this week on the Wheelhouse.

>> And then they can.

>> Divisive discourse.

Is anywhere safe space.

>> For political debate.

♪ >> For >> Connecticut Public com, Frankie Graziano.

This is the Wheelhouse show that connects politics.

The people we got to look at those of politics in Connecticut and beyond right here.

The death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has sparked a reexamination of political discourse in America.

Kirk's killing and subsequent statements from both parties showed glimpses of bipartisan unity, but the shooting also reignited fears about political violence and whether civil debate actually has a future in America.

Here, a Connecticut college students are working together to find common ground shortly after Kirk was assassinated.

The Connecticut young Republicans and the young Democrats issued a joint statement condemning the violence.

Today.

We're talking with college students about the state of American political rhetoric and whether they see a path forward.

Last week on day one of the government shutdown.

We taped a conversation with 2 UConn students, and Arrows.

The president of the EU Conn college Republicans and Ryan Rosario, the president of the Yukon College Democrats, our conversation on political discourse starts with a bit of a personal story.

Nick talking to Jeffrey and Ryan about how I handled Kirk's killing as both a journalist and is a teacher's guys go to UConn.

I will disclose that.

I get paid by the University of Connecticut to do part-time work as an adjunct professor in the journalism department.

I don't teach Jeffrey Ryan, though.

I did have class on the day that Charlie Kirk was killed.

It was shortly after the shooting and the students were sort of buzzing as they walked in to the classroom.

They wanted me to address you shooting.

They want to talk about it and using my instinct as a journalist.

In my second class ever all say as an adjunct professor.

I decided that we should probably talk about gun violence, how to cover gun violence, victims of gun violence, mass shootings.

>> That's how I handled it.

Did your professors talked to about it?

Did you want them to address it?

You know, it's it's feeling conversation anybody could really have at that moment, right?

I think I think in a college campus.

>> People are interested in social movements are going change, right?

If you're a college campus, I think everyone there knows who Charlie Kirk is right, because he's made himself so available to college students right here.

This is what does he goes to campus and talks to people.

We've all seen the clips, you know, and I think that it in that moment I was releasing a lot of people struggling to think about how to respond.

And, you know, I had serious disagreements.

Charlie Kirk, right?

It entirely my entire life.

The way going around politics.

But to tell you the truth, you know, I grew up watching those clips.

I think in many ways learned to debate by watching the man, right.

And I in many ways, did have when extreme level of respect for him.

I think that.

It was really crushing that day because it almost felt like didn't know.

But it felt like losing someone that I know my whole life, right.

That in many ways was almost kind of like influence.

How I approached the bait.

I remember being classed to my professor who's a history professor really didn't want touch on it, but I was doing the whole time because I was checking the news over and over and over again because we can get an update on his health for a little while and was, you know, it's just an incredibly uncomfortable hour and a half because I you know, I almost wish that he would say something about it.

He's I couldn't just sit on that for an hour in class.

You know, just think about what would happen to know.

You have a similar kind of experience with Charlie Kirk.

>> Watching the videos share that kind of similar sentiment to where you are feeling like you're at a loss?

Absolutely.

I actually had the pleasure beating Charlie Kirk last year in July.

And ever since I was interested in politics, maybe when I was 15, 16 for sure on COVID time.

One of the reasons why I got into politics was because of his videos and his influence and like I said, I had the pleasure of meeting him and he just really overall had a great impact on my life and my politics as well.

Although we didn't agree on everything I would say that he was a big influence on my political beliefs.

What about admins?

What about departments, even your faculty advisors for college Democrats are college Republicans.

Are they kind of giving you any guidance on?

>> How to really go about this topic is so there might be intentionality with how you all speak.

Is there anybody from the outside sort of telling you how you should address this?

I wouldn't say they would.

Tell us exactly what to say in situations like we're in now.

our faculty adviser, we spoke about We spoke about the tragedy and I guess we just we spoke about how to move forward and how this we can't let this deter.

Us from speaking up.

Is there concern about speaking out when you say that?

Get follow-up with that because you're nervous about the violence aspect, right?

You're saying that somebody got church shot for there.

