I attend this FAIR in Conversations group every month. I encourage anyone interested to register and join in the discussion!

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Here at FAIR, we value exploring, learning, and having live conversations about ideas, events, and cultural forces shaping our lives. We are interested in what people are reading, hearing, seeing, and thinking. 

So we created a place where those perspectives can be shared openly — FAIR in Conversation.

Next Meeting

August 26th at 7PM ET

“We the People”: The Constitution and Competing Visions of Government

Can America’s Constitution Coexist with Communism or even democratic socialism? What are all these “isms”, anyway?

The United States was founded on a constitutional system that places individual liberty, limited government, and the rule of law at its center. Yet throughout history, competing political philosophies, including socialism and communism, have offered very different answers to fundamental questions about the relationship between the individual, the state, property, equality, and freedom.

How different are these competing visions? Can they coexist within America’s constitutional framework? And what do we actually mean when we use labels like communism, socialism, capitalism, fascism, and democracy?  

Join FAIR Tennessee for a thoughtful, civil conversation as we explore questions including:

• What are the defining principles of America’s constitutional republic?
• How do communist and socialist political theories differ from those principles?
• Where do individual rights come from, and what role should government play in protecting or limiting them?
• How should we think about the relationship between government, corporations, and regulatory agencies?
• Are there aspects of American politics and culture today that reflect ideas traditionally associated with socialist or communist thought?

Whether you believe communism represents a growing influence in American life, think the concern is overstated, or simply want a deeper understanding of the issues, this conversation is designed to encourage thoughtful discussion rather than partisan talking points.

To help prepare for the discussion, participants may wish to review the following resources:

1. A recent Epoch Times reader survey on perceptions of communism’s influence in the United States https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/epoch-readers-weigh-in-on-communisms-influence-in-the-united-states-6060364?utm_source=ref_share&utm_campaign=copy
2. Video Documentary “What Sweden Got Right” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlHHbcWx2wk
3. A paper providing a 14-page primer on democratic socialism that explores what today’s “democratic socialism” means in contrast with past versions. Why we are experiencing an upsurge in its popularity. And what are the political implications?   https://www.brookings.edu/articles/socialism-a-short-primer/ 
4. Inside the Democratic Socialists of America party, including the party’s history and current policies, with explanation from representatives by current DSA leadership — NewsNation Special Report (39:00) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPTO4Ue-9mY 
5. Winston Marshall interview with James Lindsay on Fascism (1 hr)     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVWXhQCMZJ4 
6. Website of the Democratic Socialist party that outlines the party’s platform  https://program.dsausa.org/ 
7. The Dark Side of Marxism by Dr Paul Kengor at The Peterson Academy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5UfRoasgjw 
8. Nick Shirley on the streets of NYC asking people what they think about the rise of communism in America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8fKotkC8ps 
9. James Lindsay’s New Discourses’ podcast has several episodes on political ideologies https://newdiscourses.com/                               
     on Democratic Socialism (20 min)     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMLQu22b4H4

                                                          (full 1 hr)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsOYaQSpiz4            on Fascism – Corporatism (1 hour)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gjXDW_giv0&t=4s            on the Communist Manifesto (3 hrs)       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpX7i1diR50            on Stakeholderism (1 hr)                   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u2ak-DmKD4&t=7s            on The American Experiment (1 hr)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE0YeE5y0jQ&t=3s

          (Federalist 51 and Political Realism) 

If you have videos, papers, or articles you’d like to share –  please send to karen.howes@fairforall.org or Arnold.huntley@fairforall.org

The above is the topic for August.  September’s topic will be Is Woke Dead, or Just on Pause?

July 4th, 2026 Podcast on the 250th Anniversary of America!