Read it Yourself . 489 National Security Leaders for Biden

 

NATIONAL SECURITY LEADERS FOR BIDEN

We are 489 retired Generals, Admirals, Senior Noncommissioned Officers, Ambassadors and Senior Civilian National Security Officials supporting Joe Biden for President.

AN OPEN LETTER TO AMERICA

September 24, 2020

To Our Fellow Citizens:

​We are former public servants who have devoted our careers, and in many cases risked our lives, for the United States. We are generals, admirals, senior noncommissioned officers, ambassadors, and senior civilian national security leaders. We are Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. We love our country. Unfortunately, we also fear for it. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven America needs principled, wise, and responsible leadership. America needs a President who understands, as President Harry S. Truman said, that “the buck stops here.”

We the undersigned endorse Joe Biden to be the next President of the United States. He is the leader our nation needs.

We believe that Joe Biden is, above all, a good man with a strong sense of right and wrong. He is guided by the principles that have long made America great: democracy is a hard-won right we must defend and support at home and abroad; America’s power and influence stem as much from her moral authority as it does from her economic and military power; America’s free press is invaluable, not an enemy of the people; those who sacrifice or give their lives in service of our nation deserve our respect and eternal gratitude; and America’s citizens benefit most when the United States engages with the world. Joe Biden will always put the nation’s needs before his own. 

​Those who have served know empathy is a vital leadership quality – you cannot do what is best for those you lead if you do not know their challenges. Joe Biden has empathy born of his humble roots, family tragedies and personal loss. When Americans are struggling, Joe Biden understands their pain and takes it upon himself to help. 

We believe America’s president must be honest, and we find Joe Biden’s honesty and integrity indisputable. He believes a nation’s word is her bond. He believes we must stand by the allies who have stood by us. He remembers how America’s NATO allies rushed to her side after 9/11; how the Kurds fought by our side to defeat ISIS; and how Japan and South Korea have been steadfast partners in countering North Korean and Chinese provocations. Joe Biden would never sell out our allies to placate despots or because he dislikes an allied leader.

While some of us may have different opinions on particular policy matters, we trust Joe Biden’s positions are rooted in sound judgment, thorough understanding, and fundamental values.

We know Joe Biden has the experience and wisdom necessary to navigate America through a painful time. He has grappled with America’s most difficult foreign policy challenges for decades, learning what works – and what does not – in a dangerous world. He is knowledgeable, but he also knows that listening to diverse and dissenting views is essential, particularly when making tough decisions concerning our national security. Many of us have briefed Joe Biden on matters of national security, and we know he demands a thorough understanding of any issue before making a decision – as any American president should​

Finally, Joe Biden believes in personal responsibility. Over his long career, he has learned hard lessons and grown as a leader who can take positive action to unite and heal our country. It is unthinkable that he would ever utter the phrase “I don’t take responsibility at all.”

The next president will inherit a nation – and a world – in turmoil. The current President has demonstrated he is not equal to the enormous responsibilities of his office; he cannot rise to meet challenges large or small. Thanks to his disdainful attitude and his failures, our allies no longer trust or respect us, and our enemies no longer fear us. Climate change continues unabated, as does North Korea’s nuclear program. The president has ceded influence to a Russian adversary who puts bounties on the heads of American military personnel, and his trade war against China has only harmed America’s farmers and manufacturers. The next president will have to address those challenges while struggling with an economy in a deep recession and a pandemic that has already claimed more than 200,000 of our fellow citizens. America, with 4% of the world’s population suffers with 25% of the world’s COVID-19 cases. Only FDR and Abraham Lincoln came into office facing more monumental crises than the next president.

Joe Biden has the character, principles, wisdom, and leadership necessary to address a world on fire. That is why Joe Biden must be the next President of the United States; why we vigorously support his election; and why we urge our fellow citizens to do the same.

Sincerely,

Executive Director of National Security for Biden

Rear Admiral Michael E. Smith, USN (Ret)

Leadership of National Security Leaders for Biden:​

Admiral Steve Abbot, USN (Ret)

Major General Donna Feigley Barbisch, USA (Ret)

Steven Brock, former Director, National Security Council

Major General Peter S. Cooke, USA (Ret)

Richard Danzig, former Secretary of the Navy

Carlos Del Toro, former Senior Military Assistant, Department of Defense

Brigadier General John W. Douglass, USAF (Ret), former Assistant Secretary of the Navy

Michèle Flournoy, former Under Secretary of Defense

Lieutenant General Walt Gaskin, USMC (Ret)

Fleet Master Chief Raymond D. Kemp, Sr., USN (Ret)

Major General Randy Manner, USA (Ret)

Brigadier General Carlos E. Martinez, USAF (Ret)

Brigadier General Mark A. Montjar, USA (Ret

Sean O'Keefe, former Secretary of the Navy

Rear Admiral David R. Oliver, Jr., USN (Ret)

Ambassador Susan Rice, former National Security Advisor

Alex Wagner, former Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Army

Lieutenant General Willie Williams, USMC (Ret)

Brigadier General Dan Woodward, USAF (Ret)

Major General Margaret H. Woodward, USAF (Ret)

Senior Military Spouse Advisors:
Marjorie Abbot
Sheila L. Casey
Gert Clark
Mary Jo Myers

