National Debate: Public Health, Science, and Public Trust

Braver Angels

Should public health decisions be made by experts, not by ordinary citizens? Join Braver Angels to debate.

Whom can you trust? What about when it’s your health and possibly your life in the balance? Who decides and how do they make those decisions?For the past two years we have been in the grip of a pandemic that has changed our lives in many ways. Far-reaching decisions have been made by public health agencies, governments at all levels, businesses and ordinary citizens, based on shifting seas of information and fears, both rational and irrational.Even prior to the pandemic, public trust in science showed some strains. The urgency of the pandemic and the level of political polarization in our country have led to an increasing politicization of science. This has been compounded by a 24-hour news and social media cycle that allows little to no time for review of and reflection on scientific research findings. And the findings, as always, evolve and change as more information becomes available. The information is complex and often very difficult to understand and evaluate. Some believe that ordinary citizens can not assess this information accurately enough to make decisions about public health issues and are willing to trust the experts. Others believe that experts alone are not deserving of the public’s trust, that experts are often dismissive of citizens’ rights and values, and that citizens should have a critical role in shaping public health decisions.Can we find a way to rebuild trust between citizens and public health leaders? Join us on Thurs Apr 21 @ 8pm EST to debate the issue and look for ways to do better in the future. Resolved: Public health decisions should be made by experts, not by ordinary citizens.Speakers :Janelle Burke is a former nurse and school board candidate, and co-founder of a community outreach organization in Everett, Washington, dedicated to healing in the Black community and for U.S. veterans.Berta Campos-Anicetti, the Director of Latine Services at North Marin Community Services, has a master's degree in Public Health from UC-Berkeley and over 30 years of experience working with Latine and low-income young people and their families. An immigrant from El Salvador at age 16, she has focused her career and volunteer work on human rights and the health and wellness of immigrants, in particular Latine and low-income communities. Francis Collins, a nationally known physician and geneticist, is the former Director of the National Institutes of Health, the leader of the Human Genome Project, and the author of The Language of God. Ari Schulman is editor of The New Atlantis, a technology and society journal. His work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, National Affairs, and the Atlantic. He has previously worked in the Opinion department of the New York Times.Jerry Silberman is semi-retired from a career as a factory worker and then a labor organizer in health care. Fatima Cody Stanford is a fellowship-trained obesity medicine physician-scientist, internist, and pediatrician at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. She is the Director of Equity for the Endocrine Division at Massachusetts General Hospital. Matt Willis is the County Public Health Officer for Marin County in California. He calls on experience as a physician, an epidemiologist, and a member of the community to guide public health strategy for Marin. He has also worked for the Indian Health Service on the Navajo Reservation and at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, where he conducted research and outbreak investigations in the U.S. and abroad.Wilk Wilkinson has more than 22 years in the transportation industry and is currently a distribution manager for a midwestern welding supply distributor. He is a husband, father, and the creator/host of the Derate The Hate podcast. All guests will have the opportunity to submit questions via registration and during the event. The event will be conducted as a webinar format on Zoom.Register here on the Eventbrite page. After registration, you will be emailed the zoom link to attend the event. Keep an eye out!<a href="https://forms.gle/tszmBUYcWYAuzxDQA" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"></a>Questions? Email debates@braverangels.org.

You probably haven’t experienced anything like a Braver Angels Debate. This is a highly structured conversation in which a group of people think together, listen carefully to one another, and allow themselves to be moved and perhaps changed by each other’s ideas. When done well, everyone walks out a little closer to the truth, more aware of the validity in opposing views, and with tighter community relationships.

To learn more about these debates, you can <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IAZae5I4D40S9yUWZszHpqYm8izyXB9I/view" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">view this video</a> of a sample debate (it lasts about 15 minutes). <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ptJDWP5pjbhZQkcn4PXyWBNRrrQUZk8U/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">This file</a> might help you understand the debate process that we use. This debate is a free event brought to you by Braver Angels, a 501(c)(3) non-profit as part of our mission to depolarize America. We invite you to consider a gift to Braver Angels; all donations are tax deductible. Your support will allow us to offer more workshops and debates with the ultimate goal of uniting America.You will have an opportunity to make a donation as you register, if you so choose. Your choice will have no bearing on your registration or Zoom meeting assignment.

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National Debate: Public Health, Science, and Public Trust

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National Debate: Public Health, Science, and Public Trust

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