You're saying that somebody got shot for their political views.

Is that something that concerns you that, you know, if your vocal that something can happen, you not something similar, but that could face some kind of punishment.

And I speaking to many conservatives around campus and now even before this tragedy, they felt that they would be left out because of their views, baby.

There not going to do as well on a class if they speak up, maybe they're gonna that has many friends because of their beliefs.

And now because of what happened, they literally have a target on their back and stuff like that just gets a little scary that there's people out there that because I think the way I think that they would want someone like Charlie Kirk dead.

You're from the other side of the aisle, at in terms of being a part of college Democrats to share that same kind of fear that you face reprisal for some of your political beliefs.

I mean, certainly we saw on campus, right?

And I think that, you know, I think that.

For starters, right, in terms of, you know, talking people are advisers that kind of thing.

I think that we.

>> We really didn't need that level of guidance, right?

We need to talk to people about these things.

Of course, we represent ourselves as to organizations in a class act way.

I really think so.

We're taking the lead of another class accusation.

The young Democrats of Cancun, no Republicans who also offered to Cut CO authored statement denouncing violence right?

We look at violence.

We look at, you know this, you know, political environment that polarization and creating United States.

I think these are things that come from the top down right.

And I think the way that we limit these opportunities spy taking the lead as the students to address how we're going to go about it and how we're going to go about building a safer community on campus.

Right?

But there are students from the left to have been attacked for the political, you know, ideas on campus.

And I think that this is something that addresses all political communities.

I think that the attacks on free speech is a whole recently have been very scary from what happened to conservatives, which I disavow entirely.

But also what's happened leftist protesters on campus being arrested for advocating you know, for their policy in the Middle East are also being targeted by organizations like the Canary Project, which are doxing student protesters you know, throwing their information online for expressing their freedom of speech.

You we're both quoted in local media.

I think that same day by the end of the 10th Jeremy Chan of NBC, Connecticut spoke to both of you.

>> How did you go about gathering your words and being intentional about how your messaging and how you would sound so soon after the news broke.

I thought it was important that we got together.

obviously just about what happened.

>> I think we need to it was a moment where needed to set a good example that this kind of stuff shouldn't happen.

This country should happen ever again.

And when an order to do that, we need to come together and show that it's OK to disagree.

But violence has no place in this nation.

Ryan, how did you kind of approach the situation as to when we look at that just about the same way, right?

I think that we have a lot of pride in the way that we conduct ourselves and the way that we have a really great relationship with Jeffrey in the club, despite the fact that, you know, we have no serious disagreements on policy.

>> And, you know, politics right?

We can agree wholeheartedly.

One thing, which is that the way we settle these agreements is to debate Mr.

Composure.

It's never through violence.

And so I knew in that moment that, you know, mean, Jeffrey Hart to Hart completely agreed on how we respond to this.

And, you know, the way that we went about responding to it wasn't I would say wasn't very difficult.

If you look, we knew exactly what we had.

The statement that we had to put out, how important that was.

But what was I think, heartwarming is the fact that we're able to get together so quickly and agree on how we can put this out.

>> Journalism department at UConn is talking about with students.

What it means to have free speech on campus.

You both just touched on it.

Something colleges have wrestled with for years.

Obviously how the First Amendment applies to students and what limits if college can or should place and inviting controversial speakers to campus.

What this free speech mean to you, Jeffrey, on the college campus.

I think a student should have to be afraid to say what they have to say so long as they don't incite violence, no matter what your speeches they shouldn't be getting that grades because of what they believe in.

Ryan.

You've heard what Jeffrey had to say.

What are your thoughts about free speech and what it means to you on a college campus?

>> I think free speech is something that comes with very, very, very few exceptions.

I think when you have someone that's being, you know, actively advocating for violence or, you know, expressing like direct hate speech.

I think that's a different situation.

But having controversial speakers come to campus, these paramount to the college experience right?

We are here to be challenged.

Our beliefs were here and hear things that we may not agree with.

And I think that controversial speakers coming to any campus is something that should be protected.

And every regard right, when we look at free speech, I think it's something that we have to be very consistent about.

And we can't play games.