Ms. Suzie Schwartz

Members of National Security Leaders for Biden: 
Ambassador Gina K. Abercrombie-Winstanley (Ret)
Ambassador Charles C. Adams, Jr.
Gordon M. Adams, Ph.D., former Associate Director, Office of Management and Budget
Brigadier General Clara L. Adams-Ender, USA (Ret)
Major General James A. Adkins, USA (Ret)
Major General Jerald N. Albrecht, USA (Ret)
Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State
Clifford L. Alexander, former Secretary of the Army
Eric R. Allison, former Deputy Assistant Director of the CIA
Michael Amato, former Professional Staff Member, House Armed Services Committee
Brigadier General Steven M. Anderson, USA (Ret)
Wendy R. Anderson, former Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of Defense
Command Sergeant Major Victor S. Angry, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Mari Carmen Aponte (Ret), former Acting Assistant Secretary of State
Brigadier General Ricardo Aponte, USAF (Ret)
Richard L. Armitage, former Deputy Secretary of State
Major General Wallace Arnold, USA (Ret)
Vice Admiral Donald Arthur, USN (Ret)
Rear Admiral Tom Atkin, USCG (Ret)
Sergeant Major Sean A. Baker, USA (Ret)
Brigadier General Roosevelt Barfield, USA (Ret)
Rear Admiral Jamie Barnett, USN (Ret)
Rear Admiral Danelle Barrett, USN (Ret)
Ambassador Leslie A. Bassett (Ret)
Ambassador Michael A. Battle, Sr.
R. Rand Beers, former Acting Secretary of Homeland Security
Ambassador Colleen Bell
Virginia L. Bennett, former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Hans Binnendijk, Ph.D., former Special Assistant to the President, National Security Council
Ambassador Robert D. Blackwill (Ret), former Deputy National Security Advisor
Ambassador Robert Blake (Ret)
Charles A. Blanchard, former General Counsel of the Air Force
Ambassador James Blanchard (Ret), former Governor of Michigan
Lieutenant General Ronald R. Blanck, USA (Ret)
Ambassador John Blaney
Ambassador Avis T. Bohlen (Ret), former Assistant Secretary of State
Major General Charles “Charlie” F. Bolden Jr., USMC (Ret), former Administrator of NASA
Major General Edward L. Bolton, Jr., USAF (Ret)
Ambassador Amy L. Bondurant
Jason Bordoff, former Special Assistant to the President, National Security Council
General Chuck Boyd, USAF (Ret)
Lieutenant General John A. Bradley, USAF (Ret)
Brigadier General David M. Brahms, USMC (Ret)
Lieutenant General Marvin D. Brailsford, USA (Ret)
Patty Brandmaier, former Senior Executive Officer, CIA
Ambassador Aurelia E. Brazeal (Ret)
Ambassador James “Wally” Brewster, Jr.
Major General John W. Brooks, USAF (Ret)
Command Sergeant Major Dwight J. Brown, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Sue K. Brown
Mark Brunner, former Senior Advisor to U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA)
Ambassador George Bruno (Ret)
Joseph M. Bryan, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Theresa T. Buchanan, former Member, Uniform Formulary Beneficiary Advisory Panel
Kara L. Bue, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Ambassador Nicholas Burns (Ret), former Under Secretary of State
Ambassador William J. Burns (Ret), former Deputy Secretary of State
Sergeant Major William Burton, USMC (Ret)
Ambassador Prudence Bushnell (Ret)
Rear Admiral John Butler, USN (Ret)
Louis E. Caldera, former Secretary of the Army
Dan Caldwell, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Pepperdine University
Gabe Camarillo, former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force
Lieutenant General Donald M. Campbell, Jr., USA (Ret)
John R. Campbell, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Brigadier General Kristine K. Campbell, Ph.D., USA (Ret)
Kurt M. Campbell, former Assistant Secretary of State
Mario Caraballo, former Deputy Associate Administrator, EPA
Sergeant Major Rosemarie Caraballo, USA (Ret)
Vice Admiral James C. Card, USCG (Ret)
Robert Cardillo, former Director of the NGA
Patrick Carrick, Ph.D., former Agency Director, Department of Homeland Security
Ashton B. Carter, former Secretary of Defense
Steven A. Cash, former CIA Officer and Senate Staff
Lieutenant General John Castellaw, USMC (Ret)
Ambassador Judith B. Cefkin
Rear Admiral Bill Center, USN (Ret)
Ambassador Peter R. Chaveas (Ret)
Antonia Chayes, former Under Secretary of the Air Force
Brigadier General Stephen A. Cheney, USMC (Ret)
General Peter W. Chiarelli, USA (Ret)
Admiral Hank Chiles, USN (Ret), former Commander U.S. Strategic Command
Lieutenant General James Clapper, USAF (Ret), former Director of National Intelligence
General Wesley Clark, USA (Ret), former Commander U.S. European Command
Brigadier General Julia Jeter Cleckley, USA (Ret)
Rear Admiral William W. Cobb, Jr., USN (Ret)
David S. Cohen, former Deputy Director of the CIA
William Cohen, former Secretary of Defense
Harry Coker, Jr., former Executive Director of the NSA
Rear Admiral Christopher W. Cole, USN (Ret)
Lieutenant General Ronald S. Coleman, USMC (Ret)
Joseph J. Collins, Ph.D., former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Erin C. Conaton, former Under Secretary of Defense
Ambassador Elinor G. Constable (Ret)
Major General J. Gary Cooper, USMC (Ret)
Ambassador Cindy L. Courville, Ph.D. (Ret)
Daniel T. Crocker, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce
Ambassador James B. Cunningham (Ret)
Senior Chief Intelligence Specialist Marilee Cunningham, USN (Ret)
William B. Daitch, former Assistant Director, Department of Homeland Security
John H. Dalton, former Secretary of the Navy
Major General Stephen L. Danner, USA (Ret)
Rear Admiral John P. Davis, USN (Ret)
Robert V. Davis, former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
Ambassador Ruth A. Davis (Ret)
Lieutenant General Michael Davison, Jr., USA (Ret)
Daniel Dawson, former Senior Executive, Defense Intelligence Agency
Rear Admiral Scott D. Deitchman, MD, MPH, USPHS (Ret)
Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis (Ret)
Ambassador Greg Delawie (Ret)
Rudy DeLeon, former Deputy Secretary of Defense
