The The urgency urgency of of today’s today’s crises crises have have swelled swelled to to a a fever fever pitch pitch - - American American education education is is shipwrecked, shipwrecked, geopolitical geopolitical tensions tensions cross cross red red lines, lines, and and existential existential questions questions about about technology technology threaten threaten humanity humanity with with either either paradise paradise or or purgatory. purgatory.

Yet Yet despite despite all all the the hand-wringing hand-wringing over over ‘polarization,’ ‘polarization,’ public public discourse discourse has has largely largely vanished. vanished.

Presidential Presidential debates debates have have been been reduced reduced to to soundbites, soundbites, news news headlines headlines have have become become political political party party slogans, slogans, and and destruction destruction has has been been preferred preferred over over dialogue. dialogue. Our Our moment moment demands demands something something better. better.

The The Austin Austin Union Union Society Society offers offers just just that that - - a a new new forum, forum, fortified fortified in in the the old old ways. ways. We We believe believe the the truth truth is is out out there, there, and and that that it it is is vital vital and and urgent. urgent. But But the the way way we we reach reach it it is is not not through through slow slow speech speech and and distorted distorted dialogue. dialogue.

We We believe believe in in truth truth through through debate. debate.

The The pillars pillars of of democracy democracy stand stand upon upon the the foundation foundation of of good good debate. debate. We We don’t don’t have have to to agree agree on on the the solutions solutions to to our our many many crises, crises, but but we we do do have have to to agree agree they they are are worth worth fighting fighting over. over. The The Austin Austin Union Union Society Society is is the the platform platform for for that that good good fight. fight.

If If it it is is crucial, crucial, voice voice it it with with us. us. If If it it counts counts for for something, something, debate debate it it with with us. us. If If the the time time to to act act is is now, now, fight fight with with us. us. Bring Bring it it to to the the Union. Union.