We will have are controversial speaker and you can't have yours.

You know, I think that we should defend people's right to be able to bring about any type expression that they believe in on campuses on.

This are not being, you know, directly violent right?

I think that building free speech begins with building debate on campus right?

And I think the better relationship that we have together and being able to talk about the things that we disagree with brings about the culture, people with a lot safer for us to have these conversations on campus because now people are prepared to be able to advocate for what they believe right?

And I think that the campus sometimes get worried about counter protesters.

That kind of thing.

But those are just 2 different aisles of the same free speech argument.

And I think that if you're going to have a speaker come in to talk about something that's, you know, very controversial.

You can have counter protesters that are, you know, outside seeing a few things.

I think both of those people need to be protected >> and it may not look very clean.

It's messy for college campus, but that is the nature of politics.

And that's the nature of gridlock.

And that's the nature of being able to actually, you know, fight for freedom of expression.

It's not always beautiful.

>> From Connecticut Public Radio, this is the Wheelhouse on Frankie Graziano.

Today.

We're talking with college students about the state of American political rhetoric and whether they see a path forward.

Jeffrey, there, as you see the president of the Yukon College Republicans and Ryan Rosario's the president, you can cause Democrats coming up issues students care about on their campus and whether or not these 2 young political leaders think constructive debate.

It is possible in 2025 years into the Wheelhouse.

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>> This is the Wheelhouse from Connecticut Public Radio.

I'm Frankie Graziano this hour.

We're talking about political discourse and we've got to campus political leaders on the show to learn about their approach to debate on divisive topics.

Still with us are Jeffrey Maderas, the president of college Republicans at the University of Connecticut and Ryan Rosario, the college Democrats president at UConn tap back into our conversation on the state of political discourse on college campuses.

We take this last week on day one of the government shutdown.

What are some of the most controversial topics among students on campus right now is that he sort of ratcheting up in terms of political discourse.

I would say I would say yes, I think the most of the single most divisive issue.

>> On college campuses right now is the war in Gaza And that's something that I think that no students across the border having no trouble being able to digest and see the images that we see in the news every single day and see how how we can, you know, even begin to process that.

And from my position being a quite a unique one being president because of the press.

Okay.

Kit, I'm stuck between 2 worlds where I have an active student body that day after day.

You know, seeing these images and asking why is the party are we doing more?

2 quell some of the response to that happening here.

Why are we addressing major humanitarian crisis that we see day in and day out and oftentimes we are met with death years by the party.

And I think that we see particularly in our side of the aisle, a lot of political apathy right now.

People just seem like it's not very worth it to even engage in the process because they feel very, I would say disheartened by what they're seeing.

Both in foreign policy in terms of the party's response to it.

And so I wonder how we.

Go about making our own move go about making change from the bottom to the top.

>> Jeffrey, is there that appetite for you to engage other students?

Even professors in debate to have that appetite right now?

You know, when it's definitely something that would be fun.

I haven't thought of it.

>> But it's definitely something I'd be open to getting myself.

And in the debate and maybe even some of my members as well.

Do you guys feel like you can have constructive debate in 2025?

Like?

>> What does constructive debate look like to both of you?

I guess I'll start with Ryan.

I think constructive debate is getting people in the room to start with.

I think in order to have a conversation, people have to come into expecting a conversation when we see a lot of the avenues where we think we see the bay often times people on the street arguing or think or or, you know, news interviews that are meant to be divisive, not But you know, like FOX News instances, their pockets, that kind of thing, right?

I don't know if that's necessarily debate, but when mean, Jeffrey get together and we want to have baby for planning later on the year.

These are going to be policy discussions.

These are going to be things are going to be intentionally 9 divisive because that's the point.

The point is to discuss, we need to about certain things in the economy, using data, we believe about certain facts about you know, fiscal policy and in safe Connecticut or in the United States.

And I think that it's just about having, you know.

Kind of a scholarly discussion.

We're going to go in of her sources were going back up and we're going to make the best possible Cole argument for what we believe in and ultimately the baseline with the through line that makes to be possible.

His respect and I have a great deal of respect for Jeffrey in the Yukon Republicans.