Joan Dempsey, former Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
Major General Susan Y. Desjardins, USAF (Ret)
Major General Richard T. Devereaux, USAF (Ret)
Rear Admiral Kelvin N. Dixon, USN (Ret)
Ambassador Kathleen Doherty (Ret)
Michael B. Donley, former Secretary of the Air Force
Brigadier General Barbara Doornink, USA (Ret)
Greg Douquet, National Security Leader
Martha E. Duncan, former Chief DIA Defense Human Intelligence Enterprise
Vice Admiral Joseph Dyer, USN (Ret)
Ambassador William C. Eacho
Major General Paul Eaton, USA (Ret)
Ambassador William A. Eaton (Ret)
R.P. Eddy, former Director, National Security Council
Eric Edelman, former Under Secretary of Defense
Major General Mari K. Eder, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Susan M. Elliott (Ret)
Ambassador John B. Emerson (Ret)
Major General William L. Enyart, USA (Ret), former U.S. Congressman (IL-12)
Sergeant Major John L. Estrada, USMC (Ret)
Rear Admiral Stephen C. Evans, USN (Ret)
Elisa Ewers, former Director, National Security Council
Major General John Ewers, USMC (Ret)
Vice Admiral Ron Eytchison, USN (Ret)
Roland Fabia, former Chief of Corporate Engagement, Defense Intelligence Agency
Richard A. Falkenrath, former Deputy Homeland Security Advisor
Brigadier General Robert J. Felderman, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Judith R. Fergin (Ret)
Sergeant Major Ronald E. Fetherson, USMC (Ret)
Brigadier General Evelyn “Pat” Foote, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Robert S. Ford (Ret)
Brigadier General Martin E.B. France, USAF (Ret)
Vice Admiral Michael T. Franken, USN (Ret)
Command Chief Master Sergeant Shelina E. Frey, USAF (Ret)
Rear Admiral Michael S. Frick, USN (Ret)
Rear Admiral Robert Ellis Frick, USN (Ret)
Ambassador Laurie S. Fulton
Ambassador Julie Furuta-Toy
Ambassador Edward M. Gabriel
Ambassador Peter W. Galbraith
Rear Admiral James M. Galloway, MD, USPHS (Ret)
Juan M Garcia, former Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Lieutenant General Robert G. Gard, USA (Ret)
Brigadier General Jonathan George, USAF (Ret)
Ambassador Gordon D. Giffin
Daniel B. Ginsberg, former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force
Brigadier General Robert A. Glacel, USA (Ret)
Rear Admiral Fred Stephen Glass, USN (Ret)
Sherri W. Goodman, former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
Rose Gottemoeller, former Under Secretary of State
W. Scott Gould, former Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Vice Admiral Kevin Patrick Green, USN (Ret)
Ambassador Lino Gutiérrez (Ret)
Ambassador Howard Gutman
Ambassador Nina Hachigian
Major General Richard S. Haddad, USAF (Ret)
Rear Admiral Marlene E. Haffner, MD, MPH, USPHS (Ret)
Chuck Hagel, former Secretary of Defense
Avril Haines, former Deputy Director of the CIA
Robert Hale, former Under Secretary of Defense
Major General Irv Halter, USAF (Ret)
Ambassador Pamela K. Hamamoto
Rear Admiral Janice M. Hamby, USN (Ret)
Ambassador S. Fitzgerald Haney
Mary B. Hannagan, former Director of Staffing, Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Ken Harbaugh, National Security Leader 
Major General Robert A. Harding, USA (Ret)
Rear Admiral Jeffrey A. Harley, USN (Ret)
Ambassador Anthony Harrington
Major General Jerry C. Harrison, USA (Ret)
United States Senator Gary Hart (Ret)
Tom N. Harvey, former Assistant Secretary of Defense
General Michael Hayden, USAF (Ret), former Director of the CIA
Major General Ralph L. Haynes, MD, MBA, USA (Ret)
General Richard D. Hearney, USMC (Ret)
Rear Admiral Clare Helminiak, MD, MPH, USPHS (Ret)
Ambassador Bruce Alan Heyman
Ambassador Douglas T. Hickey
John R. Hoag, former Principal Director for Policy, U.S. Mission to NATO
Laura S. H. Holgate, former Special Assistant to the President, National Security Council
Lieutenant General Reynold N. Hoover, USA (Ret)
Vice Admiral P. Gardner Howe, III, USN (Ret)
Ambassador Vicki J. Huddleston (Ret), former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Ambassador David Huebner
James G. Huse, Jr., former Inspector General of the SSA
Rear Admiral John D. Hutson, JAGC USN (Ret)
Paul Ignatius, former Secretary of the Navy
Ambassador Karl F. Inderfurth (Ret), former Assistant Secretary of State
Chris Inglis, former Deputy Director of the NSA
Admiral Bobby Inman, USN (Ret), former Deputy Director of the CIA
Brigadier General David R. Irvine, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Roberta S. Jacobson (Ret)
Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson (Ret)
Deborah Lee James, former Secretary of the Air Force
Lieutenant General Arlen D. Jameson, USAF (Ret)
Major General Randy Jayne, USAF (Ret)
Ray Jefferson, former Assistant Secretary, Department of Labor
Brigadier General John Johns, USA (Ret)
Brigadier General Axel Alfred Johnson III, USA (Ret)
Ambassador David T. Johnson (Ret)
Command Chief Master Sergeant Jack Johnson, Jr., USAF (Ret)
Major General James Johnson, USAF (Ret)
Lieutenant General Michelle D. Johnson, USAF (Ret)
Ambassador Beth Jones (Ret)
Brigadier General C. Jerome Jones, USAF (Ret)
Ambassador Deborah K. Jones
Major General Michael Jones, USA (Ret)
Command Sergeant Major Michele S. Jones, USA (Ret)
Lieutenant General Jan-Marc Jouas, USAF (Ret)
Colin H. Kahl, Ph.D., former National Security Advisor to the Vice President
Rear Admiral Douglas B. Kamerow, MD, MPH, USPHS (Ret)
Frank Kendall, former Under Secretary of Defense
Rear Admiral Gene Kendall, USN (Ret)
Brigadier General Jeffrey B. Kendall, USAF (Ret)
Ambassador Laura E. Kennedy (Ret), former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State 
Ambassador Kristie Kenney (Ret)
John Kerry, former Secretary of State
Lieutenant General Frank Klotz, USAF (Ret), former Under Secretary of Energy
Susan J. Koch, Ph.D., former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Ambassador Jimmy Kolker (Ret), former Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services
Ambassador Karen Kornbluh
Ken Krieg, former Under Secretary of Defense
William Krist, former Assistant Trade Representative

