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A peaceful end to the war in Ukraine. That was the wish behind a post that Simge Krger made on LinkedIn in March.

In response, people began posting their wishes that her husband, father and brother be killed in combat. Seeing that she lived in Germany, they called her a Nazi.

I was just talking about peace and Im suddenly a Nazi, Ms. Krger, a Turkish citizen who lives in Hamburg, said in an interview.

Weeks later, sitting in a workshop led by a pro-democracy organization, she came to understand what happened in that dizzying moment. The insults had nothing to do with her ethnic background or political leanings. The people targeting her comment were trying to whip up emotion and further polarize a world torn over issues like Russias war in Ukraine, gender identity and climate change.

The best way to resist, she was taught in the class, was not by trying to explain her position or defend herself, but by asking probing questions.

People who believe conspiracy theories usually just have one line of argumentation, but theres nothing behind it, she said. When you start carving into their iceberg, you quickly realize that it has no depth.

These lessons came from an eight-week program offered by her employer, Hays, a multinational recruitment firm with 3,500 employees in Germany. The company said the project dovetailed its own aim of strengthening democratic values and making their employees more resilient.

Across Germany, several hundred companies have taken part in such workshops, and similar classes are being held in other Western countries, including the United States. Businesses are finding they need to bolster their employees in the face of increasingly vitriolic political debate. Seminars on civics and democratic principles such as the importance of voting or recognizing the dangers of disinformation, conspiracy theories and hate speech have become a way to ensure healthier relationships at the workplace, and in society at large. In addition, reports show that economic growth is higher in stable democracies, and liberal border policies allow companies to attract skilled immigrants.

Since the initial offering that Ms. Krger took part in, Hays has trained more individual employees and incorporated elements of the workshops into its companywide mandatory training, said Mimoza Murseli, a project coordinator for diversity and inclusion at Hays.

Being schooled in how to recognize and respond to hate speech and misinformation has made employees more self-assured in doing their jobs, Ms. Murseli said.

We gained confidence in standing our ground.

Groups like the Business Council for Democracy and Weltoffenes Sachsen in Germany and Civic Alliance or the Leadership Now Project in the United States organize workshops like the one Ms. Krger took part in, provide research and webinars, and support civic education and get-out-the-vote efforts all of it nonpartisan. Most are nonprofit organizations, backed by independent foundations or a group of businesses that rely on their political independence as a selling point.

In Germany, the Network for Democracy and Courage has offered various workshops on civics and democracy to schools and young people for over two decades. But five years ago, it was approached by a group of businesses in the eastern state of Saxony, where far-right politicians have been attracting more followers.

A key principle of the workshops was that they be voluntary for employees, said Nina Gbur, the organizations project manager. They also have to be ideologically neutral, and not target any group or members of a given political party.

Its not like companies come to us and say, We have a section where three racists are sitting, Ms. Gbur said. That would be completely unrealistic.

Germany is far from reaching the levels of political polarization that have wracked the United States. But the arrival of more than 1 million immigrants in 2015 and 2016 has inflamed debate.

Over this time, a far-right party, the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has disrupted the countrys political landscape with its embrace of nationalist, anti-immigration policies. Known for pushing boundaries and a more confrontational, aggressive style of politics, the AfD is gaining support; a recent poll showed more than one in five Germans supporting the party, up from 10 percent in the 2021 election.

Reflecting this shift, the tone in public discourse has become more raw. Kerstin Schultheiss, a managing director at the Leipziger Gruppe, noticed it in her company, which employs 5,000 people who provide public services in the city of Leipzig.

Several managers told her of increased tensions among employees as well as in their dealings with the public. Common flash points were the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, government mandates to conserve energy or Russias war in Ukraine. Employees were subject to harsh comments that went beyond a typical disagreement or a complaint, she said, especially those who deal with the public, like tram drivers.

There are simply people who think differently and express this difference in a way that is just not acceptable, Ms. Schultheiss said.

When she heard about the civics training offered by the Business Council for Democracy, she applied to participate.

We have to create a space where all employees feel comfortable and create a working environment in which they can function and work well, and in which they are not harassed by anyone because of their political views, Ms. Schultheiss said.

The training offerings vary. In Germany, media literacy has been a critical issue, while programs in the United States are frequently focused on teaching employees about how the government works and voting rights. But their basic premise is to empower employees to understand how their actions, both in and out of the workplace, affect the political climate and, ultimately, their own jobs.

