Running along Creamery Road in New Hope, I couldn’t help but notice a kaleidoscope of different campaign signs that lined my route: Trump, Biden, Fitzpatrick, Ehasz — all names peculiarly positioned above the election year 2024. In my four years of running high school cross country, and jogging through Bucks County, I’ve learned that its picturesque landscapes starkly contrast its intense political climate.
In a county known for its historic charm and beauty, the political landscape is just as diverse as its natural vistas. Issues like zoning regulations, school curriculum debates and the push-pull of development versus preservation mirror broader national conflicts amplified within our backyard.
Unfortunately, the parallels don’t stop there: local elections have become battlegrounds. Heated public meetings and social media exchanges often escalate into personal attacks rather than constructive dialogue, garnering national attention. Like our polarized nation, our local politics are portrayed as a partisan battle for the soul of our community.
The recent assassination attempt on President Trump and the loss of fellow Pennsylvanian Corey Comparatore underscore the urgent need to lower the temperature of our simmering political discourse and bridge our divide, or face its potentially violent consequences.
As an 18-year-old recent high school graduate of Solebury School, near New Hope, preparing to attend Columbia University, I am compelled to ask: What can I do, and what can we, as a community, do to mitigate political polarization and violence in our county, state, and country?
At Solebury, a fantastic progressive liberal arts school, I introduced a model of discourse endorsed by leading psychologists and political scientists like Jonathan Haidt, of NYU, and Julia Dhar, of Harvard: separate the ideas from identity, find common ground, and disagree productively.
For instance, debates over tax policy were reframed not as ideological clashes of morality but as respectful discussions rooted in principles of fairness and economic liberty. This approach proves effective in defusing divisive rhetoric and promoting constructive dialogue.
At Solebury, we applied these principles to great success by understanding political ideologies through our shared moral foundations of fairness, purity, liberty, authority, and loyalty, as articulated by Haidt. This enabled us to empathize with differing viewpoints by creating a “shared reality” to form the bedrock of our discussions. Furthermore, we helped foster an environment where conservative voices felt safe and heard amidst a predominantly liberal setting.
While this model won’t bring instant change, it offers a pathway toward healing and unity. Democracy is a privilege, not to be taken for granted, but by embracing these principles, our community can serve as a shining beacon of hope and unity to the entire country, preserving the great American experiment for generations to come.
Aum Desai is a member of Solebury School’s Class of 2024.
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