A Report for the National Issues Forums

Executive Summary 1The Framework for Deliberation 4

Approaching the Issue

Defining the Problem

Remedies for Racial and Ethnic Tensions

A Diverse Nation

What We Can Do

Forums with Younger People 18The Impact of Deliberation 19Citizen Forums in Cincinnati 20Questions and Answers about the Forums 22Additional Information

Questionnaire Results: show the results of the Pre- and Post-Forum Questionnaires 27Demographics: Where Participants Are From 29

Methodology: explains the research conducted for this report 35

About National Issues Forums: describes National Issues Forums in detail 36

About Doble Research: provides information about the firm that prepared this report 37

This report analyzes what happened in National Issues Forums on “Racialand Ethnic Tensions: What Should We Do?” that took place in 45 states andthe District of Columbia, a sample of the hundreds of NIF forums that tookplace in 2001 and 2002 and will continue in 2003. To explore people’s thinkingabout this issue when they have a chance to deliberate about it, DobleResearch Associates, a public interest consulting firm, qualitatively analyzedwhat happened in these forums and assessed questionnaire results from 2,541participants who responded by November 1, 2002.

National Issues Forums bring together citizens to deliberate and make choic-es about challenging social and political issues. In the past, NIF has addressedsuch issues as money and politics, terrorism, the economy, education, healthcare, and crime. Throughout the nation, civic, service, and religious organiza-tions, as well as libraries, high schools, community colleges and universitieshave convened thousands of forums in hundreds of communities.

About This Report

Contents

Racial and Ethnic Tensions:What Should We Do?

Executive Summary

1. Approaching the Issue

National Issues Forum (NIF) par-ticipants said the issue of racialand ethnic tensions is a matter ofurgency both in their communi-ties and in the nation at large.However, many participants alsoquestioned whether the issuewould ever be resolved, suggest-ing that they see racial and ethnic tensions as a “wickedproblem” for which there is nosolution in the sense of definitiveand objective answers.

a. Stories: Many participants ofcolor connected to the issue on a personal level, sharingstories about racism and dis-crimination they themselvesregularly encounter. Many ofthem also said the issue cannot be dealt with untilAmericans honestly confrontthe legacy that history has lefton racial and ethnic tensions.

b. Different Realities: A numberof participants of color saidthat while they routinely experience prejudice and dis-crimination, whites live in aworld of privilege, in whichthese realities do not exist.

c. Resentment about SpecialTreatment: Many white partic-ipants, particularly those whowere younger, saw quotas,preferences, and special treat-ment as a major source ofracial and ethnic tensions.

2. Defining the Problem

Participants defined the issue asmore than simply black andwhite, saying racial and ethnictensions involve a host of otherethnic and racial groups, includ-ing Hispanics, Native Americans,various Asian people, and others.As immigration and migrationpatterns change, participantssaid, so do tensions between different groups.

3. How Much Change Has There Been?

Most people in the forums,including many participants ofcolor, said the country has madegreat progress in terms of racialand ethnic tensions. However, asmaller number of participants,many of whom were African andNative American, said prejudiceand discrimination are as com-mon as ever and that we arebacksliding in terms of civilrights.

4. Inequality

Many participants, especiallythose of color, defined racial andethnic tensions in terms ofinequalities in economic and edu-cational achievement and oppor-tunity, and access to politicalinfluence and other positions ofleadership.

5. An Institutional Issue

A number of participants definedthe issue in institutional ratherthan interpersonal terms.

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Executive Summary

6. Remedies for Racial and Ethnic Inequality

Some said that racial and ethnictensions would not be easeduntil the country’s political andbusiness leadership looks morelike the U.S. population. Whileparticipants overwhelminglyagreed that the key to reducinginequality is education, theywere divided about whether taxbreaks and job training areeffective strategies.

7. Equal Opportunity as a Universal Goal

Participants said we shouldstrive to ensure equal opportuni-ty for all Americans, althoughmany felt that we are a long wayfrom that goal.

8. Personal Responsibility

Even though reducing grossinequities in terms of opportuni-ty and achievement was a goal ofmany, nearly everyone also saidthe primary responsibility for success or failure falls on theindividual.

9. Serious Doubts About Affirmative Action

While calling racial and ethnictensions a pressing issue andsaying there are inequities toremedy, most participants hadserious doubts about affirmativeaction as a means to those ends.

a. Greater Support for Need-based Affirmative Action:Some were more comfortablewith a need-based form ofaffirmative action than with aracially or ethnically basedone.

b. Strong Support for Diversity:While many opposed quotas,preferences, and special treat-ment, nearly all participantssaid diversity is an importantgoal that should be pursuedby both educators and employers.

c. Some Said AffirmativeAction Is Still Needed: A smaller contingent of participants, including manyparticipants of color suggestedthat whatever problems affir-mative action may have, theneed for it, as well as itsunderlying rationale, have notchanged.

10. Opposition to Profiling

Most participants stronglyopposed racial and ethnic profil-ing, expressing special concernfor Muslims and Arab Americansafter September 11. Many partici-pants of color in the forumshighlighted the extent of profilingin the United States as theyshared their own experienceswith profiling.

11. Learning English for Pragmatic, not Ideological Reasons

Participants focused on theimportance of learning Englishnot because of ideological but forpractical reasons, saying peopleneed English to succeed econom-ically and socially.

12. Bilingual Education, but Only for a Limited Time

While participants in someforums, especially in communi-ties with large numbers of nativespeakers, favored bilingual

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education, many said bilingualeducation should be availableonly for a limited, defined periodof time.

13. A Diverse Mainstream

Instead of describing America asa “melting pot,” participantsfavored what one man called “adiverse mainstream.” Rather than trying to melt down our dif-ferences, easing racial and ethnictensions, participants said, canbe achieved by celebrating ourdiversity and the unique contri-butions different groups havemade to society.

a. A Safe Space: Many said taking pride in one’s ethnicand racial identity is essentialto building a strong sense of self.

b. Some Concern about Self-Segregation: But while sayingit is important to maintainone’s ethnic identity, someworried that if carried too far,it could lead to the isolation ofminority groups from society’smainstream.

14. Learning about Other Cultures

Participants said it is importantto share one’s cultural traditionswhile simultaneously learningabout other groups, adding thatcultural interchanges could safe-guard against the danger of isola-tionist ethnic enclaves.

15. Focus on What Unites Us

Regardless of race or ethnicity,many said there are a number ofideas we value and share, suchas freedom, tolerance, anddemocracy.

Executive Summary

16. Beyond Policy

Participants wanted to movebeyond policy approaches andbuild or strengthen interethnicand interracial relationshipsthemselves.

a. A Safe Space: Participantssaid that forums are a goodway to begin meaningful dia-logue about race and ethnic-ity, because they provide asafe space for people todeliberate together.

b. The Need for More Talk:Many felt that such conver-sations should continue inour homes, schools, faithorganizations, and commu-nities.

c. A Local Approach:Participants in the forumsfavored local efforts to combat racial and ethnic tensions. Different commu-nities, they said, have differ-ent problems and needs that cannot be addressed bynational, “one-size-fits-all” policy solutions.


The Framework for Deliberation

Participants in this year’s forumsdeliberated using the NIF issuebook, Racial and Ethnic Tensions,prepared in collaboration with theKettering Foundation.

The issue book provides NIF participants with a framework fordealing with the issue. The issuebook outlines the issue in a nonpar-tisan way and then presents forpublic deliberation three alternativeapproaches for addressing it. Ratherthan conforming to the ideas of anysingle advocate, each of these threeapproaches represents a distinct setof American priorities and views thatinforms and structures the delibera-tion without persuading or biasingthe participants. The approaches arenot necessarily exclusionary.Instead, each presents an array ofideas and options, along with thecosts and consequences of each, forparticipants to consider and deliber-ate about so that they may, andoften do, construct their ownapproach to the issue.

Approach One: Look Beyond Raceand Ethnicity

This approach holds that we mustfocus on what unites us, not whatdivides us. We will all benefit if peo-ple stop seeing everything throughthe lens of race and ethnicity. Therehas been much progress in bridgingracial and ethnic divides, propo-nents of this approach say, andthere will be even more if we elimi-nate racial preferences, which areunfair to everyone. We must alsoinsist that recent immigrants assim-ilate rapidly. In this view, we shouldprovide equal opportunity for every-one, and treat everyone the same —as Americans.

Approach Two: Build Self-Identity First

This approach says we shouldacknowledge and accept differences,not blur them. The way to reduceethnic and racial tensions is to firstbuild racial and cultural identity. Wewill never learn to get along well withothers until we first know who we are— as individuals from different cul-tural backgrounds. Only throughensuring that our particular group isstrong and well regarded, can werelate to others. We must allowminority communities and schools toset their own course, even if it meansaccepting some self-segregation.

Approach Three: Open All Doors toEveryone

This approach calls for all of us totake an active part in finishing thejob of integration. It is a job that wehave to work at by making continu-ous efforts to meet, talk with, andunderstand each other better.Proponents of this view oppose poli-cies that encourage racial or ethnicseparation. Only through living, work-ing, and going to school together —and setting common goals throughcommunity dialogue — will prejudicesubside.

