Weekly Email 5/25/26
- Anja Sophia Crooks
- 12 hours ago
- 4 min read
 RTB Spring Gathering '26 Dear Restore the Balance Community, We may be wrong about each other…and we can fix it. David French drew a sold-out crowd of over 500 at the RTB Spring Gathering held at CMU last Thursday, with watch parties in La Plata and Delta Counties. The full recording is available on the RTB YouTube Channel. Watch the full recording here. |
Topic of the Week: French Impressions Why such interest? French offered insights into why we are breaking apart as friends, communities, and as a country, and what we can do to fix it. We learned about his evolution from a conservative evangelical background to law school, to a career in the military, and now to his work as a columnist and author. He spoke about the forces that drive the extreme divisions we see in politics and in society. His message was not one of resistance but of compassion. We can swim against the current of vitriol and partisanship, but we need to start by simply reaching out to our families, friends, and neighbors with a willingness to listen and to learn. We need not only to be aware of our convictions and beliefs, but to have the humility to question them. At one point in the evening, French spoke of democracy and the fact that it is frequently "messy", but superior to other forms of government. The Constitution, he said, gives us a framework in which we can disagree but remain united. In fact, French commented that it is mostly a dispute-resolution document. |
Impressions from the Evening We canvassed the crowd after French's talk to capture impressions beyond the well-received "thank you" and "he is a great speaker!" "It was the best use of an evening I've had in a long time." "One attendee was struck by the notion that fundamentalists are so very sure they are right." "To change things, we have to focus on one person at a time; we have to try to reach the humanity in others." "We all need to get out of our media bubble." "Why is the evangelical right not leading the charge?" "We don't know what we are until we are truly tested." "The importance of building relationships and providing a sense of belonging." "He didn't call out individuals — instead, a moral compass. Which was refreshing." "We make mistakes. We pre-judge and are sometimes slow to come to the table." "Wish he had talked to us about young people." "Great message, pretty spot on about what we see politically. Optimistic but realistic. People have to get off social media." "The political climate is changing. How do you move the needle for the unrepresented?" "Made me think about people I have avoided. Will call a friend tomorrow." |
French's Thoughts on Solutions In closing, we'd like to thank our underwriters and sponsors, The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, The Thiry-O'Leary Foundation, The CMU Civic Forum, Courageous Colorado, and our generous donors, as well as leave you with several of French's thoughts on solutions:
RTB was founded in large part to offer a home for the middle. A place for honest dialogue where we can learn, unthreatened, from each other and explore real, actionable solutions. It is tough; we have received criticism from both sides. But to be willing to engage in respectful discourse without resorting to demonization and threats is, as David French reminds us, one way to be a patriot. |
A Memorial Day Reflection We would be remiss on this Memorial Day if we did not acknowledge that thousands of our ancestors and fellow citizens have made the ultimate sacrifice to safeguard our messy but beautiful experiment in democracy. It's on us to commemorate their patriotism and to never forget. Perhaps you do not know anyone in the military, or do not have a relative who has served. We recommend the following column by Lt. General Mark Hertling: Memorial Day 2026: The Last Full Measure, Quietly Remembered — The Bulwark If you did not have the opportunity to attend the event, the full recording can be found here. Watch the RTB Spring Gathering 2026 — YouTube |
Upcoming Events Women Decide: The Colorado Governor's Forum Free, live virtual forum with confirmed primary candidates for Governor of Colorado: Michael Bennet, Scott Bottoms, Barbara Kirkmeyer, and Phil Weiser.
Mesa County Election Tours
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Member Recommendations: |
On the Radar: Local Government Meetings
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Thank you to all who have submitted photos, podcasts, and video recommendations. We will publish a recommendation in each category every week. Please keep them coming! Want to Contribute to Our Weekly Newsletter? Our best recommendations come from you! Have you read a thought-provoking book? Listened to an insightful podcast? Found an article worth sharing? Captured a beautiful photo of Western Colorado? We want to feature your discoveries and perspectives in our Monday Update. You can share resources, suggest topics you'd like RTB to address, or submit photos from around our community. All submissions can be anonymous or attributed to you; it's your choice. Submit your recommendations here Let's learn from each other and build a more informed community together.
Don't forget to vote in 2026: June primaries, November general. |
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