At Nomos Glashtte, a maker of luxury watches based in Saxony, company leaders worry that if the AfD were to come to power, customers and potential employees could be repelled, threatening their business.

Democracy is the basis of our entrepreneurial activity, said Judith Borowski, managing director of Nomos, which offers its employees civics workshops. And if we no longer have democracy, then the basis for our entrepreneurial activities will also be very curtailed.

The idea behind the Business Council for Democracy workshops is to fill gaps in workers knowledge of the basic underpinnings of the democratic system, especially in a digital civic culture. The programs teach how to recognize and question conspiracy theories and disinformation, aiming to reinforce personal responsibility and resilience against polarizing content.

Debate is an essential part of the program and all workshops remain strictly confidential. What is said in the room, stays in the room, to foster a space where people can be open and vulnerable. Some are held in-person but most are online, which is easier for people who work shifts.

Sessions are run once a week for eight weeks, during working hours. A trained mediator brings up a topic to discuss. In the case of recognizing disinformation, the mediator might show examples of comments or images that have circulated on social media.

For example, during the pandemic in 2020, when government lockdowns prevented Germans from socializing and holiday festivities were canceled, a photograph started making the rounds showing several prominent politicians standing shoulder to shoulder, smiling and sharing mugs of hot mulled wine, with commentary expressing the idea that those making the rules were allowed to break them, while others were not.

After discussing the image, participants were shown how to check when it was taken. In the case of the merrymaking politicians, it turned out to be from 2019, the year before the pandemic.

For the training, we use very concrete examples to make it really clear what is happening, how they are being used, said Susann Planert, a personnel policy specialist at Leipziger who is trained to lead the workshops.

Another example she likes to use is taking an image of an article from one of the countrys major news outlets and running it through a digital tool that lets a user alter the wording in the headline. A screenshot of the new version with an altered outrageous or inflammatory headline can then quickly be posted on social media.

Such a technical gimmick can have a huge impact, she said. Every time I do this in a training session, it has an ah-ha effect because it makes obvious how easy it is to manipulate information.

The lack of civics understanding among employees has come to the attention of businesses in both Germany and the United States in recent years.

In Germany, the focus is particularly acute in the former East German regions, where democracy has only been around since Germany reunified in 1990. In the United States, surveys point to declining civics understanding among adults.Both situations translate to weaker social discourse and faith in public institutions.

Employers are realizing they are in a unique position to fill information gaps. According to the Pew Research Center, only 17 percent of Americans trust officials in power in Washington to do the right thing. But business is viewed as the one institution that is both ethical and competent, according the Edelman Trust Barometer.

Many younger people now expect their employers to champion civic causes, said Steven Levine, director of the Civic Alliance, a nonpartisan coalition in the United States of over 1,300 businesses including Microsoft, McDonalds, Target and Ecolab.

Companies have seen themselves in recent years as an important collective stabilizing force in helping ensure that the norms of democracy are upheld, Mr. Levine said.

Misinformation can rattle markets. In May, an image generated by artificial intelligence showing black smoke billowing near the Pentagon briefly sent stocks tumbling. But a big focus of employers in the United States has been turning out the vote. Mr. Levine cited companies like Patagonia that close stores and offices on Election Day to allow employees to vote and volunteer at polls, and the National Basketball Associations decision to have all 30 teams play the day before Election Day 2022, using the opportunity to encourage fans to vote, and not scheduling any games on the next day.

As next years presidential election approaches, companies are concerned about the potential for instability, said Daniella Ballou-Aares, chief executive of the Leadership Now Project, an organization of U.S. business leaders dedicated to promoting and protecting democracy.

She cited the legal battle between Disney and Floridas governor, Ron DeSantis, and the blowback Delta Air Lines faced from from customers over its response to legislation restricting voting in Georgia.

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Something similar happened to Nomos, the German watch maker. In 2018, an angry mob led by far-right politicians held a protest in a city not far the companys headquarters, chanting slogans against immigrants and chasing dark-skinned bystanders. News footage of the disturbance was seen by customers as far away as New York, who called the company to express alarm.

We had a feeling that politics like this could become a stark location disadvantage, said Ms. Borowski, the managing director. Fearing corrosive ideas could spread among its employees, the company began offering civics workshops.

As markets and policymakers struggle with wars in Europe and the Middle East, instability in one leading country is bound to reverberate across others, Ms. Ballou-Aares said.