Approaching the Issue1. An Urgent Issue

“[Racial and ethnic tensions] area question of economic and socialsurvival. We can’t afford not to dealwith it.” Woman, Boston,Massachusetts

● “People in our forum said race isthe number one problem in theircommunities.” Moderator,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania


● “Native Americans carry a lot ofhistorical grief and anger. As aNavajo, I was raised in a board-ing school. The history of our lan-guage and of our people is nevertaught to us.” Woman, RapidCity, South Dakota

● “I believe in reparations [because]there has to be some dealing[with the past] before you moveforward.” Man, Grand Rapids,Michigan

● “What troubles me is the denial,no acknowledgment or recogni-tion of real history.” Woman,Selma, Alabama

3. Personal Perspectives

● “Once we got to school, nobodycared about color. You were onthe track team together, theschool newspaper. But the wallswent back up as soon as the[school day ended]. And so didthe violence outside the schools.”Woman, Boston, Massachusetts

● “Growing up, I’d go to a friend’shouse and if the parent was com-ing home at 5 p.m., I had to goout the back door. I never under-stood why I couldn’t go out thefront door.” Man, Davis,California

● “I’ve worked in schools for 30years. I see the lack of [profes-sional level] role models for theminority population. I see theentry level jobs, the groundskeep-ers, aides, and custodians —there [are] plenty of role modelsfor us there. But I’m the onlyLatino teacher in [the] twoschools I go to.” Man, Davis,California

a. A “Wicked Problem:” Butwhile calling this an urgentissue, many questionedwhether it would ever really beresolved. Implicitly, partici-pants saw the issue as a“wicked problem” to whichthere may be no solution inthe sense of definitive andobjective answers.

● “You’re always going to have some [racial and ethnic tension]. Let’s not sit here and think we won’t.” Man, Sumter, South Carolina

● “America will never be equal. Never be equal.” Woman, St. Louis, Missouri

2. The Historical ContextMany participants, especiallyminorities, said the issue cannotbe seriously discussed unlessAmericans come to terms withthe country’s history.

● “The African American historicalnarrative has been difficult, attimes brutal. We need to be con-scious of that history in order tobe able to transcend it.” Man,Rapid City, South Dakota

● “Being a Japanese American, myfamily was very concerned whenthe media talked about PearlHarbor after 9/11. My mom,grandparents, aunts, and unclesspent almost three years inAmerican-style concentrationcamps during WWII. So thethought of equating Pearl Harborwith 9/11 and transferring angerand hostility from JapaneseAmericans 60 years ago towardMuslims and Arab Americans isterrifying.” Man, Davis, California



● “In my town, a black family triedto move in and [some people intown] burned their house down.”Student, Stillwater, Oklahoma

4. Different Realities

● “Many white people in our forumdid not see blatant racial dis-crimination, whereas people ofcolor had stories about overt dis-crimination that they were ableto share. People said thatAmericans live in different reali-ties.” Moderator, Adrian,Michigan

● “Racism is still pervasive, I feel itevery day. But a lot of whiteAmericans just don’t see theproblem. They don’t see itbecause they don’t live it.” Man,Grand Rapids, Michigan

● “We must acknowledge thatthere is rampant racism [againstNative Americans] in Rapid[City].” Man, Rapid City, SouthDakota

a. “White Privilege”: A numberof participants talked aboutthe privileges and advantageswhite people enjoy, often with-out realizing it.

● “When you walk in whereyou’re not known, they look atyou, like [they’re asking],‘what do you want here.’ [Butwhen] a white person walks in[it’s], ‘hi, how you doing, comeon in.’ [Whites] have so muchprivilege it makes you sick.”Man, Rapid City, SouthDakota

● “Here, the president of ouruniversity said, ‘I know I havewhite privilege.’ His being veryup front relaxed everyone and

made it easier for everyone elseto be candid.” Moderator,Springfield, Ohio

● “The best way to protect aprivilege is to deny you haveone.” Man, Grand Rapids,Michigan

b. A Mile in My Shoes: A num-ber of participants of colordescribed how this issuetouches their daily lives.

● “A Native American womansaid people of color have threepersonal experiences [of racialprejudice] a day.” Moderator,Talhequa, Oklahoma

● “Some people think that if youdon’t speak English [withoutan accent], that means you’redumb.” Woman, Boston,Massachusetts

● “You can’t feel my pain. Youcould never feel what I’ve gonethrough unless you went toanother country and justbecause you were anotherrace, they made you feel thisway.” Woman, Miami, Florida

c. Assimilation Can Be Painful:While maintaining that assimi-lation may be required toachieve success, severalminority participants said thatit could be psychologicallypainful.

● “Growing up in the Asian com-munity, I almost had to giveup my identity in order to suc-ceed. I had to become like themajority. Which is a lie[because] that’s denying yourown humanity.” Man, GrandRapids, Michigan

● “Coming from the Caribbean, Ilearned early on to get the rib-bons out of my hair and get rid



of my accent. I’ve learned tobe a better copy than theoriginals.” Woman, Boston,Massachusetts

● “Damage gets done to mysoul. I’m tired of having tocall myself ‘Terry’ becauseyou can’t deal with the factthat I’m Latina.” Woman,Grand Rapids, Michigan

5. Resentment about Preferencesand Special TreatmentMany white participants, espe-cially younger ones, said quotas,preferences, and special treat-ment are a source of racial andethnic tensions.

● “I’m half-Hispanic and when Iapplied to school, I checked thebox that said I’m Hispanic. Iliked the money I’m gettingbecause I’m Hispanic a lot morebefore I thought about thisissue than I do now.” Woman,Stillwater, Oklahoma

● “At our school, people do nothave to prove they’re Indian.Their word is enough for themto qualify for preferential treat-ment and get $500 to $2,500 inaid. Which is wrong.” Man,Stillwater, Oklahoma

● “People here talked aboutreverse discrimination andabout white males having trou-ble getting aid or jobs.”Moderator, Warrensburg,Missouri

● In a number of forums, whitescomplained about what a St.Louis man called “people tryingto get reimbursed for what hap-pened 150 years ago.”

a. Is a Focus on DifferencesDivisive? Some participantssaid we should talk about whatunites us, not about our differences.

● “White participants said themore we look at differences, themore they divide us.”Moderator, Adrian, Michigan

● “What offends me is, we callourselves Hispanic Americansor black Americans. My familyis from Russia. I don’t callmyself a Russian American.Can’t we just say we’re allAmericans?” Woman, Miami,Florida

Defining the Problem6. A Broad Definition

Participants saw this issue asinvolving many ethnic and racialgroups.

● “A high school student in ourforum said that instead of theissue being just black and white,[racial and ethnic tensions]includes Asians, Hispanics, peoplefrom the Balkans, and many oth-ers.” Moderator, Covington,Kentucky

● “People here said we should framethe issue more broadly than justblack or white.” Moderator, GrandRapids, Michigan

7. How Much Change Has There Been?Participants said that in manyrespects, there has been signifi-cant change in the U.S. over thepast 40 years or so.



a. In Many Ways, ParticipantsSaw Progress: Most partici-pants, including a great manyparticipants of color, said thecountry had made realprogress in terms of racial andethnic tensions.

● “It’s getting better. The youngergeneration is more liberal thanthe older generation is. It takestime, but things change withthe generations.” Woman,Miami, Florida

● “We’ve made real progress inthe last 25 years. We used tohave totally segregated schoolsand now we don’t.” Man, St.Louis, Missouri

b. But More Needs to Be Done:But most also said we must domore.

● In the Post-Forum Question-naire, a solid majority, including eight in ten AfricanAmericans agreed “in manyways, prejudice and discrimi-nation are as common as ever in housing, education, business, and social settings.”(See Tables 3 and 13.)

● “Last month, a nonwhite gen-tleman was looking for anapartment and when he calledup, they said, we don’t haveone. But the next caller waswhite and he got an apartment.[Discrimination] is still outthere.” Man, El Paso, Texas

● “Martin [Luther King, Jr.]should be turning in his grave.I haven’t seen real changeshappening in this country.”Man, Sumter, South Carolina

● “It’s sad that the issues todayare the same as they were 30years ago.” Man, Grand Rapids,Michigan

● While fewer than three inten whites agreed that “weare sliding backward” interms of civil rights, nearlyseven of ten AfricanAmerican participants feltthis way. (See Table 13.)

8. “Tensions” Defined as InequalityMany said “racial and ethnictensions” stem from gapingracial and ethnic inequalities interms of opportunity, income,education, and political influ-ence.

● “I’m concerned about [the dis-tribution of] resources. I see biggaps between who has food,money, power, economic abili-ty, and education.” Woman,Rapid City, South Dakota

● “Blacks make up 20 percent ofthe population of GrandRapids, but we don’t own 2percent of the wealth.” Man,Grand Rapids, Michigan

● “People here said we need tofocus on economic inequality,that minorities don’t move upbecause of limited economicopportunity.” Moderator,Charlottesville, Virginia

9. An Institutional Issue

A number of participantsdefined the issues of racial andethnic tensions in institutional,rather than interpersonalterms.

● “Who controls the resources inthis country? That’s what cre-ates the problems.” Woman,Rapid City, South Dakota

● “Sometimes when we talkabout racism, we think about



individual acts. [But] institutionalracism prevents some groupsfrom being [successful].” Man,Grand Rapids, Michigan

● “Some said that racism is institu-tionalized and so responses tocorrect racism must be institu-tional. Helping one child at a timeis inadequate.” Moderator,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

10. Overlapping IssuesA number of participants saidracial and ethnic tensions areintertwined with income and eco-nomic status.

● “Minority communities tend to bein poor areas. And in a poor area,it’s hard to go to school andtough to get started.” Man, Davis,California

● “Race and class are heavily con-nected. I’m a descendant ofslaves. Given that my family isfrom Alabama, [there were]opportunities that [my mother]was not allowed to have, whichthen put me at a disadvantage.”Woman, Boston, Massachusetts

● “Instead of a focus on race, [people in our forum] discussedsocioeconomic background asmore important.” Moderator,Davis, California

Remedies for Racial and EthnicTensions11. Political Remedies:

Some said that racial and ethnictensions will not be eased andracial and ethnic inequality willnot be reduced until the country’spolitical and business leadershiplooks like the U.S. population.

