• Yuval Levin believes Americans would benefit from a reintroduction to the Constitution, through the lens of using it as a tool toward social and political unity.
• The Constitution provides the framework for us to still disagree – but find ways to reach consensus even amidst that disagreement.

​Sutherland Institute recently held an event with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, author Yuval Levin, and retired judge Thomas B. Griffith. At the event, Gov. Cox led a panel discussion with Levin and Griffith, where they covered the Constitution as a source of unity. 

Levin mentioned that the American people would benefit from a reintroduction to the Constitution, through the lens of using it as a tool toward social and political unity.

Griffith echoed Levin’s sentiments, stating that in his career as a judge, despite vehemently disagreeing with some other judges, they had boundless respect for one another.

Later, the discussion turned to how Americans can better identify when they’re failing to sow unity. Griffith encouraged attendees of the event to ponder and reflect on their daily interactions across social media to determine if they’re helping or worsening today’s discourse.

In a follow-up conversation on Sutherland’s podcast, Defending Ideas, Levin said that social media has caused us to villainize our neighbors, rather than find common ground.

In that same episode, Sutherland’s vice president of strategy and senior fellow, Nic Dunn, who hosts Defending Ideas, encouraged viewers to not allow today’s discourse to create a fake sense of unity, where it’s only unity if we all agree.

As we clamor for unity and civil discourse, it’s important to remember how we treat those with whom we disagree and look to the Constitution as a unifying bond. The Constitution actually provides the framework for us to still disagree – but find ways to reach consensus even amidst that disagreement. You can view the full panel discussion with Gov. Cox, Yuval Levin, and Judge Griffith here. For the follow-up conversation with Nic Dunn and Yuval Levin on Defending Ideas, click here.

For a more in-depth perspective on this article, watch the panel discussion with Gov. Cox, Yuval Levin, and Judge Griffith here.