Tane Danger helps people move beyond partisan rancor
At a time when the nation’s political discourse often becomes vitriolic, Tane Danger focuses on bringing Minnesotans together to listen to speakers with diverse perspectives and talk about pressing issues in a civil manner.
How Minnesotans, and all Americans, tackle societal challenges affects how they behave at a city council meeting, in a workplace, or at a pro sports event. Increasingly, business leaders have been asked by their employees to take stands on public issues, which could lead to internal company conflicts.
A key Twin Cities institution that has provided a respectful space for exploring big challenges is the Westminster Town Hall Forum. The august Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis has hosted the forum, which is an integral part of Minnesota’s civic infrastructure.
Danger, 38, recently was named interim moderator of the forum, succeeding the veteran moderator, the Rev. Tim Hart-Andersen, a man with a distinctive, mellifluous voice who retired in October as Westminster’s senior pastor.
Three years ago, Danger was hired to serve as director of the Westminster Town Hall Forum. With the addition of the moderator’s role to his responsibilities, Danger provides a contrast to his moderator predecessors who primarily have been Presbyterian ministers. Danger isn’t ordained, but he’s the son of a Lutheran minister. He’s a young, married gay man who is best known in the Twin Cities for co-founding the Theater of Public Policy, which uses improv to help people understand major issues.
Twin Cities Business recently interviewed Danger to learn more about him and what the forum is striving to accomplish as citizens brace themselves for a divisive presidential campaign in 2024.
This week, Minnesota Public Radio is airing the fall season of Westminster Town Hall Forum events. The broadcasts are scheduled for noon. Emily Hanford opens the speaker series on Monday, followed by Steve Inskeep on Tuesday, Nancy Giles on Wednesday, and Raquel Willis on Thursday.
Listening to voices of conscience
The Westminster Town Hall Forum was founded in 1980 and has brought national figures to Minneapolis to speak about contemporary issues. Citizens have listened in person by filling the pews at the church or by hearing forum broadcasts on MPR. After the pandemic arrived in early 2020, people shifted to watching speakers online.
In the decades since the forum got its start, many people have sorted themselves into political tribes and see little value in talking to people with contrary viewpoints. In recent years, many Minnesotans and Americans have embraced online shopping and remote and hybrid work, so they’ve reduced their interactions with people in public spaces.
Meanwhile, the forum has not deviated from its goals of convening people to listen to a range of viewpoints and to discuss and question ideas in a civilized fashion.