● “[Things won’t change] until weestablish leadership that looksmore diverse, looks more like the tossed salad [we are]. It’sabout leadership, access, and opportunity.” Woman, Boston,Massachusetts

● “[Native Americans] have beensubjected to a lot of policy thatwas supposedly good for us.When you talk about policy myfirst question is, who makes thedecisions?” Woman, Rapid City,South Dakota

● “In our forum, people said the keyquestion is, Are we willing to letdiverse people lead this commu-nity?” Moderator, Owensboro,Kentucky

a. Enforce the Civil RightsLaws: Some focused on exist-ing civil rights laws.

● “People here said that we muststrongly enforce the civil rightslaws, that we change people’sbehavior, even if we don’tchange their hearts.”Moderator, Columbus, Ohio

12. Economic RemediesPeople were divided aboutwhether tax breaks and job training were an effective way toreduce racial and ethnic inequality.

● After the forums, participantswere about roughly split on both more job training and pro-viding tax breaks to minorityenterprises. (See Table 4.)

● However, upwards of eight in ten African American and abouttwo-thirds of the Hispanic partici-pants favored both more jobtraining and more tax breaks tominority enterprises. (See Table 14.)



13. Educational RemediesWhile some saw both economicand political remedies as impor-tant, participants overwhelminglysaid the key to reducing inequality is education.

● “[Education] is the best way toempower people.” Woman,Boston, Massachusetts

● “People here said we should focuson schools, not economics,because without a good educa-tion, you can’t get into the labormarket.” Moderator, Columbus,Ohio

● “Many [Native American children]are missing out on their educa-tion because of the oppressionthey and their ancestors havegone through. Last year, only 26kids graduated from high schoolfrom a class that [had] almost300 [Native American children init] in eighth grade.” Man, RapidCity, South Dakota

● “Investments in education at anearly level could make tremen-dous strides for racial integrationif we targeted them right.” Man,Davis, California

14. Equality as a Universal GoalForum participants agreed thatthe ideal was to ensure equalityfor all Americans.

● After the forums, nine in tenfavored setting school and work-place performance standards thatapply to everyone. (See Table 4.)

● Everyone favored this idea,including overwhelming majori-ties of Asian, African, Native, andHispanic American participants.(See Table 14.)

a. Some Said Equal OpportunityIs Far from a Reality: A num-ber of participants said thatwhile equality may be our goal, ours is not an “equalopportunity” society.

● “If you think of society in terms of football, we have white players, black players,Asian, and Latino players. Butyou only give the plays to thewhite players. Our team won’tbe able to compete.” Man,Grand Rapids, Michigan

● “When I ran admissions to agraduate program, I knew thatpeople in African American andLatino communities weren’t getting brochures until someonesaid, ‘let’s include them in themailings to hear about thisopportunity.’” Woman, Boston,Massachusetts

● “People here said, ‘let’s work tomake equal opportunity avail-able to all people.’” Moderator,Bel Air, Texas

b. But a Few Did Not Agree: Afew participants said opportuni-ty is already equal.

● “The emphasis in our forum wason succeeding through one’sown efforts, with people heresaying that [equal] opportunityexists.” Moderator, Newcastle,Wyoming

15. ResponsibilityWhile reducing gross inequities in terms of educational and eco-nomic achievement and access topositions of leadership was a goalmany shared, nearly everyone alsosaid the primary responsibility forsuccess or failure falls on the indi-vidual, and that individuals have



the responsibility to take advan-tage of the opportunities availableto them.

● “I left a job paying $150 a week towork for $53.50 because I wanteda career. And I worked myself up.A lot of African Americans did,too. Opportunity was there for allof us. You took it. You went toschool. Some fellows didn’t wantto go to school. That was up tothem.” Man, Englewood Cliffs,New Jersey

● “Eventually, all of us minoritiesfind success through our ownefforts.” Male, El Paso, Texas

● “I have one thing going againstme — I’m Spanish. But that doesn’t mean that I am not capa-ble of going out there, doing thesame thing as anyone else. Eventhough they may close the doorson my face, I’m going back. I havethat opportunity and I’m privi-leged to go and do it.” Woman,Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

● “A lot of Americans take opportu-nities for granted. We [simply]grow up, get an education, [and]go get a job. And then there arepeople wanting to get into thiscountry who will take advantageof [those] opportunities.” Woman,Sumter, South Carolina

16. Serious Doubts about Affirmative ActionWhile calling racial and ethnictension an urgent issue, mostparticipants had serious doubtsabout, or opposed, affirmativeaction when defined in terms ofpreferences, special treatment, orquotas.

● “Something in my head just does-n’t click with the idea thatinstead of [being judged on the

basis of] my resume, I’ll be judgedon whether or not my namesounds Spanish.” Woman, Davis,California

● “Quotas pit one group againstanother. So if you have blacks,Hispanics, and Asians being putinto jobs, and they’re displacingwhites who otherwise would getthem, those whites are not goingto be happy.” Man, Grand Rapids,Michigan

● Three of four participants said“special treatment based on raceor ethnic background is unfairand causes more friction andresentment,” including solidmajorities of every ethnic andracial group. (See Tables 3 and 13.)

a. Support for Diversity: Butwhile opposed to quotas, pref-erences, and special treatment,participants said diversity is animportant goal that should bepursued by both colleges andemployers.

● “The Dallas Cowboys cheer-leaders take a certain kind ofeach woman. I think that’sfine.” Woman, Stillwater,Oklahoma

● “People here said there is aneed for diversity and a needfor education about ethnic andcultural diversity.” Moderator,Owensboro, Kentucky

b. Support for Need-BasedAffirmative Action: Some preferred a need or class-basedform of affirmative action.

● “Affirmative action was imple-mented to bring physical diversity to the universities but what’s really lacking is economic diversity. Whether



you’re white, black, Mexican, orwhatever, if you don’t havemoney, you’re less likely to goto college.” Woman, Davis,California

● “The group felt that need-basedaid was better than ethnic orracial aid.” Moderator,Stillwater, Oklahoma

● “People here wanted to empha-size economic diversity, notracial and ethnic inequality.”Moderator, Charlottesville,Virginia

c. Some Said Affirmative ActionIs Still Needed: Others, espe-cially participants of color, sug-gested that whatever problemsaffirmative action may have,the need for it, and its underly-ing rationale have not changed.

● “Affirmative action is not onlyneeded to counteract past dis-crimination but also to combat [discriminatory] pat-terns of hiring and opportuni-ties that still go on, includingsubtle benefits like ‘old boynetworks.’” Woman, Boston,Massachusetts

● “If quotas solve a problem, weneed them.” Man, GrandRapids, Michigan

17. Strong Opposition to ProfilingMost participants opposed racialand ethnic profiling.

● “They shouldn’t profile [race orethnicity]. They should profile theaction. If you weren’t doing any-thing wrong and you got profiled— that’s when you take down thebadge number.” Man, St. Louis,Missouri

a. Personal Experience withProfiling: Participants of coloroften talked about their ownexperiences.

● “Every time I’m coming from a[white] client’s house, I makesure I have a folder with myclient’s name in it, where I’mcoming from, the proper IDand everything, because thepolice [routinely] stop me andwant to know what I’m doingout there.” Man, Englewood,New Jersey

● “All the minorities in ourforum said they had experi-enced racial profiling.”Moderator, Merrillville, Indiana

b. Profiling after September 11:Many expressed special con-cern about Arab Americans.

● “Attacks against ArabAmericans raise a lot of ques-tions, because these people arejust as American as anybodyelse. But people claiming to begood Americans are attackingthem.” Man, Davis, California

● “Innocent people are beingimplicated based on [9/11],just because of their ethnicityand the way they dress andspeak. And that’s a very, verydangerous thing.” Man, ElPaso, Texas

● “A student from Afghanistanfelt compelled to lie and say hewas from India [to avoid beingharassed].” Student, Stillwater,Oklahoma

18. Learning English for Pragmatic,not Ideological ReasonsParticipants focused on theimportance of learning English



not because of ideology, but forpragmatic or practical reasons,saying people need English tosucceed economically and socially.

● While 70 percent of the forumparticipants said English shouldbe the country’s “official lan-guage,” it was clear from theircomments that most wanted toemphasize English for practicalreasons. (See Table 4.)

● “People said that immigrants whocan’t speak English are at a dis-advantage and that, pragmaticallyspeaking, not being able to speakEnglish is a big communicationbarrier.” Moderator, Stillwater,Oklahoma

● “Everyone needs to know enoughEnglish for communication andunderstanding what’s going on inthe country and how our govern-ment works.” Woman, Sumter,South Carolina

19. Bilingual Education, but Only for a Limited TimeBilingual educational programshave come under attack acrossthe nation. States such asMassachusetts and Californiahave opted to end bilingual edu-cation programs and replacethem with English immersion.While bilingual education teacheschildren core subjects in theirnative languages and does nottransition students to English-only classes until they becomeproficient with English, immer-sion instructs children only inEnglish and promotes them tomainstream classes after one yearor less.

Arguing that English is thenational language, supporters ofimmersion say the fastest way forchildren, especially young chil-dren, to learn a language is to befully immersed in it. They claimthat children are currently left inbilingual education far too longbefore being integrated into themainstream. But proponents ofbilingual education argue thatasking children to master coresubjects in a foreign languageinvariably means they will fallbehind, often far behind.

a. Support of Bilingual Ed: Insome forums, especially incommunities with large num-bers of native speakers, peoplewere in favor of bilingual education.

● “I don’t think you should pun-ish a child. You cannot letthem fall behind in their regu-lar education just because theycan’t speak English. Bilingualeducation is good, if it’s doneproperly.” Man, El Paso, Texas

b. A Defined Period: Many par-ticipants tended to say thatbilingual education should beavailable to all students, butonly for a limited, defined period of time.