Major General Dennis J. Laich, USA (Ret)
Anthony Lake, former National Security Advisor
Brett B. Lambert, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Thomas R. Lamont, former Assistant Secretary of the Army
David Lapan, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Rear Admiral William D. Lassek, MD, USPHS (Ret)
Ambassador Joyce E. Leader (Ret)
Master Chief Petty Officer Bobby R. Lee, Jr., USN (Ret)
Vice Admiral Mike LeFever, USN (Ret)
Bruce S. Lemkin, former Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force
Major General Alfonso E. Lenhardt, USA (Ret)
Peter D. Lennon, former Special Assistant, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense
Bel Leong-Hong, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Major General Steven J. Lepper, USAF (Ret)
Brigadier General Phil Leventis, USAF (Ret)
Ambassador Jeffrey D. Levine (Ret)
Reta Jo Lewis, former Special Rep for Global Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of State
Ambassador Dawn Liberi (Ret)
Lieutenant General Frank Libutti, USMC (Ret), former Under Secretary of Homeland Security
Rear Admiral David M. Lichtman, MD, USN (Ret)
Rear Admiral Samuel Lin, MD, Ph.D., MBA, MPA, MS, USPHS (Ret)
Admiral Samuel J. Locklear, USN (Ret), former Commander U.S. Pacific Command
Rear Admiral Deborah A. Loewer, USN (Ret)
Ambassador Carmen Lomellin
Letitia A. “Tish” Long, former Director of the NGA
Major General Don Loranger, USAF (Ret)
Admiral James Loy, USCG (Ret), former Commandant of the Coast Guard
Lieutenant General Charles D. Luckey, USA (Ret)
Michael D. Lumpkin, former Assistant Secretary of Defense
Rear Admiral Boris D. Lushniak, MD, MPH, USPHS (Ret)
Ambassador Douglas Lute (Ret)
Ray Mabus, former Secretary of the Navy
Rear Admiral Archer M. Macy, USN (Ret)
General David M. Maddox, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Deborah R. Malac (Ret)
Ambassador Robert A. Mandell
Robert Terry Marlow, former Principal Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force
Ambassador Niels Marquardt (Ret)
Brigadier General Gregory Mason, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Dennise Mathieu (Ret)
Rear Admiral Michael G. Mathis, USN (Ret)
Alejandro Mayorkas, former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
Barbara Estock Mays, former Special Assistant, Defense Intelligence Agency
Ambassador Marshall F. McCallie (Ret)
Sergeant Major Patricia Mack McCollough, USMC (Ret)
Ryan McDermott, former Principal Director, Department of Defense
Denis McDonough, former White House Chief of Staff
Ambassador Nancy McEldowney (Ret)
Ann McFadden, former Senior Executive, U.S. Army
Ambassador Stephen G. McFarland (Ret)
Vice Admiral Dennis V. McGinn, USN (Ret)
Brigadier General David L. McGinnis, USA (Ret), former Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense
Donald F. McHenry, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
Ambassador Elizabeth McKune (Ret)
John McLaughlin, former Acting Director of the CIA
General Merrill A. McPeak, USAF (Ret), former Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Major General Dee Ann McWilliams, USA (Ret)
Brigadier General Joseph V. Medina, USMC (Ret)
Ambassador James D. Melville, Jr. (Ret)
James N. Miller, former Under Secretary of Defense
Jami Miscik, former Deputy Director of the CIA
Rear Admiral Kenneth P. Moritsugu, MD, MPH, FACPM, USPHS (Ret)
Ambassador Richard Morningstar
Vice Admiral Charles L. Munns, USN (Ret)
Patrick Murphy, former Acting Secretary of the Army
Vice Admiral Robert B. Murrett, USN (Ret), former Director of the NGA
Major General J. Michael Myatt, USMC (Ret)
Janet Napolitano, former Secretary of Homeland Security
Admiral John Nathman, USN (Ret)
Ambassador David D. Nelson (Ret)
Dava Newman, former Deputy Administrator of NASA
General Lloyd Fig Newton, USAF (Ret)
Thomas R. Nides, former Deputy Secretary of State
Ambassador Crystal Nix-Hines (Ret)
John M. Nolan, former Deputy Postmaster General, U.S. Postal Service
Rear Admiral Audrey Hart Nora, MD, MPH, USPHS (Ret)
Ambassador Victoria Nuland (Ret)
Joseph Nye, former Assistant Secretary of Defense
Brigadier General Mark O’Neill, USA (Ret)
Matt Olsen, former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center
Major General Eric T. Olson, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Louis F. O'Neill (Ret)
Thomas P. Oppel, former Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Navy
Lieutenant General Charley Otstott, USA (Ret)
Tracy Pakulniewicz, former Director of Policy Integration, Department of Defense
Brigadier General Pete J. Palmer, USA (Ret)
Leon E. Panetta, former Secretary of Defense
BJ Penn, former Acting Secretary of the Navy
William J. Perry, former Secretary of Defense
Vice Admiral D. Brian Peterman, USCG (Ret)
F. Whitten Peters, former Secretary of the Air Force
Major General Marne’ Peterson, Ph.D., USAF (Ret)
Ambassador Nancy Bikoff Pettit (Ret)
Major General John Phillips, USAF (Ret)
Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering (Ret), former Under Secretary of State
Ambassador Joan M. Plaisted (Ret)
Rear Admiral Julia R. Plotnick, RN, MPH, USPHS (Ret)
Major General Gale S. Pollock, CRNA, FACHE, FAAN, USA (Ret)
Rear Admiral Fernandez “Frank” Ponds, USN (Ret)
Edward A. Powell, former Acting Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Ambassador Nancy J. Powell (Ret)
Sen. Larry Pressler, former United States Senator (R-SD)
Rear Admiral William L. Putnam, USN (Ret)
Major General Marilyn Quagliotti, USA (Ret)
Major General Mark R. Quantock, USA (Ret)
Rear Admiral Kevin M. Quinn, USN (Ret)
Mary E. Quinn, former Senior Executive, Department of Defense
Ambassador Maureen Quinn (Ret)
Major General William M. Rajczak, USAF (Ret)
Adrienne Ramsay, former Professional Staff, House Appropriations Committee
Ambassador Robin L. Raphel
Ambassador Charles A. Ray (Ret)
Joe Reeder, former Under Secretary of the Army
Major General Raymond “Fred” Rees, USA (Ret)
Sergeant Major Fenton Reese, USMC (Ret)
Rear Admiral Mark Rich, USN (Ret)
Governor Bill Richardson, former Secretary of Energy
Sandra V. Richardson, former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
