House Divided: Unity Deliberation event unites students around pressing issues.

By: Nolan Cleary

Creative Editor

       Students at Hudson Valley Community College gathered for House Divided: Unity Deliberation, an event designed to create a conversation around some of the country’s most concerning problems on Monday, March 2.

The event’s purpose was to unite students from both sides of the political aisle and to find common ground on the events that matter, if possible. The event gave students a chance to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing America today, and present why and how these issues are important to each of us. 

Ivy Miah, a student pursuing international affairs and human rights thought hosting events such as this one was important.

“I found it really insightful,” Miah said. “It’s crucial to hear other people with an open mind and it’s inevitable that you will come across disagreements and it’s very important to have an understanding of other people’s perspectives if you want to live in the real world.”

The event was put together by the National Issues Forum an organization, which according to them “is a nonpartisan, nationwide network of locally sponsored public forums for the consideration of public policy issues. It is rooted in the simple notion that people need to come together to reason and talk—to deliberate about common problems.”

The forum’s structure consisted of multiple students gathering into three different groups. Each group discussed what issues were important to them and why. Each student then worked through a number of situations and issues and examined arguments from both sides, discussing the pros and cons of each point, whilst offering new perspectives as well. 

Among the conversations was the discussion of healthcare in America. Some students claimed that to be a key issue affecting their lives. Other students talked about having disabilities, and how they felt dissatisfied with attempted budget cuts by politicians statewide and nationally. 

Other students believed the cost of college tuition was a pressing issue on the minds of many young Americans.

The environment was also an issue that one Hudson Valley Community College student claimed was important to them, citing a fear that the Earth could one day become uninhabitable. 

Students also discussed widely debated topics in America, such as a recent effort by multiple social media juggernauts to censor content deemed as offensive, or in some cases, hate speech. 

While many argued content deemed to be racist, sexist or bigoted shouldn’t have a place on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or others, many have espoused a concern that this would give said companies the ability to suppress freedom of speech, and censor political views some consider unorthodox.

Hudson Valley Community College students discussed the positives and negatives to such an action. One student brought up a story about her daughter repeating a racial slur, not knowing the harm that slur might have, while others argued that social consequences for bigoted speech, such as loosing a job opportunity, could be a more fitting punishment. 

Another issue discussed was the topic of election security. Some students argued that voter I.D. and other precautions could make it more difficult for minorities to vote, while others believed that bringing back laws like the Voting Rights Act of 1965 could allow for voter fraud to take place. 

Students also sparred over environmental issues, with many students arguing that climate change was an existential threat requiring urgent action as soon as possible, regardless of how radical many might perceive those actions. 

Other students claimed the Green New Deal proposed by members of Congress like U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and pitched by presidential candidates like Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, was not realistic or achievable. 

The event ended with participants from each group expressing where each group agreed and disagreed on the issues, and whether common ground was at all possible. 

Hudson Valley Community College students attending the event said they appreciated the message that was trying to be communicated. 

Zachary Ashdown, an information sciences major, said the event gave him more insight on politics. 

“I thought it was enlightening [and] it was a very cool experience to be here and hear other people’s thoughts,” Ashdown said. 

Mitchell Cerone, a student in individual studies, said the event exceeded his expectations. 

“I was expecting the conversation would dominate the discussion and that no one else would get anything in, but I think it was much more evenly spread out,” Cerone said. “I think everyone got their opinion in.” 

Peter Sawyer, a chairperson for Hudson Valley Community College’s History, Philosophy and Social Sciences department helped manage the event, as well as other previous deliberations. 

Sawyer said the event was an important way to involve students in civics.

“Public deliberation is just one of the things we do at the Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement, and we’re trying to grow more opportunities for students to be engaged and become effective citizens,” Sawyer said.