● “Our goal should be to get[students] in and out [of bilin-gual ed] in a year. If some kidsneed longer, take two years.But don’t drag it out.” Man,Boston, Massachusetts

● “Our group favored a limit oftwo years on bilingual educa-tion.” Moderator, Merrillville,Indiana



20. Other Issues Related to Bilingual Educationa. Bilingual Ed Should Be

Flexible: While most said thatbilingual ed should end after abrief, defined period, otherscalled for flexibility, sayingsome children learn morequickly than others.

● “The older you are, the harderit is to learn a new language. Ifthey come to this country olderthan seven, learning English ishard [and may require morethan a year or two in bilingualed]. But at five, you pick upEnglish like that [snapsfingers].” Man, Englewood, New Jersey

● “People in our forum said thatwhile immersion might beeffective with small children, itshould not be the only optionas it might not be effective with adults.” Moderator,Lawrenceburg, Missouri

b. Preserving Identity: Some,particularly those who wereraised speaking two languages,felt that maintaining theirnative language was a meansto preserve their own identity.

● “I grew up learning Russianand English, which changedmy life. Immigrants brought upin two worlds [should] be ableto have the language their par-ents speak and also the lan-guage of the overall communi-ty.” Woman, Davis, California

● “Our language is who we are.Our language, the Navajo lan-guage, was used in WW II. I’mvery proud to speak my ownlanguage.” Woman, Rapid City,South Dakota

c. The Value of Bilingualism:While learning English wasessential, many said that inlight of changing demographicsand an increasingly globalizedeconomy, it is increasinglyimportant to learn a secondlanguage.

● “English should be the mainlanguage. But a second lan-guage, especially Spanish,would be beneficial.” Woman,Miami, Florida

● “During WW II, the Indian tribewho sent Morse code in theirnative language saved many,many lives. So, I think a multi-linguistic society is a blessing,that bilingualism is a strength.”Man, Sumter, South Carolina

A Diverse Nation21. “A Diverse Mainstream”

Instead of a “melting pot” in whichdifferences blend together, partici-pants favored a society that oneman called “a diverse main-stream.”

● “What we’re trying to achieve hereis to get [all kinds of] people intothe mainstream of America, adiverse mainstream.” Man,Boston, Massachusetts

● “I don’t think you can call[America] a melting pot anymore.It’s more of a quilt.” Man, St.Louis, Missouri

● “A bowl of stew is the way Idescribe [our society]. You’ve gotall the flavors of the different veg-etables, if you don’t overcook it.”

● “Students here said the idea of amelting pot is an oversimplifica-tion.” Moderator, Charlottesville,Virginia



22. Celebrating Cultural IdentityParticipants said that instead ofobliterating or assimilating ethnicand racial identity, easing racialand ethnic tensions should meancelebrating our diversity and theunique contributions that differ-ent groups have made to society.

● “True Americanism is multicul-turalism and diversity.” Woman,St. Louis, Missouri

● “I don’t think we should give upour ethnicity or nationality,whether it’s black, Hispanic,Chinese, or Italian, just for thesake of trying to get along. It’s abeautiful thing that we haveblacks, Italians,Chinese, andHispanics.” Man, Miami, Florida

● “We’d do ourselves a disservice byhaving cultures completely assim-ilate. We’d bring another kind ofignorance. The only way to elimi-nate stereotypes is by getting toknow other cultures even better.”Woman, Miami, Florida

a. The Importance of Identity:Participants in several forumssaid that taking pride in one’sethnic and racial identity isessential to building a strongsense of self.

● “People here agreed that peoplecan’t be strong members of thecommunity until they have astrong sense of self-identity.”Moderator, Columbus, Ohio

● “People said a focus on peo-ple’s cultural identity wouldhelp [them] develop self-esteem, which in turn wouldreduce negative consequenceslike the drop-out rate, disci-pline problems, etc.”Moderator, Cincinnati, Ohio

● “We should find our self-identi-ty and use it to embrace ourAmerican identity. Unite thosetwo, rather than taking one ontop of the other.” Man, El Paso,Texas

b. Some Concern about Self-Segregation: While saying it is important to maintainone’s ethnic identity, someadded that if carried too far, itcould lead to the isolation ofminority groups from society’smainstream.

● “At our school, the AfricanAmericans and Hispanics sepa-rate themselves. I think thatseparation and self-segregationis wrong, because we’ve movedso far and we’ve struggled somuch.” High School Student,El Paso, Texas

● “Some ethnic enclaves have arich culture that others wouldlove to share. But it’s intimi-dating to go where the lan-guage isn’t your own and allthe signs are in a language youcan’t read.” Woman, Davis,California

c. Identity and Curriculum: Inmost forums, people did nottalk extensively about commu-nity schools or curriculum.When the issue did emerge,most said the goal of educationis to make sure young peoplelearn what will prepare themto take their place in society,no matter what type of schoolthey attend.

● “If a totally Hispanic communi-ty decided to [teach about] onlyHispanic issues, they’d isolatethemselves from the Americanway.” Woman, Sumter, SouthCarolina



23. A Colorblind SocietySome said that while recogniz-ing difference is important, weshould strive to be, in all practi-cal senses, a society that isblind to people’s color or ethnic-ity.

● “The ideal for me has alwaysbeen that I would be seen not asblack, but as another Americantrying to live the Americandream.” Man, Boston,Massachusetts

● “I prefer to be called anAmerican. Not a blackAmerican. Not a greenAmerican. Just Americanbecause that’s how I started —as an American.” Man, Sumter,South Carolina

● “Participants here had no prob-lem with what is sometimescalled ‘the browning ofAmerica.’” Moderator,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

a. But Is That Realistic? Mostsaid that the ideal of makingsure that all have equalopportunity, regardless ofcolor, is far from beingachieved.

● After the forums, about six inten said acting “colorblind” isnot realistic. (See Table 3.)

What We Can Do24. Learning about Other

Cultures

Participants said it is importantto share one’s cultural tradi-tions, while simultaneouslylearning about other groups.Many felt cultural interchangewould also safeguard againstthe danger of isolationist ethnicenclaves.

● “[We need to] learn from othercultures. If you know other cul-tures and other languages, thatwill help and enrich you.”Woman, Boston, Massachusetts

● “Our [Oklahoma State] freshmansaid the more diversity you have,the more opportunity there is foran educational, mind-broadening,multicultural experience.”Moderator, Stillwater, Oklahoma

● “In learning about the uniquenessof each race or ethnicity, youstart to find out similaritiesbetween them. The more youlearn about each group, the moresimilarities you find.” Woman,Davis, California

25. Special Efforts with ChildrenForum participants said thatsince tolerance and prejudice arelearned behaviors, it is especiallyimportant to expose children todifferent cultures.

● “If you start with children whoaren’t born with their prejudices,[education] is likely to be muchmore successful.” Man, Boston,Massachusetts

● “One person said there is no seg-regation in a preschool.”Moderator, Chevy Chase,Maryland

● “I go to the schools and see thelittle children playing together.They don’t see color, they don’tsee it. We can learn a lot from ourchildren.” Woman, Sumter, SouthCarolina

a. Children as Teachers: Therewards of educating studentsmay be twofold, participantssaid, because children oftenbring home the lessons of tol-erance they learn in school.



● “We have a lot to learn fromour children.” Woman, RapidCity, South Dakota

26. Focus on What Unites UsRegardless of race or ethnicity,many said there are a number ofideas that Americans hold, value,and share.

● “People come to America becausethey want a job that pays a fairwage, to send their kids to a safeschool, to get good health care.These are common values that allAmericans have.” Man, El Paso,Texas

● “We need to focus on our similari-ties, not our differences.” Man,Davis, California

● “There are common human val-ues that people from differentcultures accept and embrace.”Man, Rapid City, South Dakota

27. Beyond PolicyParticipants wanted to movebeyond policy approaches andbuild or strengthen interethnicand interracial relationshipsthemselves.

● “While it’s necessary to talk aboutwhat the government does, thereare things we can do as individu-als. We shouldn’t only focus onwhat the government can do forus, but also on what we can dofor ourselves.” Man, Rapid City,South Dakota

● “Our group wanted to usechurches as a mitigating force,they saw that as the way tostart.” Moderator, Merrillville,Indiana

● Suggesting that pressing prob-lems should be dealt with on

the local level, a moderator fromOconee County, Georgia said:“People here wanted to talk about the issue in terms of thiscommunity.” Moderators fromInstitute, West Virginia, andOwensboro, Kentucky reportedsimilar attitudes.

a. A Safe Space: Participantssaid that forums are a goodway to begin meaningful dia-logue about race and ethnicity,because they provide a safespace for people to deliberatetogether without accusationsor acrimony.

● “What we’re doing around thistable here, just talking here isa big step.” Woman, GrandRapids, Michigan

● “People here said that sharingour thoughts with diversegroups about how to solve thisproblem [is a start].”Moderator, Grand Rapids,Michigan

b. The Need for More Talk:Many felt that such conversa-tions should continue in thefuture.

● “My community has a largeHispanic population, and everyyear we have a cultural fair sowe get food, costumes, andmusic. I’m going to urge thatwe have a group like this tohave some kind of dialogue toinitiate a process of [deeper]understanding.” Woman,Davis, California

● “These conversations need tocontinue, here and in othercommunities. This [conversa-tion] is real, very positive. Justus coming together as a forumis very powerful. It’s powerful.”Man, Sumter, South Carolina



for scholarships. They wanted toeliminate all quotas and preferen-tial treatment.” Moderator, ChevyChase, Maryland

“I got a partial scholarship to col-lege because I’m one-sixteenthIndian. And though I was happyto get the money, I think that’swrong.” Student, Stillwater,Oklahoma

Only small minorities of partici-pants 17 and under favored “providing tax breaks, incentivesand loans to give minority busi-ness an opportunity to developand prosper,” compared to threein four among those 30 and older.