I'm happy that we have such a great relationship and I think that's the foundation for ability to be able to have positive to be on campus.

Look, so I think civil debate as Ryan said, should look like there's no personal attacks.

It's strictly policy.

We don't interrupt each other.

We speak on our issues in a respectful manner.

And I think those kind of things are important in order to get your point across.

I think when you're attacking someone personally or interrupting as we've seen, especially at the national political level, you don't really get the message to your viewers and you.

The type of behavior and what you people believe, stuff like that.

It's OK and it's not OK in order to have.

Productive in protective in civil debate.

It's important that we take those measures in order to have a a good discussion.

There's in-person debate and there's also a back and forth that happens online and with social media, the audience gets larger.

So there's kind of that performative aspect to it as well.

Can you all talk about that and how you approach debating politics online if you do it all.

>> I personally try to stay away from I one, I think.

There's a lot of negative negativity that goes with and, you know, especially because you Don't necessarily see the person you're speaking to a lot that.

Things can come from that.

So I personally when I when I speak on my views and I speak to other people who may not agree with me.

I think I like to keep in person personally for me.

And when it comes on.

And I think that one thing that the Jeffrey both probably really, really wish that people would stop attaching us to random folks online that say that they represent our organizations, everything that we believe >> I think that there's a lot in.

of radical crazy people that you see on Twitter.

They're saying things that say there.

Democrats of this kind of thing is and you know, that's not what we believe.

And I really hope that we don't get attached to every person on Twitter that saying something and saying, you know, your tick tock, tick tock or TikTok.

And I think that happens.

Republicans as well to right.

And I hope that when people look at our character, they look at what we use.

Organizations have actually done said as opposed to what people are making attaching us to in discourse.

>> So what's happening a lot on line is this willingness to or at least this appetite to try to only other person.

You guys have the debate each other.

You said you may debate each other later this year.

So you want to win the debate.

But there's also respect, right.

So do you think about dominating the other guy are trying to only other person?

Is it constructive to do that?

Now?

My goal when debating is not to belittle the person across the aisle.

My goal is to explain my points.

Explain how my points may be better than theirs.

And also there's an audience involved so that I don't see the point an attacking Gore trying to take down my opponent when I'm also trying to express my views to the audience as well.

And I don't think it's very productive.

If you do something like that, can I ask you guys a big picture question here.

What do you think needs to change right now?

An American political discourse and I asked that question with the backdrop of from the both the perspective of what needs to change on college campuses.

But also what needs to change among the adults in Washington, D.C., I know you 2 are both the adults are college students but you have a fantastic influences here in Washington, D.C., I would imagine this is something that means if we were just talking about, actually, this is one of those instances where it seems silly.

But I wish that the adults.

>> Wood take the example of the kids in the room and the census right?

We when we saw violence, we met something terrible.

We came together in simply we disavowed and we put together statement that show that the city can get in our community.

This is never going to be tolerated.

I think when we look at the political divisiveness, this is stuff that comes from the top down.

This is stuff that comes from president and the Democratic leadership as well to kind of getting into a 24 7 Pickering argument trying each other.

The pq on social media while at the same time we have people who can forward payments for their groceries.

At this point, we have people there struggling in the United States.

And I think that the response to it has been 2 sides try to help cool each other right?

That's not what we're interested in from a local level.

But we are interested in is the policies that impact people's day-to-day lives that are important to us and I think this thing is like owning people as for social media for audiences right?

We're here for constituents were here for people that depend on real policy.

How are college Democrats and Republicans engaging each other at UConn?

Why are you thinking that?

It's important to talk.

>> Most important to talk because we've seen time and time again our leaders obviously I haven't done the same.

We've seen the rhetoric that's been going on on the show.

Exactly about a month ago.

Chris Murphy said that we need to fight fire with fire.

That kind of rhetoric is why things like this may happen.

We need to be careful in the way we speak.

We so I think it's up to us.

I think we right and I have an obligation to be better than our leaders because this is a top-down issue and it's important for us to be a better example.

We talked about how both of you have chatted since the Kirk shooting and if kept in touch, is there anything you're saying regarding how your party's handling things that is positive, how the National Party is handling things may be local parties.