Lieutenant General Charles H. Roadman II, MD, USAF (Ret)
Vice Admiral Clyde Robbins, USCG (Ret)
Rear Admiral Harold L. Robinson, USN (Ret)
Brigadier General Ronald F. Rokosz, USA (Ret)
Frank A. Rose, former Assistant Secretary of State
Major General Patricia Rose, USAF (Ret)
Tommy Ross, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Ambassador Leslie V. Rowe (Ret)
Vice Admiral Roger T. Rufe, USCG (Ret)
Rear Admiral Paul J. Ryan, USN (Ret)
Dr. Robert A. Sanders, LP.D, Chair, National Security, University of New Haven
Ambassador Miriam Sapiro
Ambassador Teresita C. Schaffer (Ret)
James A. Schear, Ph.D., former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Brigadier General Donald F. Schenk, USA (Ret)
Brigadier General John M. Schuster, USA (Ret)
Major General Errol R. Schwartz, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Tod Sedgwick
General Paul J. Selva, USAF (Ret), former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
General Robert W. Sennewald, USA (Ret)
Rear Admiral Joe Sestak, USN (Ret), former U.S. Congressman (PA-7)
Sharon B. Seymour, former Senior Executive, U.S. Air Force
Khushali Shah, former Managing Director, State Department Office of Foreign Assistance
Rear Admiral Jim Shannon, USN (Ret), former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Ambassador Daniel B. Shapiro
Ambassador Mattie R. Sharpless (Ret)
Senior Master Sergeant Donald B. Shaw II, USAF (Ret)
Vice Admiral Herman Shelanski, USN (Ret)
Ambassador Robert A. Sherman
Ambassador Wendy R. Sherman (Ret), former Under Secretary of State
Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, former Deputy Secretary of Energy
Russell D. Shilling, Ph.D., former Executive Director, Department of Education
Rear Admiral David Simpson, USN (Ret)
Walter B. Slocombe, former Under Secretary of Defense
Ambassador Dana Shell Smith (Ret)
Rear Admiral Gregory J. Smith, USN (Ret)
Jeffrey H. Smith, former General Counsel of the CIA
Brigadier General Paul Gregory Smith, USA (Ret)
Rear Admiral Steven Grayson Smith, USN (Ret)
Ambassador Nancy E. Soderberg, former Deputy National Security Advisor
Ambassador Alan Solomont
Robert M. Speer, former Acting Secretary of the Army
Rear Admiral Todd Jay Squire, USN (Ret)
Major General Clifford L. Stanley, USMC (Ret), former Under Secretary of Defense
Donald C. Stanton, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Ambassador Karen Clark Stanton (Ret)
James Steinberg, former Deputy Secretary of State
Major General Howard D. Stendahl, USAF (Ret)
Brigadier General Robert L. Stephens, USA (Ret)
Mary M. Stickney, former Senior Advisor, Federal Judiciary
Sergeant Major Peni M. Sua, USA (Ret)
Kathryn Sullivan, former Administrator of NOAA
Maura C. Sullivan, former Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Dr. Gordon Sumner, Ph.D., former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Mona Sutphen, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff
Brigadier General Loree Sutton, USA (Ret)
Major General Tony M. Taguba, USA (Ret)
Brigadier General Francis X. Taylor, USAF (Ret)
John K. Tien, former Senior Director, National Security Council
Rear Admiral Paul E. Tobin, USN (Ret)
Gregory F. Treverton, former Chair of the National Intelligence Council
Lieutenant General William J. Troy, USA (Ret)
Major General F. Andrew Turley, USAF (Ret)
Brigadier General William W. Uhle, Jr., USAF (Ret)
Admiral Henry G. “Harry” Ulrich, III, USN (Ret)
Brigadier General Robin B. Umberg, USA (Ret)
Thomas Umberg, former Deputy Director, White House Office of Nat'l Drug Control Policy
Brigadier General Scott P. Van Cleef, USAF (Ret)
Rear Admiral William Craig Vanderwagen, USPHS (Ret)
Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, former Assistant Secretary of Defense
Lieutenant General Dale A. Vesser, USA (Ret)
Mike Vickers, former Under Secretary of Defense
Governor Tom Vilsack, former Secretary of Agriculture
Ambassador Jenonne Walker (Ret)
Ambassador Marc Wall (Ret)
Brigadier General George H. Walls, Jr., USMC (Ret)
Ambassador James D. Walsh
Brigadier General John Watkins, USA (Ret)
Jack H. Watson, Jr., former White House Chief of Staff
Brigadier General Marianne Watson, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Earl Anthony Wayne (Ret)
Andy Weber, former Assistant Secretary of Defense
William Webster, former Director of the CIA
William F. Wechsler, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Todd A. Weiler, former Assistant Secretary of Defense
Lieutenant General Jack Weinstein, USAF (Ret)
General Joe Went, USMC (Ret)
Ambassador Joseph Westphal, former Under Secretary of the Army
Rear Admiral Hugh Denworth Wetherald, USN (Ret)
Major General Deborah C. Wheeling, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Barry B. White
Rear Admiral Robert A. Whitney, Jr., DVM, MS, USPHS (Ret)
Sheila Widnall, former Secretary of the Air Force
Sergeant Major Alexander Williams, USMC (Ret)
Ambassador Bisa Williams (Ret)
Chief Master Sergeant Calvin D. Williams, Sr., USAF (Ret)
Kayla M. Williams, former Director, Department of Veterans Affairs
General Michael Williams, USMC (Ret)
Major General Margaret C. Wilmoth, Ph.D., MSS, RN, FAAN, USA (Ret)
Douglas B. Wilson, former Assistant Secretary of Defense
Rear Admiral Jesse A. Wilson, Jr., USN (Ret)
General Johnnie E. Wilson, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Duane E. Woerth
Sergeant Major Bobby B. Woods, USMC (Ret)
Bill Woodward, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Matice Wright-Springer, former Principal Director, Department of Defense
Brigadier General Stephen N. Xenakis, MD, USA (Ret)
Ambassador Johnny Young (Ret)
Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch (Ret)
Dov S. Zakheim, former Under Secretary of Defense
Patricia J. Zarodkiewicz, former Senior Executive to the Secretary of the Air Force
Peter D. Zimmerman, Ph.D., former Chief Scientist, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
General Anthony C. Zinni, USMC (Ret), former Commander U.S. Central Command
Robert B. Zoellick, former U.S. Trade Representative
Admiral Paul Zukunft, USCG (Ret), former Commandant of the Coast Guard
Brigadier General Peter B. Zwack, USA (Ret)