3. Eager to LearnMany young forum participantswere eager to learn more aboutother cultures and engage inmeaningful conversation aboutrace and ethnicity.

“After forums held at Lock HavenUniversity with both inner-cityPhiladelphia high school studentsand rural high school students,students said that while themedia projects images that keepus fearful and apart, they werehopeful and eager to dispelstereotypes.” Moderator, LockHaven, Pennsylvania

“After our forum, young peoplewanted to have more communitydialogue about this issue. Butolder people were less enthusias-tic.” Moderator, Institute, WestVirginia

Forums with Younger People

1. Less of an IssueIn the forums, those under 30were less likely than older partici-pants to see racial and ethnictensions as a divisive issue.

“Students here were in favor ofinterracial dating and marriage.”Moderator, Topeka, Kansas

“High school students who cameto forums at Lock HavenUniversity favored a lot more contact and getting to know eachother, along with interracial dat-ing and marriage.” Moderator,Lock Haven, Pennsylvania

“If my daughter’s friends wereasked to describe me, and shehas friends of every race andbackground, they would say howtall I am or how old. But theywouldn’t mention my race — it’sjust not important to them, theyjust don’t see it.” Woman,Blacksburg, Virginia

2. Against Affirmative ActionPeople in the forums under 30were broadly opposed to affirma-tive action, particularly in termsof higher education and scholar-ships. Even some of those whohad benefited from affirmativeaction found the practice prob-lematic.

“Young people here rejected thepremise of affirmative action andsaid that equal opportunity doesexist. One man said, ‘People fromIndia can get loans that I can’tget.” Moderator, Custer, Wyoming

“Students here didn’t want tocheck boxes for race or ethnicitywhen they applied to college or


The forums had a noticeable effecton the thinking of a great many par-ticipants. After the forums, nearlyhalf of those who deliberated saidthey saw ways to work on this issuethat they had not seen just a fewhours earlier, even though the issueof racial and ethnic tensions is onethat participants were thoroughlyfamiliar with. (See Table 2.)

Many felt that the issue of racialand ethnic tensions was particularlywell suited to the deliberativeprocess. Engaging in civil, open dia-logue in a safe space was often seenas a meaningful way to initiate com-munity-level dialogue about the coun-try’s most historically divisive issue.As one participant from GrandRapids, Michigan, said: “I think a bigstep is what we’re doing around thistable here, just talking.”

Though participants discussed theissue with care and consideration ofthe views of others, the deliberationswere not without contention. In theforums, there was often a sense oftwo different realities, of people livingin two different Americas. Many people of color said racism and dis-crimination are woven into their dailylives, and they shared stories of rou-tine mistreatment and discrimination.Many white participants, on the otherhand, did not see the white privilege,prejudice, and discrimination thatminority participants described ascommon. Another difference was thatwhites generally agreed that changein racial and ethnic tensions overtime had been significant while manypeople of color said not that muchhas changed or even that the countryis backsliding in terms of civil rights.

While there was often a sense thatpeople live in different realities, manyleft the forums with a deeper under-standing of both the issue and of theexperiences of others. It was impor-tant, they said, to congregate with adiverse group of people to hear oth-ers’ views about an issue in a civildialogue. As one participant fromGrand Rapids, Michigan, said: “Itisn’t until you get down and talk toeach other about what happens toyou, that you really understand whythis is such an important issue todeal with.”

Along with increased understand-ing about their differences, partici-pants said they realized how muchwe have in common. Indeed, it isthese common American values thatunite us, they said. Regardless ofrace or ethnicity, virtually everyonesaid we all value justice, tolerance,equality, responsibility, and the free-dom and opportunity to pursue ourdreams.

Many participants left the forumsmotivated to continue the deliberationin their own homes, schools, faithcommunities, and other local institu-tions. Many also said that nationalpolicy, by itself, is either inadequateor irrelevant. Continuing the dialoguewith diverse groups at the communitylevel, exposing their children to differ-ent cultures, attitudes, and beliefs,learning more about each other, andworking together to reduce racial andethnic tensions at the local level wereamong people’s most commonlyvoiced goals.

The Impact of Deliberation


In the aftermath of widespread civilunrest following the shooting death ofan unarmed teenage black male by awhite police officer, The CincinnatiEnquirer launched “Neighbor-to-Neighbor, Community Conversationson Race,” an unprecedented, communitywide dialogue. Using as aframework the NIF issue book Racialand Ethnic Tensions, more than 100citizen facilitators, trained by TheOhio State University Civic LifeInstitute directed by David Patton,moderated 145 “Neighbor-to-Neighbor” forums in 109 communitiesbetween October 2001 and April2002.

The City of Cincinnati

Crossing the Ohio River fromKentucky to Cincinnati meant free-dom for escaped slaves in the yearsbefore the Civil War because the citywas the last stop on the UndergroundRailroad. A museum celebrating thathistory will soon be completed on thecity’s riverfront. And so, in somerespects, the city of Cincinnati hasmuch to be proud of in terms of itshistoric role in the fight for civil rightsin the U.S.

On the other hand, relationsbetween Cincinnati’s white andAfrican American communities havelong been strained, particularlybetween the city’s predominantlywhite police force and its AfricanAmerican population. The recentunrest was just the latest in a seriesof disturbances the city has enduredbecause of conflicts between thepolice and black civilians. Even beforethe most recent incident, The Enquirerhad decided to focus on the issue ofracial and ethnic tensions in the year2001. What happened in April of 2001gave the newspaper’s project an even-greater urgency.

The Forums

The greater-Cincinnati forums weresomewhat different than the NIFforums held in 44 states and theDistrict of Columbia in 2001-2002.The Cincinnati forums had more of a focus on both that particularcommunity and on finding concretesolutions to racial and ethnic tensions. Dorothy Battle, a prominent member of the SteeringCommittee that planned and oversawthe “Neighbor-to-Neighbor” effort,said such modifications were neces-sary because people in Cincinnatiwanted to talk about their communi-ty’s here and now. But the same NIFissue books, starter video, question-naires, and approaches-model thatwere used in the national forumswere also used in greater Cincinnati,thereby enabling a comparison of theresults.

Comments from Hosts andFacilitators

In some respects, what hosts/con-venors and facilitators/moderatorsreported in greater Cincinnati wassimilar to the national results. In adebriefing session organized by TheEnquirer, more than 200 hosts andfacilitators said participants’ personalstories were the most powerful partsof the forum because they were filledwith what one called “eye-openingmoments” for white participants.“One such moment was when anolder man talked about the timewhen black police officers were notallowed to arrest whites in this city,”one facilitator said. Another waswhen participants heard about a localteacher who washed her hands when-ever she touched a black student.

As in the NIF forums, hosts andfacilitators spoke favorably about theprocess. “It helped us get talking

Citizen Forums in Cincinnati


instead of just arguing about theproblem,” one said. Many wereencouraged to find so many otherswilling to talk with strangers aboutsuch a divisive issue. Facilitators alsotalked about meeting neighbors andbuilding connections among thosewho came. Repeatedly, hosts andfacilitators praised The Enquirer fordoing so much to make the dialoguessuch a resounding success.

Still, there were some complaints.People said those who most needed tobe there were the least likely toattend. And so, as one facilitator said,“much of the forum involved preach-ing to the converted.” Others saidthere was not enough diversity in thedialogues, with too many white, mid-dle-class women and not enoughyoung people and African Americans.And some said that while talk is wel-come, such talk, in and of itself, isnot enough to deal with all the prob-lems facing greater Cincinnati. Actionis needed, they said, with severalfavoring the economic boycott ofdowntown.

In terms of follow-up, many hostsand facilitators said new partner-ships, often forged by churches withpredominantly black and white con-gregations, will work together to con-tinue the dialogue on the issue.“Sunday is the most segregated dayof the week,” one host said. Otherssaid forum participants agreed on theimportance of increasing contact,calling that the best way to increaseunderstanding and trust. One facili-tator wrote:

“My life has changed drastically….I am currently running for [office] in adistrict that encompasses a largelyAfrican American population. I hadno idea I would be doing this at thetime of the meeting … I believe I can

be part of the problem or the solutionand, in whatever small way, I chooseto be part of the solution.”

Forum Results

Compared to the national forums,greater Cincinnati saw somewhatmore emphasis on getting to knowpeople. As in the national effort,many “Neighbor-to-Neighbor” forumsfocused on reaching the young. Also,many in greater Cincinnati talkedabout this issue in terms of class,instead of just race and ethnicity.When asked why the area is dividedby race and how to bridge the gap,“personal responsibility topped manyneighborhood lists,” The Enquirerreported, with participants also say-ing school leaders should insist ondiversity in the curriculum and teachrespect for racial differences.

Questionnaire Results

The results of the Post-Forum Questionnaires in Cincinnati weregenerally consistent with the nationalresults, but with a few importantexceptions, each pointing in the samedirection — Cincinnati participantswere more likely to say the country is“sliding backward” in terms of civilrights, and more in favor of:

● Strongly attacking housing andeducation practices that separatepeople based on race, (85 percentin Cincinnati compared to 64 per-cent nationally);

● Providing more job training, etc.to minorities (83 percent inCincinnati compared to 56 per-cent nationally); and

● Providing tax breaks, loans andincentives to minority businesses(77 percent in Cincinnati com-pared to 47 percent nationally).(See Table 19.)

Citizen Forums in Cincinnati


No. The conventional wisdom holds that most Americans, includingthe great majority of white Americans, overwhelmingly oppose bothaffirmative action and bilingual education, favoring instead a “color-blind” selection system and English immersion.