>> Is there a way that you're complimenting the other side, so to speak?

Ryan, we have a major, major, major issue with our ability to retain young voters within the Democratic Party right now.

And, you know, I think that the Republicans have done a tremendously better job of not only investing in organizations to target young voters, but also actually bringing young voters into the fold, their organizations and treating them seriously.

>> I think that obviously, I believe in the Democratic platform, those are the policy positions that I believe in those their I advocate and but I think that if you went to the University of Connecticut amongst the lecture hall of registered Democrats who are below the age of 30.

You could not find one of them.

That's happy of party leadership at this point.

I think from a standpoint of not only how we seem to have caved on every level to the point that we don't have any energy on the national standpoint and from the fact that people really feel in a place with the wear, their political police are not properly being represented by the by leadership at this point that, you know, I think there's a real real crisis in confidence within the Democratic Party leadership from young voters right now that I'm not saying can't be meant that they think that that the entire port purpose of organizations like on SUNCREST can get a new composite sketch is to mend that relationship and bring young people back into the fold.

But the Republicans have done a much better job of bringing young people into theirs.

And for that something, you know, I always have to commend them for it because I hope we can do the same.

So Ryan was able to help me out.

There was something he thinks that's positive on the other side and also something that party leadership on his end.

>> Needs to change.

Can you kind of go in both directions there and like I said, Ryan in the college Democrats have been willing to debate.

They even want to discuss what's going on.

And I think from a national level, I think we just need to stop with the back and forth.

I think it it leaves a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths overall, I think the the back and forth on Twitter, for example, and the the shots that, you know, the gotcha moments that we see in national politics, just not worth it.

And it's not needed.

For any.

Any reason other than political attacking?

We are taping this day.

One of the latest government shutdown.

So so much of today's political climate seems to reward hard line positions versus more traditional compromise.

Why do you think that is?

Live in a media state?

It's unfortunate, but I think the position of politician in the 21st century.

>> It's just as much of a media figures much as it is.

lawmaker and I think that we have to have discussions about whether or not that's a positive thing.

I really don't believe it is that we're forcing politicians to be in this position.

But unfortunately, to win elections in the United >> You have to you have to be States.

trendy in some in some odd way.

I think that people are trying to attach themselves to hardline positions to say, you know, more and more controversial things in the news to be able to get air time.

And I think it's unfortunately a symptom of the current political environment that we have that happens everybody.

Everybody's trying to get, you know, their viral clip out.

And I think that's for many people.

They view as a pathway to political success.

Jeffrey, I just want to know so much of today's political rhetoric is heated and divisive.

Do see that changing any time soon.

Why or why not?

>> I hope it does.

Unfortunately, I don't think it will be Jeffrey disagree on policy all the time.

But when we do that joke around and we know that these are important, great, we have our own perspectives on these things.

>> We have a good relationship that at the end of the day it's built on respect.

And I think that's the path forward.

And I think that it's through leadership.

Buy cars and people hopefully that will take that.

That that impetus to be able to be more respectful.

And I think that happens on the college level where we grew up.

You know?

And watching the political system to great in the last 8 years and become more divisive.

And I think it's up to us to say that we don't want to live that way anymore.

You've been listening to Ryan Rosario, who's the president of college Democrats at the University of Connecticut.

Thank you so much for coming on the show.

You.

>> Jeffrey Maderas, the president of college Republicans at the University of Connecticut.

Thank you for coming on the Wheelhouse.

Thank you.

Great to be here.

From Connecticut Public Radio.

This is the Wheelhouse.

Coming up, we'll have reaction to what the students had to say today.

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Slash black ♪ >> This is the Wheelhouse from Connecticut Public Radio.

I'm Frankie Graziano.

Earlier in the show, we spoke to 2 young campus political leaders at the University of Connecticut about how they're carrying on with political discourse amid a government shutdown and divisive rhetoric surrounding political violence.

Now, let's talk to 2 of our Wheelhouse regulars, a couple professors.

The talked up, Holly size students about this kind of thing all the time.