CONTACT US

Media: Contact Cole Stevens at

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[Copied and pasted from https://www.nationalsecurityleaders4biden.com . 09.24.20]

200,000 REASONS WHY

200,000 American deaths. 

Who could have imagined an American president doing so little to protect the health and wellbeing of his constituents ... and in fact suing to dismantle healthcare protections from citizens whose safety and participation in the real economy — whose mortal lives — are at risk… Who could have imagined?

If nothing else — for ourselves, our children, our children‘s children — I‘m convinced we must vote healthcare this election.

Dear Senator: Your Republican Senate counterparts are abusing the American people through their weak-kneed compliance with the president, including a cruel assault on quality, affordable healthcare that protects the lives and economic participation of tens of millions of Americans. Now, on our behalf, please use every lawful tool at your disposal to make them pay. Thank you, Senator. Jim Hancock

Peter Block Talks with Jim Henderson + Jim Hancock About Crossing the Difference Divide

The stellar Peter Block met Jim Henderson and me to talk about crossing the difference divide, and why 3Practice Circles are important

If this piques your interest, check out our book, 3Practices for Crossing the Difference Divide on Amazon.

Read it Yourself . Joe Biden Honors Ruth Bader Ginsburg . September 20 2020 . Philadelphia PA

Sunday, September 20, 2020, Joe Biden honored the memory of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsburg at Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Transcript provided by Rev.com.

Joe Biden: (03:43)
Welcome to the nation’s Constitution Center. I had the great privilege of being a guest here. It’s an appropriate place to make the speech I’m about to make. I attended a mass earlier today and prayed for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her family. The nation lost a heroine, an icon. They also lost a mother, a grandmother, and a matriarch. We know how hard that is, to watch a piece of your soul absorb the cruelty and the pain of the dreadful disease of cancer. I spoke to her daughter and her granddaughter last night, expressing my whole family, I mean, my whole family’s sorrow, particularly my grown granddaughters, one of whom was a student of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s daughter at Columbia. They made clear to me, daughter and granddaughter, that until the very end, Justice Ginsburg displayed the character and courage we’d expect of her. They said she held their hands and gave them strength and purpose to carry on.

Joe Biden: (05:13)
It’s been noted that she passed away on Rosh Hashanah. By tradition, a person who dies during the Jewish new year is considered a soul of great righteousness. That was Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a righteous soul. It was my great honor, when I was in the Senate and Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, to preside over her confirmation hearings and strongly support her ascension to the Supreme Court bench. Justice Ginsburg achieved a standing few justices have or ever will. She became a presence in the lives of so many Americans and a part of our culture.

Joe Biden: (06:00)
I agree with what others have said, that she did as much to advance the constitutional rights, opportunities, and justice for women as Justice Marshall did for African Americans. Yes, there was humor and mentions of the Notorious RBG and her impressive exercise routines, but there was so much more. She was, to use an overused word, a trailblazer, a role model, a source of hope and a powerful voice for justice. She was proof, proof that courage and conviction and moral clarity can change not only the law, it can change our culture. It can change the world. And I believe in the days and months and years ahead, excuse me, she will continue to inspire millions of Americans all across this country. And together we can, and we will, continue to be a voice for justice in her name.

Joe Biden: (07:05)
Her granddaughter said yesterday and said publicly that her dying words were, “My most fervent wish is that I not be replaced until a new president is installed.” As a nation, we should heed her final call to us, not as a personal service to her, but as a service to the country, our country, at a crossroads. There’s so much at stake, the right to healthcare, clean air, clean water, the environment, equal pay for equal work, the rights of voters, immigrants, women, workers. And right now our country faces a choice, a choice about whether we will come back from the brink.

Joe Biden: (08:01)
That’s what I would like to talk with you about for a few minutes today. Within an hour of news of her passing, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said President Trump’s nominee to replace Justice Ginsburg will receive a vote in the Senate. Within an hour of her passing. The exact opposite of what he said when President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to replace Justice Scalia in 2016. At that time, Majority Leader McConnell made up a rule based on the fiction that I somehow believe there should be no nomination to the court in an election year. That’s ridiculous. The only rule I’ve ever followed relating to the Supreme Court nomination was the Constitution’s obligation for senators to provide their advice and their consent to a president’s judicial nominee.

Joe Biden: (09:02)
But he created a new rule, the McConnell rule. Absolutely no hearing, no vote for a nominee in an election year, period, no caveats, and many Republican senators agreed with him, including then Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, including the current Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina, who at the time said, and I quote verbatim, here’s what he said. “I want you to use my words against me if there’s a Republican president in 2016 and a vacancy occurs in the last year of the first term. You can say, Lindsey Graham said, let’s let the next president, whoever it might be, make the nomination.” Continuing to quote, “And you could use my words against me, and you’d be absolutely right.” End of quote. That’s what Republicans said when Justice Scalia passed away about nine months before election day that year.

Joe Biden: (10:18)
Now, having lost Justice Ginsburg less than seven weeks before the election this year, after Americans have already begun to cast their vote. It’s estimated that up to 40% of Americans will have voted by October 1st, but at least 30%. Tens of millions. And you can’t unring the bell. Having made this their standard when it served their interests, they cannot just four years later change course when it doesn’t serve their ends. Look, I’m not being naive. I’m not speaking to President Trump, who will do whatever he wants. I’m not speaking to Mitch McConnell, who will do what he wants, and he does. I’m speaking to those Republicans out there, Senate Republicans, who know deep down what is right for the country and consistent with the Constitution, as I stand here in the Constitution Center, not just what’s best for their party.

Joe Biden: (11:30)
I’m speaking for millions of Americans out there who already have voted and continue to vote, and we’ll have many more voted by the time this process is finished. Millions of Americans who are voting because they know their healthcare hangs in the balance. In the middle of the worst global health crisis in living memory, Donald Trump is before the Supreme Court, trying to strip healthcare coverage away from tens of millions of families. This took away the peace of mind of more than 100 million Americans with preexisting conditions. If he succeeds, insurers could once again discriminate or drop coverage completely for people living with preexisting conditions, like asthma, diabetes, cancer, and so many other problems.

Joe Biden: (12:28)
And perhaps most cruelly of all, if Donald Trump has his way, the complications from COVID-19, which are well beyond what they should be, it’s estimated that 200 million people have died probably by the time I finish this talk, the complications of COVID-19, like lung scarring and heart damage, could become the next deniable preexisting condition for over six million Americans who’ve already contracted the disease.