But people’s thinking about both issues is more complex and multi-faceted. If people are asked if they favor or oppose affirmative action,most will say they are opposed. But if they are given more choices(e.g., Should we eliminate, increase, or maintain affirmative action atcurrent level?), their responses become less clear-cut. Then, if theyhave time to deliberate and talk about the issue in their own words,there is even more nuance in their answers. In the forums, manywho opposed affirmative action based on race or ethnicity said theywould favor a class-based or economically based form. In addition,people strongly supported affirmative action when it was framed asdeveloping and implementing outreach and communication strategiesto recruit underrepresented ethnic or minority groups who wouldotherwise remain uninformed of such opportunities. Finally, manywho opposed “special treatment” said a student body or workforceshould be diverse and representative in terms of race and ethnicitybecause diversity is both fair and an asset to an organization.

Similarly, with bilingual education, people favor immersion whengiven only two choices. But as they deliberate and have a chance toexpress themselves, it is apparent that their real thinking about theissue is complex. Many opted for flexibility in the bilingual educationprograms adopted by schools and communities, saying children learnat different rates. Younger children, they said, easily pick up a newlanguage and should be quickly immersed, whereas older childrenand adults may need more time. People were also more willing tosupport bilingual education if such programs were limited to adefined period of time rather than extended indefinitely. Englishimmersion programs usually take place over one year, before children are placed in mainstream classes, and participants saidbilingual education should work the same way. Finally, people drewdistinctions based on the ethnic make-up and needs of a community, saying certain areas with higher numbers of immigrants could have agreater need for more extensive bilingual education programs thanothers.

1. Does the public connect tothis issue as the con-ventional wisdom suggests?

Questions and Answers about the Forums


2. How doesthe publicapproach the issue?

Participants see this issue through different lenses or in terms ofdifferent realities.

Participants of color often approached this issue from a historicalperspective, describing how the past has shaped or led to the pres-ent. Unless the past is acknowledged, they said, present-daywrongs could never be understood or remedied. Moreover, minori-ties often said the world they live in is unlike the one that whitepeople experience. Telling stories of racism and discrimination thatroutinely affect them, they said that most white Americans are notaware of the “white privileges” they hold.

On the other hand, a large number of white participants tended totake an ahistorical view, saying, in effect, “the sins of the fathersshould not be visited upon people today.” Moreover, many whiteswere not mindful of day-to-day indignities that minorities contendwith, or as one moderator said, “did not see blatant discrimination.”White participants were far less likely than minorities to agree thatprejudice is as common as ever in housing, education, business,and social settings.

3. Are thereother dimen-sions to theissue thatpeople in theforums see?

Yes. A great many participants said racial and ethnic tensions areclosely linked to issues of class, saying people of color are over-rep-resented in the working class and among the poor and not as visi-ble among the middle class and wealthy. Class, they said, has adirect impact on the opportunities people have, and many said thatpolicies designed to help those with lower incomes would be aneffective, indirect means to assuage racial and ethnic tensions.

Also, forum participants, particularly those of color, often viewedthe problem of racial and ethnic tensions as arising from institu-tional factors. Rather than seeing racial and ethnic tensions ininterpersonal terms, participants of color said discrimination andprejudice are built into the social, economic, and political institu-tions that dominate this country.



Tolerance: Participants said being open to other people’s heritagewould help address racial and ethnic tension. They identifiedincreased information as a way to avoid viewing minorities as the“other” and wanted to celebrate the ways in which people of differentcultures contribute to society.

Respect: Participants said we should respect differences, even cele-brate them, and not hope that they “melt away.”

Justice: Participants were solidly opposed to the practice of racialand ethnic profiling, saying everyone should be treated equally underthe law and that the civil rights laws should be vigorously enforced.

Opportunity: Participants said the way to transcend racial and ethnic tensions is to make sure that all Americans have equal oppor-tunity in terms of employment and a quality education.

Responsibility: Participants said society should do all it can to reenforce the idea that an individual’s success or failure shoulddepend not on government policy, but on personal responsibility.

Equality: Many defined “racial and ethnic tensions” in terms ofinequality, especially in terms of education and income, and said wemust reduce gross inequities.

Community: Instead of looking for national solutions, forum partici-pants focused on the community level, saying the most significantchanges come less from national policy than from actions taken, andinterethnic ties built, at the local level.

Hope: Most participants were optimistic about the future, saying thenation had made great strides in terms of this issue and thatprogress would continue. However, participants of color, thoughhopeful, were less optimistic.

The American Dream: Participants said we share the goal of livingin a society in which all have the opportunity to pursue their dreamsand realize their full potential, with the understanding that successor failure depends on the individual.

4. What values were at play in thediscussions?

Participants had a chance to hear other voices and gain new perspec-tive on the views and feelings of each other. In many forums, partici-pants of color talked about their own experiences with profiling anddescribed the subtle ways that whites receive privileges because ofthe color of their skin. Some white participants, on the other hand,spoke of the resentment they felt because of the “special treatment”extended to minorities, often likening affirmative action policies toreverse discrimination. Such exchanges, in a civil, deliberative dia-logue, encouraged people to listen and hear each other without ran-cor, bitterness, or accusations.

5. What effectdid delibera-tion have?



As they deliberated, participants wanted:

a. A diverse mainstream. Participants agreed that it is time tomove away from what they saw as an outdated, static conceptof “a melting pot,” instead, they favored bringing everyonetogether into a “diverse mainstream” in which all ethnicities and colors are woven together to create a rich, vital, dynamictapestry. It is essential, they said, to celebrate the contributionsthat different cultures make and have made to American life.

b. English as our official language, but for practical reasons.To become fully functioning members of society, participantssaid immigrants must learn English as soon as possible.However, participants also said that being able to speak Englishis necessary for pragmatic, not ideological reasons, noting thatbeing able to communicate is required to find a good job in thiscountry.

c. To create equal opportunity. Participants said that racial andethnic tensions are rooted in unequal access to political, social,and economic opportunities. To reduce tensions, they said,everyone must have the same chance to attain success.

6. What mattered to people as they de-liberated?

Yes.

Education is the key to reducing inequality. The answer to solvinginequalities is to focus on education. Participants said that it is vitalthat all children have a quality educational opportunity, adding thateducation is the link to reducing inequalities in all other areas, suchas getting a good job.

Commitment to progress. While forum participants said that agreat deal of change had taken place to ease racial and ethnic ten-sions over the past 40 years, they also agreed that there was stillwork to be done. Participants said they were committed to carryingout efforts to provide equal opportunity for all and encouraging diver-sity in our schools, communities, and workplaces.

7. Is a “publicvoice” rec-ognizable?

Yes.

As participants deliberated, they said it is time to take responsibilityfor easing racial and ethnic tensions at the community level.

Participants advocated continuing local dialogue about racial andethnic tensions. Only by working through difficult, but honest, con-versations about race, they said, could we begin to understand differ-ent perceptions of racism and discrimination.

Finally, participants thought that the best place to begin is with ourchildren. Participants believed that children were the least likely tobe affected by prejudiced attitudes and could be “taught” tolerance,equity, and justice. As hope to move beyond racial and ethnic ten-sions rests with our children, forum participants said that our time,energy, and resources should go to them as well.

8. Was anyfirm com-mon groundfor actionrevealed?



As evidenced by more than 3,500 participants who deliberated in aforum in 45 states and the District of Columbia, the public sees thisas an urgent issue that they connect with on both a policy and per-sonal level.

While most said there had been great progress since the civil rightsera, they also said the country has a long way to go. Some, includingmany participants of color, wondered whether racial and ethnic ten-sions would ever completely disappear, citing incidents of prejudiceand discrimination they themselves experience or that occur in theircommunities.

Others, however, pointed out a generational change. Compared toolder participants, those under 30 did not see the issue as so urgentand were quite comfortable with social interactions such as interra-cial dating and marriage.

In terms of evolving thought, most said that instead of a melting pot,the U.S. is a mosaic or tapestry in which ethnic and racial differences fit into the ideal of an inclusive America that respects,incorporates, and celebrates the cultural contributions of all ethnicand racial groups.

9. At whatstage is thepublic onthis issue?Has the public’sthinkingevolved?

Beyond national action, participants said it is important to takeresponsibility for lessening racial and ethnic tensions at the community level.

a. A local focus: People saw the issue of racial and ethnic tensions as not only a national problem, but also a local issueshaped by the location, history, and ethnic makeup of eachcommunity.

b. Create safe spaces: Participants wanted to continue deliberat-ing about the issue, conversations they felt were difficult butnecessary. They looked to create more safe spaces wherediverse groups of people could come together and continuethe process.

c. Interaction and talk: Participants called for more interactionand conversation among people of different racial and ethnicgroups, saying dialogue breaks down the barriers to under-standing, which is essential to reducing tensions.

10. What needsto happennext in thenational dialogue?



Pre-Forum Post-Forum Difference% % %

12 19 +7

59 64 +5

27 15 -12

2 3 +1

Additional Information

Questionnaire Results: A Comparison ofParticipants’ Pre-Forum and Post-Forum Views

Which statement best describes what you think should be done about racial and ethnic tensions?

I have a definite opinion about what should be done.

I have a general sense about what should be done.

I am not at all sure what should be done.

No Answer

Agree with StatementTable 1

Yes No% %

49 40

Do you see ways to work on this issue that you didn’t see before?

Post-ForumTable 2


75 75 —

73 75 +2

62 61 -1

49 57 +8

41 45 +4

29 33 +4

Do you agree or disagree with the statements below?

Too many people still see everything through the lens of racial and ethnic discrimination.

Special treatment based on race or ethnic back-ground is unfair and causes more friction and resentment.

In many ways, prejudice and discrimination are as common as ever in housing, education,business, & social settings.

Acting “colorblind” isn’t realistic and doesn’t get us anywhere.

Cards are stacked against most when it comes to understanding, preserving, & promoting their ethnic culture.

