Meaningful Political Discussions and Supporting Animal Welfare

Feb. 11, 2024 ~ Why is it that we can express our hard and fast opinions about our favorite sports teams but not our favored political candidate? It's a question Nolan Finley, editorial editor for The Detroit News, and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Stephen Henderson have long discussed through their work with the Civility Project. Nolan talks about the heated political debates that are ahead of us this presidential election year and how to utilize "sports talk" habits to keep the political discussions civil and meaningful.

Michigan State Police reports a steady uptick in the number of animal cruelty and abuse calls they receive. Cory Keller is the president and CEO of Friends for Animals, one of the area's largest animal welfare organizations. He discusses "passive" animal abuse, "overt" animal abuse, and what can be done about the problem. Keller says far more animals suffer from neglect, like not enough food or shelter, than any other form of abuse. He says this is usually the result of well-meaning pet owners who've fallen on financial hardship, unable to afford proper care for their pets. Keller says Friends for Animals has a special program to help such pet owners.