The Board of Directors of

Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities

invites you to meet

Jim Leach
Chairman, National Endowment for the Humanities

at his presentation titled

Civility in a Fractured Society
e
Saturday, May 14, 2011
4:15 to 5:00 pm

Mission Memorial Auditorium

next to Honolulu Hale
f

This is the last stop of his 50~state American Civility Tour

For information contact

Stacy at Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities
(808) 732-5402, Ext. 1
info@hihumanities.org

His presentation takes place during the Hawai‘i Book & Music Festival
1. Who? Jim Leach, the chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, is conducting the
American Civility Tour. (Biography of Jim Leach: http://www.neh.gov/whoweare/LeachBio.html)

2. What? Chairman Leach is calling attention to the need for civility in public discourse.
“Civilization requires civility. Words matter. . . . Polarizing attitudes can jeopardize social
cohesion and even public safety.” (Bridging Cultures, National Press Club, Nov. 20, 2009.)

3. When? The tour will occur between November 6, 2009 and May 15, 2011.

4. Where? Chairman Leach is visiting each of the 50 states, speaking at venues ranging from
university and museum lecture halls to hospitals for veterans. He’ll also be giving interviews
and appearing on local television and radio. His addresses will be available on NEH’s website
(www.neh.gov).

5. Why? The political atmosphere is, according to Leach, “bordering on a civility crisis at home
and a civilization crisis abroad.”

6. What’s new about rowdy political talk? Changes in communications technology can spread
hate messages instantly across the globe. Weapons of mass destruction have proliferated and
anarchistic techniques have become more sophisticated and globalized. Political discourse is
increasingly extremist and intolerant. Civil behavior is no longer simply about manners. It is
about personal security and global survival.

7. Who is at fault? Chairman Leach believes neither party has a monopoly on rancorous and
socially divisive speech. “It is irrational to think that Republicans cannot find some Democratic
initiatives helpful to society and that Democrats cannot from time to time vote with
Republicans.” (With Malice Toward None, Omaha, Nebraska, Nov. 6, 2009.)

8. What’s the solution? If we don’t try to understand and respect others, how can we expect them
to respect us, our values, and our way of life? The exchange of ideas and the consideration of
other viewpoints are central to the humanities. We need to bring this spirit of reason back into
politics.

9. Where to next? Charlottesville, Virginia, March 16; Reno and Carson City, March 30-April 1;
Lexington, Kentucky, April 7-8; Charleston, West Virginia, April 14-15; Honolulu, Hawaii,
May 14-15.

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities
supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities
by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about
the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at: www.neh.gov.