As a nation, we are sliding backward on the hard-fought progress made during the civil rightsmovement.




88 90 +2

66 71 +5

64 63 -1

58 52 -6

56 53 -3

47 43 -4

Do you favor or oppose each of these actions?

Set standards for performance and promotions inschool and on the job that apply to everyone.

Insist that English is the one, official language of theU.S. in business & classroom.

Strongly attack remaining practices in housing andeducation that separate people based on race/ ethnicity.

Allow communities to decide school curricula andtextbooks that reflect their values, history, and culture.

Provide more job training, better housing and healthcare to minorities through government or privatepartnerships.

Provide tax breaks, incentives, & loans to give minori-ty businesses an opportunity to develop & prosper.

Favor ActionTable 4


Favor Oppose Not Sure/NA% % %

62 29 7

50 35 13

49 41 9


Let people decide when they want to be together andwhen they don’t, EVEN IF it means there would bemore segregation where people live and work.

Finish job of full integration, EVEN IF that meansspending more tax money on programs, laws, &enforcement.

Eliminate quotas and special treatment based on raceor ethnic origin, EVEN IF it means discriminationwould continue on the job.

Post-ForumTable 5

100

2030

405060

70

10090

80

62

29

7

50

35

13

4941

9

Favor Oppose Not Sure/NA

Let People Decide, EVEN IFSegregation Continues

Finish Integration, EVEN IFExpensive

Eliminate Quotas, EVEN IFDiscrimination Continues


Demographics

Are you male or female? %

Female 60

Male 38

No Answer 2

Table 6

How much schooling have you completed? %

Some high school or less 42

High school graduate 12

Some college 20

College grad or more 25

No Answer 2

Table 7

Are you? %

African American 7

Asian American 2

Hispanic/Latino 3

Native American 3

White 80

Other 3

No Answer 2

Table 8

How old are you? %

17 or younger 42

18-29 29

30-49 12

50-64 10

65 or older 6

No Answer 2

Table 9

Have you attended an NIF forum before? %

Yes 13

No 85

No Answer 2

Table 10

If you have previously attended an NIF forum, how may forums have you attended? (asked of the 13 percent answering yes in Table 10) %

1-3 55

4-6 16

7 or more 25

Not Sure/No Answer 5

Table 11

In which part of the United States do you live? %

Northeast 10

South 13

Midwest 59

Southwest 4

West 8

Other/No Answer 6

Table 12



Tables may not equal 100, due to rounding.


African Asian Hispanic/ NativeAmerican American Latino American White

% % % % %

63 73 71 70 77

83 75 72 81 74

83 52 69 76 58

68 64 54 64 55

66 50 51 41 44

69 27 33 38 29

Post-Forum Results: Racial and Ethnic Comparisons


Special treatment based on race or ethnicbackground is unfair and causes more frictionand resentment.

Too many people still see everything throughthe lens of racial and ethnic discrimination.

In many ways, prejudice and discriminationare as common as ever in housing, education,business, & social settings.

Acting “colorblind” isn’t realistic and doesn’tget us anywhere.

Cards are stacked when it comes to under-standing, preserving, & promoting their ethnicculture.

Nation is sliding backward on hard-foughtprogress made during the civil rights movement.



% % % % %

94 96 85 91 90

64 77 46 60 73

82 73 59 60 61

59 30 54 60 52

88 64 65 60 49

80 46 63 51 38

Do you favor or oppose each of theseactions?

Set standards for performance and promo-tions in school and on the job that apply toeveryone.

Insist that English is the one, official lan-guage of the U.S. in business & classroom.

Strongly attack remaining practices in housing and education that separate peoplebased on race/ethnicity.

Allow communities to decide school curriculaand textbooks that reflect their values, histo-ry, and culture.

Provide more job training, better housingand health care to minorities through government or private partnerships.

Provide tax breaks, incentives, & loans togive minority businesses an opportunity todevelop & prosper.

Favor ActionTable 14



% % % % %

46 61 53 67 64

24 46 33 43 52

76 57 51 49 47

Do you favor or oppose each of theseactions?

Let people decide when they want to betogether and when they don’t, EVEN IF itmeans there would be more segregationwhere people live and work.

Eliminate quotas/special treatment based on race or ethnicity, EVEN IF discriminationwould continue on job.

Finish job of full integration, EVEN IF that means spending more tax money onprograms, laws, & enforcement.


(Racial and Ethnic Comparisons continued from previous page)

Post-Forum Results: National vs. Cincinnati


National Cincinnati Difference% % %

64 62 -2

19 21 +2

15 13 -2

4 4 —

Which statement best describes what you thinkshould be done about racial and ethnic tensions?

I have a general sense about what should be done.

I have a definite opinion about what should be done.

I am not at all sure what should be done.

No Answer



49 56 +7

Do you see ways to work on this issue that you didnt see before?



75 80 +5

73 61 -12

62 66 +4

49 60 +11

41 43 +2

29 47 +18


Too many people still see everything through the lens ofracial and ethnic discrimination.

Special treatment based on race or ethnic background isunfair and causes more friction and resentment.

In many ways, prejudice and discrimination are as com-mon as ever in housing, education, business, & socialsettings.

Acting “colorblind” isn’t realistic and doesn’t get us anywhere.

Cards are stacked against most when it comes to under-standing, preserving, & promoting their ethnic culture.

As a nation, we are sliding backward on the hard-fought progress made during the civil rights movement.

National = 2,541; Cincinnati = 1,497




Set standards for performance and promotions inschool and on the job that apply to everyone.

Insist that English is the one, official language of theU.S. in business & classroom.

Strongly attack remaining practices in housing andeducation that separate people based on race/ethnicity.

Allow communities to decide school curricula andtextbooks that reflect their values, history, and culture.

Provide more job training, better housing and healthcare to minorities through government or privatepartnerships.

Provide tax breaks, incentives, & loans to giveminority businesses an opportunity to develop &prosper.



88 83 -5

66 70 +4

64 85 +21

58 49 -9

56 83 +27

47 77 +30


Let people decide when they want to be together andwhen they don’t, EVEN IF it means there would bemore segregation where people live and work.

Finish job of full integration, EVEN IF that meansspending more tax money on programs, laws, &enforcement.

Eliminate quotas and special treatment based onrace or ethnic origin, EVEN IF it means discrimina-tion would continue on the job.



62 53 -9

50 63 +13

49 34 -15

100

203040506070

1009080

29

4764

85

56

83

47

Bac

kslid

ing

onP

rogr

ess

of C

ivil

Rig

hts

Mov

emen

t

77

4934

National Cinncinnati

Questions with the Largest Difference

Stro

ngly

Atta

ckH

ousi

ng/E

duca

tion

Pra

ctic

es T

hat

Sep

arat

e pe

ople

Mor

e Jo

b Tr

aini

nget

c. T

hrou

gh G

ov’t

Par

tner

ship

s

Tax

Bre

aks,

Ince

ntiv

es, &

Loan

s to

Min

ority

Bus

ines

s

Elim

inat

e Q

uota

s,E

VE

N IF

Dis

crim

inat

ion

Con

tinue

s



Demographics: National vs. Cincinnati

National CincinnatiAre you male or female? % %

Female 60 58

Male 38 41

No Answer 2 2

Table 21

How much schooling National Cincinnatihave you completed? % %

Some high school or less 42 4

High school graduate 12 8

Some college 20 20

College grad or more 25 62

No Answer 2 2

Table 22

National CincinnatiAre you? % %

African American 7 18

Asian American 2 4

Hispanic/Latino 3 1

Native American 3 1

White 80 74

Other 3 2

Table 23

National CincinnatiHow old are you? % %

17 or younger 42 3

18-29 29 6

30-49 12 32

50-64 10 36

65 or older 6 21

No Answer 2 1

Table 24

National CincinnatiHave you attended an NIF forum before? % %

Yes 13 10

No 85 88

No Answer 2 2

Table 25

If you have previously attended an NIF forum, how may forums have National Cincinnatiyou attended? (asked of the 13 percent answering yes in Table 25) % %

1-3 55 72

4-6 16 11

7 or more 25 5

Not Sure/No Answer 7 13

Table 11



Alabama District of Columbia Kentucky Montana Ohio Texas Alaska Florida Louisiana Nebraska Oklahoma Utah Arizona Georgia Maryland New Hampshire Oregon VirginiaArkansas Hawaii Massachusetts New Jersey Pennsylvania WashingtonCalifornia Illinois Michigan New Mexico South Carolina West VirginiaColorado Indiana Minnesota New York South Dakota Wisconsin Connecticut Iowa Mississippi North Carolina Tennessee Wyoming Delaware Kansas Missouri North Dakota


NIF Racial & Ethnic Tensions Forums:Where Participants Are From

Shaded States = No Forums

People who participated in the NIF forums analyzed for this report are a sample of thousands of people who continue to deliberate about this issue incommunities across the country. Forum participants represented in this reportcome from the following states and communities:


45 States& D.C.

19. Siena Heights University, Adrian, MI

20. Thomas More College, Covington, KY

21. Topeka Association of Neighborhoods,Topeka, KS

22. Virginia Technical Institute, Blacksburg, VA

23. Warrensburg Chamber of Commerce,Warrensburg, MO

24. West Virginia State College, Institute, WV

25. Wyoming State Boot Camp, New Castle, WY

Special thanks to the convenors and moderatorswho shared their forum reflections with us:Dorothy Battle, Sue Besaw, Dorothy Bishop,Francine Campone, Michelle Charles, KathyChristie, Bennie L. Davis, Jeanmarie Heriba,Margaret Holt, Chris Kloth, Jim Knauer, CharlesLacy, Patricia O’Reilly, Dionardo Pizaña, YvonneSims, Annette Stone, Georgia Stuart-Simmons,Anne Wolford, Forest Wortham, Ruth Yellow Hawk

Forum Observations

We observed five National Issues Forums, listeningto initial concerns and learning how deliberationinfluenced people’s thinking. In addition, we inter-viewed two participants and the moderator aftereach forum. These forums were held at:

1. Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH (moderator and convenor debriefings)

2. GRTV (Channel 25) live broadcast, Grand Rapids, MI (videotape)

3. KCOS (Channel 13) live broadcast, El Paso, TX (videotape)

4. Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK

5. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

Questionnaire Results

Before and after a forum, participants were askedto fill out a questionnaire that frames the issueand identifies key tradeoffs for each approach. We analyzed a total of 3,510 Pre- and Post-ForumQuestionnaires, received by November 14, 2002.The data in this report come from 2,541 matchedquestionnaires.