Joe Biden: (13:09)
Millions of Americans are also voting because they don’t want nearly half a century of legal precedent to be overturned and lose the right to choose. Millions of Americans who are at risk of losing their right to vote. Millions of Dreamers who are at risk of being expelled from the only country they have ever known. Millions of workers. Union workers who are at risk of losing their right to collectively bargain. Millions of Americans who are demanding that their voices be heard, that equal justice be a guarantee for all, not just some. They know, we all know, what should happen now. The voters of this country should be heard. As I said, voting has already begun. By the time we get to the middle of October, there will be millions and millions and millions who have already voted. In just a few weeks, all votes in this nation will be heard. They’re the ones who the Constitution envisions should decide who has the power to make this appointment.

Joe Biden: (14:27)
This appointment isn’t about the past. It’s about the future, and the people of this nation, and the people of this nation are choosing their future right now, as they vote. To jam this nomination through the Senate is just an exercise in raw political power, and I don’t believe that the people of this nation will stand for it. President Trump has already made it clear, this is about power, pure and simple power. Whether the voters should make it clear on this issue and so many others, the power in this nation resides with them, the American people, the voters, and even if President Trump wants to put forward a name now, the Senate should not act until after the American people select their next president, their next Congress, their next Senate. If Donald Trump wins the election, then the Senate should move on his selection and weigh the nominee he chooses fairly.

Joe Biden: (15:39)
But if I win this election, President Trump’s nominee should be withdrawn, and as a new president I should be the one who nominates Justice Ginsburg’s successor, a nominee who should get a fair hearing in the Senate before a confirmation hearing, before a confirmation vote, I should say, after a confirmation hearing.

Joe Biden: (16:05)
We’re in the middle of a pandemic. Like I said, as I speak, we’re probably passing 200,000 deaths lost to this virus. Tens of millions of Americans are unemployed. Healthcare in this country hangs in the balance before the court. And now, in a raw political move, this president and the Republican leader have decided to jam a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court through the United States Senate. That’s the last thing we need at this moment. As I said, voters have already begun casting their votes in the millions. And in just a few weeks, we’re going to know who the voters of this nation have chosen as the next president. The United States Constitution was designed to give voters one chance, one chance to have their voice heard in who serves on the court. And by the way, there’s no court session between now and the end of this election.

Joe Biden: (17:12)
That moment is now for the voters to get a chance to be heard, and their voice should be heard. And I believe voters are going to make it clear. They’ll not stand for this abuse of power, this constitutional abuse. There’s no discussion about what happens if the Senate confirms on the eve of election or in a lame duck after Donald Trump loses. A successor to Justice Ginsburg, what happens? But that discussion assumes that we lose this effort to prevent the grave wrong that Trump and McConnell are pursuing here. I’m not going to assume failure at this point. I believe the voices of the American people should be heard and will be heard. This vote, this fight, this nomination will not be over until the Senate votes, if it does vote. Winning that vote, if it happens, is everything. Action and reaction, anger and more anger, sorrow and frustration at the way things are in this country now politically, that’s the cycle that Republican senators will continue to perpetuate if they go down this dangerous path that they put us on.

Joe Biden: (18:37)
We need to deescalate, not escalate. That’s why I appeal to those few Senate Republicans, the handful who really will decide what happens. Please, follow your conscience. Don’t vote to confirm anyone nominated under the circumstances President Trump and Senator McConnell have created. Don’t go there. Uphold your constitutional duty, your conscience. Let the people speak. Cool the flames that have been engulfing our country. We can’t keep rewriting history, scrambling norms, ignoring our cherished system of checks and balances. That includes this whole business of releasing a list of potential nominees that I would put forward. They’re now saying, after Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away, they said, “Biden should release his list.” It’s no wonder the Trump campaign asked that I release the list only after she passed away. It’s a game for them. It’s a play to [inaudible 00:19:44] up emotions and anger.

Joe Biden: (19:46)
There’s a reason why no presidential candidate, other than Donald Trump, has ever done such a thing. First, putting a judge’s name on a list like that could influence that person’s decision making as a judge, and that would be wrong, or at least create the perception that it would have influence. Second, anyone put on a list like that under these circumstances will be subject to unrelenting political attacks. Because any nominee I would select would not get a hearing until 2021 at the earliest, she would endure those attacks for months on end, without being able to defend herself. Thirdly, and finally, perhaps most importantly, if I win, I’ll make my choice for the Supreme Court not based on a partisan election campaign, but on what prior presidents have done, Republican and Democrats, and I’ve served with many of them.

Joe Biden: (20:49)
Only after consulting Democrats and Republicans in the United States Senate and seeking their advice and asking for the consent, it says, “Advice and consent of the Senate,” the president is the person who gets to name someone, propose. The Senate deposes. As everyone knows, I made it clear that my first choice for the Supreme Court will make history as the first African American woman justice. But I’ll consult with senators in both parties about that pick, as well as the legal and civil leaders in our country. In the end, the choice will be mine and mine alone, but I will consult. It will be the product of a process that restores our finest traditions, not the extension of one that’s torn this country apart the last years.

Joe Biden: (21:47)
So let me conclude with this. As I’ve said in this campaign, we’re in the battle for the soul of this country. We face historic crises, once in a generation pandemic, a devastating economic recession, the rise of white supremacy that the FBI directors warned us against, unseen since the sixties, and a reckoning on race that’s long overdue, a challenging climate, a changing climate that is ravaging our nation and the world as we speak. Supreme Court decisions will touch every part of these crises, every part of our lives and our future. The last thing we need is to add a constitutional crisis that plunges us deeper into the abyss, deeper into the darkness.

Joe Biden: (22:51)
If we go down this path, I predict it will cause irreversible damage. The infection this president has unleashed on our democracy can be fatal. Enough. Enough. Enough. We must come together as a nation. Democrats, Republicans, independents, liberals, conservatives, everybody. I’m not saying we have to agree on everything, but we have to reason our way through what ails us as citizens, voters, public service. That’s the guidebook called the Constitution. We have to act in good faith, in mutual goodwill, in the spirit of conciliation, not confrontation.

Joe Biden: (23:49)
This nation will continue to be inspired by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but we should not only be inspired by her, we should be guided by her, by her willingness to listen to those with whom she disagreed, to respect other points of view. Famously, Justice Ginsburg got along well with some of the most conservative justices on the court. And she did it without compromising her principles, clouding her moral clarity, or losing her core principles. If she can do this, so can we. How we talk to one another matters, how we treat one another matters, respecting others matters. Justice Ginsburg proved it’s important to have a spine of steel, but also important to have an open hand, not a clenched fist, to those with whom we disagree.

