The Fairfax Machine
@fairfaxmachine.bsky.social
News and stories from Virginia’s largest county, by a former Washington Post editor who lives here, too.
https://fairfaxmachine.substack.com/
https://fairfaxmachine.substack.com/
BreadBreakers dinners like this one — five days before the re-inauguration of Donald Trump, 19 miles to the east — were their chance to “practice” engaging with people they might disagree with.
Graham’s goal: to stoke a movement of U.S. depolarization through connection.
Graham’s goal: to stoke a movement of U.S. depolarization through connection.
Bridging U.S. divides, a dinner at a time
Worsening polarization is splitting families, friends and neighbors. Can this Reston project help heal it?
fairfaxmachine.substack.com
January 19, 2025 at 3:01 PM
BreadBreakers dinners like this one — five days before the re-inauguration of Donald Trump, 19 miles to the east — were their chance to “practice” engaging with people they might disagree with.
Graham’s goal: to stoke a movement of U.S. depolarization through connection.
Graham’s goal: to stoke a movement of U.S. depolarization through connection.
“Families have been split apart” by worsening polarization, Graham said, and the six tables full of people in deep-blue Fairfax County seemed to agree. “There are so many important issues that we should be talking about, but we can’t even get there, because we can’t ... have a civil conversation.”
Bridging U.S. divides, a dinner at a time
Worsening polarization is splitting families, friends and neighbors. Can this Reston project help heal it?
fairfaxmachine.substack.com
January 19, 2025 at 2:58 PM
“Families have been split apart” by worsening polarization, Graham said, and the six tables full of people in deep-blue Fairfax County seemed to agree. “There are so many important issues that we should be talking about, but we can’t even get there, because we can’t ... have a civil conversation.”
He greeted the participants as they entered — more returning faces this time; that was good — and, before their pasta dinner was served, took the microphone to explain the night’s program.
Bridging U.S. divides, a dinner at a time
Worsening polarization is splitting families, friends and neighbors. Can this Reston project help heal it?
fairfaxmachine.substack.com
January 19, 2025 at 2:57 PM
He greeted the participants as they entered — more returning faces this time; that was good — and, before their pasta dinner was served, took the microphone to explain the night’s program.