Research Forums

We conducted three, three-hourlong researchforums or focus groups, each with a demographi-cally representative cross-section of about a dozenpeople. The sessions paralleled NIF forums in thatparticipants viewed the starter video, filled out thePre- and Post-Porum Questionnaires, and deliberated together about the four choices. Theresearch forums were held in:

1. St. Louis, MO 02/20/02

2. Cleveland, OH 04/11/02

3. Englewood Cliffs, NJ 10/30/02

Please Note:

The quotes in this report were edited for purposesof grammar and clarity.

In preparing this analysis of people’s thinkingabout “Racial and Ethnic Tensions: What ShouldWe Do?” Doble Research drew on a sample offorums in 45 states and the District of Columbiafrom the hundreds of forums that took placeacross the country. Five research methods wereused:

“A Public Voice” Forums

We transcribed and analyzed four NationalIssues Forums videotaped for the National IssuesForums videotaped for the annual PBS special,“A Public Voice,” hosted by Frank Sesno. Thoseforums took place in Rapid City, South Dakota;Sumter, South Carolina; Boston, Massachusetts;and Davis, California.

Moderator and Convenor Interviews

We conducted 20 telephone interviews withforum moderators and convenors, some of whohad moderated more than one forum. We askedthem to describe people’s main concerns, theirstarting points on the issue, the costs and con-sequences they took into consideration, and theshared understanding or common ground foraction that emerged. A partial list of where theforums were held is listed below.

1. Bel Air High School, El Paso, TX

2. Cathedral Hill Hotel, San Francisco, CA

3. Clark State Community College, Springfield, OH

4. Conference Center, Chevy Chase, MD

5. Davis International House, Davis, CA

6. Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Rapid City, SD

7. Federation of Teachers Office, Walnut Hills,OH

8. Friends of the Lovett Memorial Library, Mt.Airy, PA

9. Gerald R. Ford Museum, Grand Rapids, MI

10. Lake County Public Library, Merrillville, IN

11. Lenawee School District, Adrian, MI

12. Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, PA

13. Michigan State University Extension,Adrian, MI

14. Oconee County Civic Center, OconeeCounty, GA

15. Ohio University Student Union, Athens, OH

16. Eight locations sponsored by CommunityConversations, Inc., Owensboro, KY

17. Ramada Inn, Columbus, OH

18. Cathedral Hill Hotel, San Francisco, CA, theNational Federation of CommunityBroadcasters (ncfb.org); Ohio University’sStudent Union, Athens OH; United NationalIndian Tribal Youth Conference(unityinc.org) in Grand Rapids, MI


Methodology



National Issues Forums bring togethercitizens around the nation to discusschallenging social and political issues ofthe day. They have addressed issues suchas the economy, education, health care,foreign affairs, poverty, and crime.

Thousands of civic, service, and religious organizations, as well aslibraries, high schools, and colleges, have sponsored forums. The sponsoringorganizations select topics from amongeach year’s most pressing public con-cerns, then design and coordinate theirown forum programs, which are heldthrough the fall, winter, and spring.

A different kind of talk No two forums are alike. They range

from small study circles to large gather-ings modeled after town meetings, but allare different from everyday conversationsand adversarial debates.

Since forums seek to increase understanding of complicated issues,participants need not start out withdetailed knowledge of an issue. Forumorganizers distribute issue books such asthis one, featuring a nonpartisan overviewof an issue and a choice of several publicresponses. By presenting each issue in a nonpartisan way, forums encourage participants to take a fresh look at theissues and at their own convictions.

In the forums, participants share their opinions, their concerns, and theirknowledge. With the help of moderatorsand the issue books, participants weighseveral possible ways for society toaddress a problem. They analyze eachchoice, the arguments for and against it,and the tradeoffs and other implications ofthe choice. Moderators encourage partici-pants, as they gravitate to one option or another, to examine their basic valuesas individuals and as community members.

The search for common ground Forums enrich participants’ thinking

on public issues. Participants confronteach issue head-on, make an informeddecision about how to address it, andcome to terms with the likely conse-quences of their choices. In this delibera-tive process, participants often acceptchoices that are not entirely consistent

with their individual wishes and thatimpose costs they had not initially considered. This happens because theforum process helps people see issuesfrom different points of view; participantsuse discussion to discover, not persuadeor advocate. The best deliberative forumscan help participants move towardshared, stable, well-informed publicParticipants may hold sharply differentopinions and beliefs, but in the forumsthey discuss their attitudes, concerns,and convictions about each issue and,asa group, seek to resolve their conflictingpriorities and principles. In this way, participants move from making individualchoices to making choices as members ofa community — the kinds of choices fromwhich public action may result.

Building community through public deliberation

In a democracy, citizens must cometogether to find answers they can all livewith — while acknowledging that individ-uals have differing opinions. Forums helppeople find the areas where their inter-ests and goals overlap. This allows apublic voice to emerge that can givedirection to public policy.

The forums are nonpartisan and donot advocate a particular solution to any public issue, nor should they beconfused with referenda or public opinion polls. Rather, the forums enablediverse groups of Americans to determinetogether what direction they want policyto take, what kinds of action and legislation they favor and what, for theircommon good, they oppose.

Moving to actionForums can lead to several kinds of

public action. Generally, a public voiceemerges in the results of the forums,and that helps set the government’scompass, since forum results are sharedwith elected officials each year. Also, as aresult of attending forums, individualsand groups may decide individually orwith others to help remedy a public problem through citizen actions outside of government.

About National Issues Forums

How to start a forumForums are initiated at the local level by civic and educational organizations. For information about starting a forum and using our materials, write the NIF Institute, P.O. Box 75306,Washington, D.C.20013-5306,or phone 800-433-7834. On the Internet:www.nifi.org.


Foundations

The Center for Crime, Communities and Culture

The Chiesman Foundation

The Community Life Foundation of Owensboro

The Public Life Foundation of Owensboro (PLFO)

The Englewood Community Foundation

The Fetzer Institute

The Walter and Elise Haas Fund

The Hager Educational Foundation

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

The Kellogg Foundation

The Kettering Foundation

The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

The Peninsula Community Foundation

The Pew Charitable Trust

The Seva Foundation

Government Agencies

The Board of Pardons and Parole, State of Georgia

The Department of Corrections, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

The Department of Corrections, State of Indiana

The Department of Corrections, State of Vermont

The Environmental Protection Agency

The Governor’s Family Council, State of Delaware

The National Institute of Corrections, (NIC)

The National Institute of Justice, (NIJ)

The National Parks Service, Nebraska

Vermont Commission on Public Healthcare Valuesand Priorities

Public Service Organizations

The American Judicature Society

Audubon Area Community Services, Owensboro,Kentucky

The Buckeye Association for School Administrators

The Center for Community Corrections

The Center for Effective Public Policy

The Center for Sex Offender Management (CSOM)

The Cleveland Summit on Education

The Council of Governors’ Policy Advisors

The Council of State Governments, EasternRegional Office


About Doble Research AssociatesPublic Opinion:A Map, Not a Snapshot…

When it comes to complex issues, the formation of public opinion is dynamic andevolutionary, a work in progress as opposed to a finished product. Doble Research is anonpartisan, public interest consulting firm that maps out people’s thinking by identi-fying the public’s “starting point” — what people think about an issue at the presenttime, before learning more about it, then lays out how people’s thinking evolves as theyconsider other points of view and have time to deliberate. We give clients a blueprint ofhow and why people feel as they do — A Map, Not a Snapshot.™

The Educational and Social Science Consortium

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC)

The Harwood Institute

The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC)

The National Conference of State Legislatures

The National Academy of Social Insurance

The National Environmental Policy Institute (NEPI)

The National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI)

The Oklahoma State-Centered Project

The Pennsylvania Prison Society

The Points of Light Foundation

Public Agenda

The South Carolina State-Centered Project

The Southern Growth Policies Board

The Southern Regional Council

The Study Circle Resources Center (SCRC)

The Upper Room

Weavings, A Journal of the Christian Spiritual Life

The West Virginia Center for Civic Life

The Western Governors’ Association

States

The State of Indiana

The State of New Hampshire

The State of North Carolina

The State of Oregon

The State of South Carolina

The State of Vermont

Colleges and Universities

The College of DuPage

The Institute on Criminal Justice, University ofMinnesota

The Mershon Center at The Ohio State University

The University of California at Davis

The University of Delaware

Corporations

Clark, Martire & Bartolomeo, Inc.

Simon and Schuster, Prentice Hall Division

Weiner’s Stores, Inc.


™

A Different Kind of Talk, Another Way to Act

For information, contact:National Issues Forums Research100 Commons Road Dayton, Ohio 45459-2777

1-800-433-7834www.nifi.org

A Different Kind of Talk, Another Way to Act LGD-0655-DR-2000-FG-1-03

Documents

Racial and Ethnic Tensions - Kettering Foundation...a. Stories: Many participants of color connected to the issue on a personal level, sharing stories about racism and dis-crimination