Monica Harris, the author of “The Illusion of Division,” agrees that “Americans are profoundly divided by partisan politics, race, gender identity, vaccination status, and an assortment of labels that keep us fixated on our differences.” But Harris believes these divisions are illusory: “The media and political establishment amplify this division by focusing on fringe voices on the right and the left, ignoring the vast majority of sensible Americans in the center who agree on ‘big picture’ problems and solutions.”
Harris has been seeking to bridge the divides in American life through her writing and by leading the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism. FAIR was founded as a critique of the anti-racism curricula introduced into many American schools in the aftermath of the slaying of George Floyd. Instead of focusing on racial differences, FAIR seeks to advance “pro-human” values by promoting open discourse and advocating on behalf of free speech.
I spoke with Harris about how she came to lead FAIR, what’s really dividing us, and why race relations in the United States have gotten off track. This transcript of our conversation has been edited for length and clarity…