The last the associate professor of politics and government at the University of Hartford.

Good morning, Frank.

And go hoax.

Good morning to you as well.

Go hawks go Owls.

Jonathan Wharton is an associate professor of political science and a look at him looking dashing this morning and urban affairs at Southern Connecticut State University.

>> Hello and welcome back.

Preppy prof.

>> Good morning, professor.

And I echo owls.

>> We'll try to sneak in some calls here in the final minutes.

8, 8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 7, to 0.

>> 9, 6, 7, 7.

Be sure to comment on YouTube as well.

Quick thoughts on political discourse in 2025, I want to get both of your reactions to what the students said.

And let's start.

Let's start Jonathan, with something you CA Democrats, President Ryan Rosario said.

>> It's not always beautiful, but there needs to be debate.

Both sides, even if controversial need to have free speech on campus.

What does that mean to you?

Jonathan?

>> I like the fact that they both front of the framework in which they plan to articulate weathers in the classroom or even among clubs and organizations.

I'm not surprised by the response is in fact, I very much appreciated what they offered both the Ryan and and Jeffrey.

And so I see the same thing.

I'm sure the bodice to it at university.

Hard for as southern because both cars, Democrats and college public sectors have always been.

It's not always been the most part, their civil with one another, especially publicly they actually organized in Lee a debate every spring.

We saw this back in April.

We saw the year before last is in effect.

Usually about 100 soon show up as unusual.

Have parents there.

So you'd be surprised this generational interest around finding a pathway of communication.

It's something that I clearly see in both the classroom soon organizations.

And if anything, I'm very much appreciative of this fact, despite what many people might think about the future of both parties.

Super quickly did that was there's a similar kind of joint statement or something like that between conservative or liberal leaning students after shooting.

You know, interesting thing about you heard is that we really don't have those clubs that is really strong on campus.

But >> I have to say, I was really impressed with the interview.

I really thought the country can learn a lot from listening to those 2 young men.

And I'm actually going encourage my students to watch, you know, bet interview because it just thought, you know what they talked about, especially the way they frame the need for civil discourse and civility.

It was really important.

I think national leaders can learn a lot from listening to young people like that.

>> Well, come into our yeah.

Go ahead.

Sorry.

No one thing that it's not overlook to him.

I hope you bring this up as well.

Your classes is that actually the young Democrats, no Republicans put out a statement that same day when Charlie Kirk was assassinated yet.

So, you know, that was quite interesting.

Kind of piggy backs and everything that, you know, the students brought up from Yukon.

So, yeah, the fact that they're bringing this out right now is it's passing is very interesting.

>> Bloggers in our interview, brought up an encampment at the University of Connecticut where print protesters advocate on behalf of Gazans.

The students were to say that there are students from the left that are worried about free speech even talked about Doxing after expressing their beliefs.

That may be the Canary Project was doing something like that.

How do you respond to that?

>> I think students in general are worried about, you know, talking about their political believes.

I mean, obviously what we're hearing out of Washington and some of the threats that are being made against people who, in fact, are protesting the war in Gaza really suggest that students are probably wise to be worried about those kinds of things.

I think at the same time, also when I was struck by, you're listening to this particular conversation about Kirk.

And I know from my own conversation, hopefully we'll get into details about that.

One of things that happened that I also thought it was really bizarre about that day.

I tackle those issues that teach courses on American national government.

We talk about controversial issues and that class.

I encourage civil, you know, exchange of ideas, agreement, this agreement.

But when it was struck by was how many of my colleagues were really nervous about having that discussion that day about Kirk.

And that really struck me that there is this tone in the country right now where people are, in fact, fearful of expressing their political views.

And so that's why I was really moved to hear young people say that this is really important to do, especially for young people to do and that they are creating that space with those kinds of conversations.

As I said before, many of us adults need to learn from that and also be willing to take some risk to get out there and encourage young people to talk, but also not to be silent ourselves.

>> Something especially talking about science silence.

Here is something that the UConn Republican Jeffrey Madero said, Jonathan, is that he feels conservative voices are silenced on campuses and that some students may feel like there's potential for reprisals if they share a particular view, if they argue a particular view, he pointed to recent survey outlined by the Foundation for Individual Rights and expression that says students are increasingly self-censor E how does that square with what you're seeing on campus and what your students are telling you?