Joe Biden: (24:54)
This nation needs to come together. I’ve said it many times in this election. We are the United States of America. There’s nothing we cannot overcome. There’s nothing we cannot do, if we do it together. Donald Trump seems to want to divide this nation between red states and blue states, between representing those states that vote for him and ignoring those who don’t. I do not. I cannot, I will not be that president. I’ll be a president for the whole country, for those who vote for me and those who vote against me. We need to rise in this moment for the sake of the country we love so dearly, indeed for its very soul. May God bless the United States of America. May God protect our troops. And may God bless Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Thank you so much.

Are You in a Reading Group? (Have I got a book for you!)

Are you in a reading group? 

Do you wish you had a book about talking to ideological opponents without feeling obliged to agree? 

Consider 3Practices for Crossing the Difference Divide (click on the Kindle edition to read an excerpt).

Get in touch with me directly, and I’ll get a special price for your group.

Or, if you’d like to join a four-week conversation about the book with Jim Henderson and me, let us know and we’ll inform you about next 3Practice Book Club.

White men who said one thing then did another...

 

Equal protection under law for Black Americans hasn’t improved measurably since the 1990s, when White American evangelical men crowded by the tens of thousands into sports venues across the country,  and promised to stand by Black and Brown men and their families. 

So… where are those White American evangelical men now? 

Where are they in this election season when racial justice is absolutely on the ballot from top to bottom?

With a clear opportunity to get it right this time, where are the Promise Keepers?

Good Talk . Thank you.

Now that you mention it, I have to admit that, generally I do not — in the normal course of my political life — take responsibility for the outcome of pregnancies ... as, generally I suppose you do not — in the normal course of your political life — take responsibility for the outcome of births.

If I did, I suppose I would insist on much stronger supports for prenatal and maternal care … and preparing people to become effective parents … and pursuing public goods that could reduce the number of unintentional pregnancies … and I suppose my vote would reflect my commitment.

If you did, I suppose you would insist on much stronger supports for family nutrition, healthcare ... and living wages … early childhood development … equitable education and work preparation for every child … responsible environmental practices across the board ... effective, efficient, and just governance for the common good … equal protection under law for every person ... and I suppose your vote would reflect your commitment.

I see your point: I should insist on much stronger supports for prenatal and maternal care and preparing people to become effective parents and pursuing public goods that could reduce the number of unintentional pregnancies ... and I will.

Thanks. Good talk. 

How the rules change is, honestly, surprising

If folks like each other, the rules change. Long before we met, Jim Henderson and I were learning — and trying to help others learn — to cross the the difference divide. In the 90s, EdgeTV was part of that for me  … as was Raising Adults … and a lot of behind-the-scenes work that you may or may not know I had anything to do with. Jim Henderson’s work on mapping a way across the difference divide includes Jim & Casper Go to Church and, like me, a lot of behind-the-scenes work. After I moved to Seattle, Jim + I got together on a feature-length documentary called No Joke — it’s the story of three people in Peoria, Illinois … a rabbi, an imam, and an honest-to-God evangelical preacher … who became fast friends (against all odds, really). That was 2016. No Joke confirmed some things we’d been working on in parallel for a long time. We call what we’re doing 3Practices for Crossing the Difference Divide. In a nutshell, the 3Practices are: I’ll be unusually interested in others I’ll stay in the room with difference I’ll stop comparing my best with your worst We started gathering folks who have good reasons to disagree with each other into 3Practice Circles. To our delight, people who were used to fighting like cats and dogs started learning to listen. They were still cats and dogs … they just found greater clarity when they did less growling and hissing. We tinkered and refined the 3Practices and the rules that make 3Practice Circles work. We led Face-to-Face Circles around Seattle, with occasional excursions for 3Practice Fishbowl Circles at gatherings of business, civic, and religious leaders. That was 2017 and 2018. We went public with an engagement initiated by the Office of the Chancellor of University of California, Merced (UC’s most diverse campus, we were told) … we trained 3Practice Circle Leaders in California’s Central Valley, initiated by the regional chapter of the American Leadership Forum … we wrote a book, 3Practices for Crossing the Difference Divide. That was 2019. In 2020, a few weeks before things got crazy, we led our first online 3Practice Zoom Circle because we had a hunch our future might be as much online as in real life … after all, for better and worse, the internet is where a lot of ideological opponents encounter each other. 3Practice Zoom Circles tested well — just as well as Face-to-Face Circles and event-based Fishbowl Circles — which is a good thing because, for the time being, it's online or nothing for this sort of interaction. And when we come out the other side, we’ll have three ways to experience 3Practice Circles! Before we entered the world of self-isolation and social distancing, we led two or three 3Practice Circles a month. Now we lead two or three 3Practice Zoom Circles a week. But that’s not enough. People who have a little time on their hands in these stay-at-home days have been raising their hands to say they want to learn how to lead 3Practice Circles in their spheres of influence. So, this fall we’re launching anoher online 3Practice Circle Leader Training. The training is in six 75-90-minute sessions over three weeks, followed by coaching and a practicum supervised by Jim Henderson and me. Brian McLaren says 3Practice Circle Leaders are midwives who help understanding to be born between people. I tell this story because: (for what I think are obvious reasons in these quarrelsome days) I want you to know about 3Practices for Crossing the Difference Divide I want you know about the book — a tight 106-page primer for people who won't accept bitterness as the new normal without a fight I hope maybe you or someone you know will think this sounds like what you’ve been wishing for: A way to serve the common good by helping neighbors reach across the fence to understand each other … they’ll still have fences — they’re not obliged to agree about everything — but maybe they can stop laying landmines and lobbing bombs at each other. So, there’s my story. If you like the sound of it, take whatever action makes sense to you. Drop me a note to ask me a question or let me know you’d like an invitation to a 3Practice Zoom Circle. If you can’t make the May 3Practice Circle Leader Training ... it starts next week, so … let me know if you’d like information about the next Circle Leader Training. Thanks for reading. And, if you can make the fall 2020 training, you can get all the details and register right here. Stay safe out there. Peace, Jim Hancock