< Simone Campbell looked “right at home” behind the chapel podium, although she had never been to Carleton before.
In the beginning of the talk, she discussed the importance of dialogue. When people have different worldviews, dialogue helps them figure out the truth.
The difference between liberals and conservatives, according to Campbell, originates in their familial role models. Liberals admire the nurturing mother while conservatives admire the stern father.
Like the strict fathers, conservatives value strict discipline and worry that people will become dependent from government assistance.
Like nurturing mothers, liberals value compassion and empathy and want to protect people with tough regulation and healthcare insurance.
Most people have one frame that they adopt and only fit new information into the frame, never changing it.
She discussed how Republicans ignore the plight of the poor, because it does not fit into their worldview. For instance, she mentioned a man who struggled to provide for his family working multiple jobs minimum wage.
Further highlighting her friendly rivalry with Paul Ryan, Campbell organized the “Nuns on the Bus” tour of nine states to oppose Ryan’s budget proposal; she criticized the budget, because it hurt the poor and less fortunate and thus, did not keep to the tenets of the Catholic faith.
She has also talked to Ryan on several occasions as well as tweeted at him. Once, when a Congresswoman questioned Campbell’s religious faith, Ryan defended her religious conviction.
She concluded the talk with advice about having good dialogue. She considered, humor, curiosity self-reflection, talking to each other and going toward trouble, all important toward that end.
Then, demonstrating her love of dialogue, she left plenty of time for questions. In response to one question, she explained how she would stop people in grocery store lines and ask them for their views on political issues like immigration reform.
Most people in the audience found her speech entertaining, though some people wished that Carleton would bring someone with more diverse views to convocation. Either way, it gave people something to think about.