If you see a disruption in democracy in a major economy, she said, its going to be a big deal.

More:
A New Place to Learn Civics: The Workplace - The New York Times

Young voters are the lifeblood of our democracy. Our ideas, energy and determination have the power to create transformative change if our voices are represented at the ballot box.

Pennsylvania, like the rest of our country, is facing a myriad of challenges that demand immediate attention and action. From climate change and health care to racial justice and economic equality, the decisions made by our elected officials will directly impact our lives and the future we envision. It is vital that the young people of Pennsylvania rise up and seize their opportunity to shape the direction of the state and country.

As we look ahead to the upcoming election, there is a specific, urgent reason why young voters should turn out in force: the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race. This race holds immense importance for the protection of womens reproductive rights, a fundamental aspect of personal freedom and gender equality. The decisions made by the state Supreme Court have far-reaching consequences, and we cannot afford to let these rights be eroded or diminished. Young voters must seize this opportunity to ensure that the state Supreme Court represents our values and safeguards abortion rights of all Pennsylvanians.

At NextGen America, the countrys largest youth vote organization, we have seen firsthand the incredible impact that young voters can have on elections. During the 2022 election cycle, we contacted over 2.1 million young eligible voters in Pennsylvania through in-person events, texts and calls representing nine out of 10 registered young voters in the state.

Our outreach was clearly reflected in overall turnout. Pennsylvanias young voters made a resounding statement last year, demonstrating the transformative power we possess when we unite in a common cause. Pennsylvania had one of the highest youth turnout rates in the country 32% with nearly a third of voters between the ages of 18-29 turning out to cast a ballot.

For young Pennsylvanians, this is a crucial moment in safeguarding the values we care about the most.

And in the U.S. Senate race, young people fought tirelessly to power Democrat John Fetterman to victory. Fetterman won by a slim 5% margin, and youth ages 18-29 preferred him 70% to 28%. It is clear that young Pennsylvanian voters are changing the states political landscape and electorate winning massive gains for progressives across Pennsylvania in both federal and state offices.

This substantial increase in youth voter participation showcases a growing awareness and engagement among young people, a trend that we must continue to build upon. Millennials and Gen Zers have demonstrated their dedication to justice, equality and progress through engagement and advocacy. Our energy and passion have driven historic turnouts at the polls, demonstrating our collective desire for a brighter future for our country.

However, our work is far from over. The upcoming election presents us with an opportunity to make a lasting impact by electing leaders who reflect our values and prioritize the issues that matter most to us.

The Supreme Court race is not an isolated event; it directly impacts the lives of every young person in the state. For young Pennsylvanians, this is a crucial moment in safeguarding the values we care about the most. By participating in this election, we have a unique opportunity to further shape the courts composition, ensuring it reflects our vision of a just and equitable society, protects womens reproductive rights and stands up for the issues that matter most to us.

This weeks voter registration deadline for the upcoming election is an important juncture for every young Pennsylvanian. It presents an opportunity to assert our power, not only as individuals but as a collective force that can tip the scales in favor of a more inclusive and progressive society. The decisions made by those elected will affect our lives and our futures, making this election more than just a duty it is a chance to create real change in Pennsylvania.

Our generation understands the power we possess, and we refuse to be silenced. We recognize the urgency of the challenges we face, and we are ready to rise to the occasion. But we can only achieve this if we all stand together, registered and committed to voting on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

Pennsylvanias youth: your future is in your hands. Our power lies in our numbers and our determination to see a better and more equitable country. Let us come together to reshape the narrative, influence policy and set the course for a Pennsylvania that reflects our collective values and aspirations.

The world is watching, and history beckons.

Cristina Tzintzn Ramirez is the president and executive director of NextGen America.

Continued here:
The Keystone to Democracy's Future in Pennsylvania - Democracy Docket

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Mathias Dpfner is chairman and CEO of Axel Springer, POLITICOs parent company.

We have underestimated the enemies of democracy for far too long because its been more comfortable that way.

But now, we are at a tipping point, faced with the possibility that even democracy itself could be overwhelmed. The simultaneous occurrence of so many crises and so much war presents the democracies of the world with a historic challenge. The question is, how steadfast and willing will the West be to defend its interests in this fight?

Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine has already strained United States and NATO capacity financially and militarily. And the Gaza crisis may now unleash a war on several fronts.