Jonathan?

Well, there's only concerned about being politically correct.

And one could argue me.

This is an aspect of of wokeism.

If you want to argue that.

>> But I think it's also an element of also find a pathway of not only communicating, but also, you know, being at least civil about it.

That's kind of gray area that that many of us need to consider.

No matter what spaces and classrooms organizations or even publicly.

And so that needs to be kind of, you throw it out and to, you know, to Biles point, you know, I see something someone among the faculty who, you know, its southern and I heard that large that.

Yeah, you have to go about this carefully and this is a difficult matter.

And it's not like there's a guideline or book on how to provide all of And so this is still going to be an ongoing concern, has to, you know, how does one go about communicating this effectively?

And in the cuddly, that's impossible as a difficult challenge to the National Party's kind of each other's throats as they're closing down the government.

Could this real quickly?

I but I think at the same time it's really important for us as faculty members to create the space with these conversations.

As I said, I teach.

>> You know, 2 courses that essentially deal with American national government to talk about civil liberties and civil Talk about, you know, some of the issues that are confronting the country and really encourage my students to weigh in those civil Lee.

But to weigh in on those issues and to disagree with each other.

You know, the one thing I often experience the students come out of the classroom because I'm really pushing hard for them to make their point to defend their point to talk about why they believe what they believe.

And to me, that's our job.

That's what we should be doing in the classroom and not shying away even from controversial topic.

That's your job.

>> Ok, so now let's ask you guys, if you both believe your classroom is a safe space for that kind of dialogue and then please provide examples.

Was a I tend to go the opposite direction.

No surprise want to But tracking likes us on the once in a while.

>> I mean, it's not that that's a great that's it.

Not because of how beautiful you are looking this morning.

I look, it's yeah, Tony, a star Frankie.

Now that you're the big professor, UConn, I love it.

What civility is not civility is.

And I think guys, go ahead.

Jonathan.

But now I quite the opposite.

I am one who will remind students sit back and listen.

>> You know, don't just talk in a spouse.

You know, okay, understand other side of the perspective.

And instead just sit back and listen, take it in.

You know, maybe find a pathway, sure responding back, which I appreciate respect.

But in my classes, I have respect everybody talking engaging that he's president says just sit back and listen.

Kind of let things resident of that.

And so immediate to reply back, which is a good thing.

I think there's going to be said about stressing that you don't have to communicate everything and to be frank with you once tragic tenant talk my students into studying at least no surprise, you know, sarcastic or windy, at least 2 to at least this.

So you can always find a way to break the ice and find a path communicate more effectively.

Can you just help me out with a positive example?

First, before I go to the law, that may be any kind of example, you have of something happening in your classroom.

We feel like it was constructive dialogue.

Yeah, you know, even even recently is interesting had in a while, my sons have been assessing those going on.

Hartford with affordability, housing bill.

and you're that young Part what we've been discussing, especially as we serve and everybody in the state is especially policymakers.

I was about to say is that you I think that this is on national suffer.

In fact, a lot of teams are following what's going on at the state levels, especially the scenes from County.

Yeah.

And so for that, I'm kind of struck by how nice to see, you know, different angles, different perspectives might help remind them is a look and consider how other states challenge and address these issues to his formal housing.

Don't be so stuck.

And just Fairfield County.

Yeah, you know, interesting for recently I talked about civil liberties.

And so I had an opportunity to talk about freedom of expression, freedom of the press and also really the First Amendment in general.

We got into some discussions about >> religious liberties, religious freedoms and what was interesting to me and, you know, been a guest to the extent to Jonathan, I think we are actually very similar.

But the extent that we may be a bit different as I try to pool most of my students into the conversation so calling people him to weigh in on these issues.

I use a lot of humor in the class.

You can be really silly sometimes when I'm teaching.

But just a classic example of that.

We had this really fascinating debate about what is hates piece.

For example, we've talked about what, for example, is dangerous speech right?

