Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Follow Us:
Top Stories

Bridge the Divide Part 1

Our Last Night - "Common Ground" (OFFICIAL)

The suffocating partisanship that most Americans abhor has reached historic levels. Our elected leaders focus on accusations, innuendos, misinformation and vilifying those with opinions that differ from our own, rather than attempt to find any common ground to solve the serious problems facing our nation.

The vicious “winning is all” climate, the “meant to mislead” rhetoric, the extreme and polarizing factions, and the sheer lack of decency are tethering our nation to a new low.


As we watch so many of our leaders posturing against each other with twisted facts and vitriolic disdain, solely to win the sacred trust of the electorate, we ought to be asking ourselves, “Is this particular behavior having the effect of raising or lowering the level of discourse and understanding between and among us as citizens?”

It is time for us to realize that we the people are as much to blame for this unacceptable behavior as the politicians. More and more we are separated in our own silos, communicating only with those who share our opinions, embracing information that supports our beliefs, and ignoring or distorting evidence contrary to our beliefs. Although understandable, this tendency can blind us from the facts and the truth.

Fortunately, there are many song writers and performers who through it all try to use their platforms to find common ground.

Enjoy the first of a five-day series of “ Bridge the Divide ” performances from an array of artists who address the subject from different perspectives but all with the same goal: finding common ground.

As Americans it is time for us to see through the charade and step up to the plate and support leaders who want something better. The division will continue unless We the People demand something better.

Enjoy “Common Ground,” a powerful song by Our Last Night that has been viewed by more than 3 million people since it was first produced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjGzRCD7B14

Do these lyrics resonate with you?

It's so hard to find the truth

When the other side wants to bury you, to bury you

And it's so hard to find a way

When the other side wants to play you like a game

It's all about who's wrong and who's right

Don't wanna learn, we just wanna fight

If different thinkers are enemies

Just think what we could be if our thoughts were in harmony

I know we both want to do the right thing

But the needle in our compass is trembling

Trapped in the flame as our house burns down

Left for dead 'cause we can't find common ground


Read More

Hollywood Gets Congress Wrong—and It’s Costing America Trust in Democracy

Hollywood sign and The Capitol

AI generated picture

Hollywood Gets Congress Wrong—and It’s Costing America Trust in Democracy

The following article is excerpted from "Citizen’s Handbook for Influencing Elected Officials."

Since the 1970s, public trust in American institutions—including Congress—has steadily declined. Approval ratings for the House and Senate usually hover in the teens. Certainly, some misdeeds by our elected leaders have contributed to this decline, and mainstream national media can claim its fair share of “credit” in portraying Congress in a negative light. Yet another major ingredient in the ugly formula poisoning public opinion of Congress is Hollywood. Movies and TV shows routinely portray Congress as craven, corrupt, selfish, and completely indifferent to the public interest. Regrettably, this is a wholly incorrect portrayal of our nation’s legislators.

Keep ReadingShow less
More Artists Boycott Trump‑Renamed Kennedy Center

Musicians and dance companies are canceling performances in protest, adding to a widening backlash over political interference at the nation’s premier arts institution.

Getty Images, ntn

More Artists Boycott Trump‑Renamed Kennedy Center

The recent wave of cancellations by artists at the Kennedy Center underscores a broader and urgent question in contemporary society: the struggle between artistic autonomy and political influence. By withdrawing from their scheduled appearances, these artists are responding to the Center's controversial renaming by a new Board of Directors appointed by President Trump. This renaming, seen by many as politically motivated, has catalyzed a strong reaction. Earlier this year, at least 15 performers withdrew in protest. This forms part of a growing trend, with public resignations and statements from notable figures like Issa Rae, Rhiannon Giddens, Renée Fleming, and Ben Folds. They have all expressed concerns that the Center’s civic mission is being undermined.

More performers are visibly withdrawing from the Kennedy Center, with fan-favorite names disappearing from the roster. In recent weeks, news outlets have reported that more artists and groups have called off their upcoming shows. These include jazz drummer Chuck Redd, the jazz group The Cookers, singer-songwriter Kristy Lee, and the dance company Doug Varone and Dancers. Fans holding tickets now face the stark absence that mirrors these artists' discomfort with the renaming and what it represents politically.

Keep ReadingShow less
Interfaith Music Aims to Reclaim January 6 for Unity

Elena “La Fulana” Lacayo

Interfaith Music Aims to Reclaim January 6 for Unity

Music has played a significant role in uniting people of different faiths in the United States. From the Civil Rights era to the years following 9/11, Americans have used music to bridge religious divides and affirm their shared humanity. Interfaith music extends beyond worship and remains a lasting way for Americans to remember their common bonds. St. Augustine expressed the power of music in faith when he said “When I sing, I pray twice.”

In this spirit, The Fulcrum highlights stories during the holiday season that reflect universal themes. Messages of love, kindness, hope, and generosity resonate across cultures and traditions, reminding us that shared values are stronger than our divisions.

Keep ReadingShow less
A Baseball Team Caught Between Two Countries — a Visa Shift and a Shutdown

The Tucson baseball team playing against the Águilas de Mexicali in the border city of Mexicali. Photo courtesy of the Tucson baseball team

A Baseball Team Caught Between Two Countries — a Visa Shift and a Shutdown

NOGALES, SONORA, MEXICO — What was meant to be a historic first for America’s pastime — a Mexican Pacific League baseball franchise anchored north of the border — has become a bureaucratic curveball.

The newly relocated Tucson, Arizona, baseball team — formerly the Mayos de Navojoa from Sonora, Mexico — has yet to fulfill a long-held dream shared by fans on both sides of the border: bringing professional Mexican winter baseball to U.S. soil.

Keep ReadingShow less