It will be difficult to overcome Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Syria, Yemen, as well as the enablers and financiers from Qatar and Iran, even with a coherent Western alliance. And we mustnt lose sight of the fact that the serial crises were confronting directly play into the hands of China, which is waiting for any opportunity to enforce its reunification with Taiwan and take over by military means.

All of this is happening as a tumultuous election looms in the United States, which is, once more, a competition for power between two old men. And if were overcome by what, in effect, could collectively be seen as a third world war, well be faced with a new world order one that is not to our liking.

This new order would be one in which the U.S. falls into isolation, no longer able, or willing, to play its crucial role in underpinning European security. Europe would become an annex of Asia, with China defining the rules, and the Middle East would return to the Middle Ages, with no possible challenge to Islamic fundamentalism.

Hamas attack on Israel wasnt just an act of war but part of a genocidal campaign. No one should have been surprised by its brutality, and anyone who believes the beheading of babies and the murder of the elderly were just reactions to Israeli wrongdoing should read the original Hamas Covenant from 1988 a constitution of sorts for the organization.

This covenant notes that as the Prophet says: The Last Hour would not come until the Muslims fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them, and until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say, Muslim or Servant of Allah there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him.

This describes what just happened in Israel.

But the massacre isnt Israels problem alone. The enemies of democracy, be they secular or religious, are keen to exploit and feed of these attacks. Some coordinate their actions, others are eager to fan the flames and lend rhetorical support.

Meanwhile, some Western policymakers and commentators are now warning against doing anything that might cause an escalation or prompt a spiral of violence. They say we should have more understanding for the Palestinians, so badly treated by Israel after all, Israel has made many mistakes. However, this is just blaming the victim. And similar arguments have been put forward, often by the same people, to explain Putins war on Ukraine or at least to play it down.

These arguments are just diversions from the fact that in the Levant, Hamas wants to kill Jews and wipe Israel from the map. The chant From the River to the Sea Palestine Will be Free makes that explicit. And it is for that stated purpose the eradication of the state of Israel that Hamas is funded by Iranian and Qatari paymasters.

But again, the challenge we face isnt just confined to Israel. A defeat there would have immense wider repercussions: Democracys foothold in the Middle East would be extinguished, weakening the West, while our enemies would celebrate and be emboldened much as they did when we turned tail in Afghanistan.

They already see us as weak and divided and truth is, we have been.

In recent years, Germany has played a particularly shameful part in this. First, influenced by environment emotionalism, a weak Christian Democrat-led federal government decided to phase out nuclear power following the accident at Fukushima in 2011. This, in turn, only increased Germanys dependence on Russian gas (from around 36 percent in 2011 to 65 percent in 2020), profiting Putin in the process and providing him with the funds to attack Ukraine.

Then, it was former Chancellor Angela Merkel who suspended established law, drawing refugees from all over the world without devising a plan for successful integration. This has subsequently led to parallel societies, xenophobia, antisemitism and the rise of the right-wing populist party, Alternative for Germany.

Compared to all this, what current Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock have achieved since taking office almost seems like a show of strength. Scholz is currently correcting some of his predecessors missteps, including boosting defense funding. He has also delivered weapons to Ukraine a democracy defending itself against an autocrat.

Nevertheless, as the enemies of democracy test us, much remains to be done. And the intelligent way forward would be for Germany to finally, and fully, grow out of its naive pacifism, as well as reorder an economy that depends on investment from the Gulfs oil kingdoms and, above all, China the Communist dictatorship that flashes a friendly smile.

But before anything else, we Germans and Europeans must answer some fundamental questions. Will we stand with Israel against the enemies of freedom despite the risks, or will we allow fear and opportunism to prevail? And can the U.S. really count on us in the face of what amounts to existential challenges, even if theres a price to pay?

If our answer to these questions is yes, then we must act and offer massive, unstinting political, financial and military support to both Ukraine and Israel, so that the enemies of democracy can be reined in before a truly global conflict spirals beyond control.

A little friendship with the U.S. and a little friendship with China or Russia or the mullahs in Iran will no longer work for Europe.

Whether Democrat or Republican, Americans will be asking us one thing perhaps politely or perhaps more abrasively: We came up with Marshall Plan to help you recover from World War II, we organized the Berlin Airlift, we won the Cold War and now were doing the heavy lifting to protect you against Putins imperialist aggression will you now redouble your efforts to support Ukraine and stand with us in the Middle East and as we confine China?

How we answer that question is not only about Israel and Ukraine its also about us and the open society model.