And so we got into this interesting discussion about, you know, someone putting instructions to build a bomb on the Internet and the students really divided sharply about weather.

Something like that was dangerous speeding that I said let me triple Muppet come in the next day.

And I want to talk about banning rap music.

And so we had this great conversation back and forth.

Students who were prepared to ban putting, you know, how to build a bomb were adamantly opposed to doing anything about rap music.

And then I gave him that history of some of the things that happened in the 80's and 90's around efforts to really band, you know, hip-hop and rap music and and I think from that standpoint, the students really got a deep run.

The 2 live crew ice.

It's actually in the way the conversation.

And of course, because this is my sort of style to play the devil's advocate in really push them.

The students are Dax.

Munich will be went around the room.

So what do you think should be banned?

What do you think?

It S it doesn't matter what I think I'm here to learn what you think and have you share with each other.

>> I want to know if there's any controversial speakers or at least somebody that that one person at the university are few people may find controversial coming to either of your campuses anytime soon or at least are trying to reach out because I want to know what that looks like in the future.

Logistically, we had a major shooting happened that was outside of the university.

Are people trying to move events inside?

You guys have any kind insight into this.

I haven't heard anything recently or how you would handle that, I guess to as >> Yeah, I mean, to be frank well.

with you, we have quite a coordinating effort when when there are moments, let's say, you know, we do.

The debates were very soon have a campus police there, for example, and it's not usual dignitaries and which we have a number of them come through from the system's office even, you know, the people within the governor's circle who will come in as I have to give credit to southern the very fact of the campus.

Police is great to coordinate these things with.

And so it's, you know, I need to get bombastic speakers for clubs know that that's something that generally doesn't happen.

But, you know, any time there are speakers are we even have lawmakers come in?

I used to lure campus police chief Frank, with you just to please find, you know, just in case just in case with it without that real club representation at at you hard, I think would probably be you.

That would invite speakers to campus, right?

I mean, you invited me.

And that was a controversial day of gold >> soon enough you, Many people know what we do certainly or whenever someone comes to campus.

And I think we have seen this happen because, you know, the way the rhetoric has sort of >> risen on the number of college campuses over a number of years.

It isn't just recently, but the presence of public safety is is something that we routinely see again, you know, as a small, you know, private institution.

We don't have the the big bucks to bring in some of those really big speakers with the most controversial of topics.

But I will say you know, given the history of the university, I think certainly the war in Gaza and some of the issues around Israel has relieved presented just interesting sort of conversation in the studio today.

Come in my office who really talked about struggling with some of the conversations he's Jewish student.

And so is that really shunned that, you know, those kinds of topics on the campus, like most college campuses that are incredibly diverse.

We have Muslims to the students from Middle East students who are Jewish, African-American, Latino.

And so I think our job is faculties to create the space where these conversations can occur in a respectful way.

And that students can share their beliefs.

Their ideas agree to disagree and do it in the way that simple.

>> Create a creating the discourse.

What blog wants to do?

Can I get 22nd something quick from you, Jonathan?

What you're going to do to harvest kind of constructive dialogue on your campus.

We'll be on our spring debates.

We do between the clubs.

I mean, one thing is to communicate even as well as bringing up the intimate faculty.

You'd be surprised how much that needs to be sent or 2 jurors, how to go about addressing and resolving We need a road map.

Clearly Henry reckoned.

I think that kind of communication at the faculty level needs to take Try my best partake in that directly, especially within the faculty Senate.

>> You've been listening to velocity Chua.

So see a professor of politics and government at the University of Hartford Block.

Great to have you on things we had a great conversation.

Also, Jonathan Wharton was their associate professor of political science and urban affairs at Southern Connecticut State University.

Thank you for coming on the show today.

Jonathan.

>> Thank you, gentlemen.

Appreciate it.

Today show produced by Chloe when it was dazzling, it was edited by Patrick's Cahill are technical producers.

Dylan race special thanks to test terrible Megan Fitzgerald, Connecticut Public's, visuals team in our operations team.

Download the Wheelhouse anytime on your favorite podcast app.

I'm Frankie Graziano.

This is the Wheelhouse.

Thank you for listening.

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