Read more:
The enemies of democracy are testing us - POLITICO Europe

Since the beginning of October, Guatemalans have been blocking roads across the country and taking to the streets. Later in October, many camped outside the public prosecutors office in Guatemala City. Protesters called for the resignation of officials who were attempting to undermine the recent election and win of Bernardo Arvalo, the centrist anti-corruption candidate from Guatemalas Seed Movement party, against former first lady Sandra Torres, who is considered part of the long-standing political establishment.

Bernardo Arevalos victory is seen as a repudiation of the political elite in the Central American nation, long the target of corruption allegations, reported the BBC.

That Arvalo was able to run at all, much less win with a party that has not received much support since it was founded in 2017, could be seen as a stroke of luck, maybe good timing. Another explanation is that the doggedness of years of grassroots organizing and building support beyond the major cities has paid off, according to Foreign Policy.

Its not just that [Seed] got lucky, wrote Melndez Snchez in a tweet that was mentioned in Foreign Policy. In a sense, the party made its own luck by working diligently and patiently for years, building an organization based on democratic principles when NO ONE not even themselvesthought they stood a chance.

The post-election drama continues to play out as the transition period for the new president draws closer to January. As one of the estimated 1.8 million Guatemalans living in the United States as of 2021, according to a Pew Research Center analysis, I was baffled and skeptical, not so much by the slow-rolling coup that I was reading aboutthis was more or less predictable because of the countrys decades of armed conflict and corruption. I was in disbelief about how the Semilla Movement gained so much support.

As I read more about the mobilization of indigenous and civic pro-democracy groups all over the country, I started to feel something I had not felt in a long time: faith. Its a feeling or belief that democracy could be real and not just a set of mechanical processes manipulated and optimized like any machine for human convenience and gain. Its not something I expected to feel when musing on the current political demise of my home country.

When I left Guatemala in 1982 at the age of 5, I joined the immigration tide of thousands of people fleeing Guatemalas civil war, poverty, gangs and corruption to enter the United States illegally. For many of us who grew up here, Guatemala was a country so mired in its history of dictatorships and decades of civil war that the idea that any kind of democracy could emerge and flourish therethe place we had thrown ourselves to the mercy of the desert to fleewas beyond anything we could imagine.

But many stayed behind and are perhaps teaching one of the broader lessons that can be drawn from the Seed Movements resounding victory: that in a country with a fragile and eroding democracy, belief coupled with working diligently on democratic principles can lead to change.

Its a faith I also bring to our reporting work at Carolina Public Press, that if we continue to work diligently and patiently for years, we will continue to support the larger work of democracy in our communities, in our state and beyond.

_____

The opinions and perspectives expressed in NC Talks columns are those of the authors. Submissions have been edited for length and clarity. They do not purport to reflect the views of Carolina Public Press, its staff, board of directors or contributors. To contribute an editorial or opinion piece, please email nctalks@carolinapublicpress.org with a brief summary of the topic, your full name and location. Have a question about this story? Do you see something we missed? If you find an error or have a response, please let us know at nctalks@carolinapublicpress.org.

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NC Talks: The veil of democracy and faith in the thing itself - Carolina Public Press

A New York Times editorial recently stated that the relationship between Israel and America is rooted in a commitment to democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The next two elections in Virginia and the nation will determine whether we remain committed to those principles.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, stated in his recent retirement address that the oath American service members take encompasses all enemies, foreign and domestic," and that:

We dont take an oath to a king, or a queen, or to a tyrant or dictator,and we dont take an oath to a wannabe dictator. We dont take an oath to an individual.We take an oath to the Constitution, and we take an oath to the idea that is America, and were willing to die to protect it.

President Biden said during his recent speech honoring his friend, the late Republican Sen. John McCain, that theres something dangerous happening in America now. ... Today, democracy is at risk.

Democracies dont have to die at the end of a rifle, Biden said. They can die when people are silent, when they fail to stand up or condemn the threats to democracy, when people are willing to give away that which is most precious to them because they feel frustrated, disillusioned, tired, alienated.

So the president asked, Do we still believe in the Constitution? Do we believe in basic decency and respect? The whole country should honestly ask itself what it wants and understand the threats to our democracy.

If we are to continue to be a country rooted in a commitment to democracy, human rights and the rule of law, every Virginian and every American must vote in the next two elections. The world is watching.

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Letter | If Virginians are committed to democracy, they must vote - The Daily Progress