by Mark Neel
This past Thursday the Deutsch-Amerikanisches Zentrum in Stuttgart was the site of a lively discussion about the seemingly interminable political divide which has become increasingly evident in the United States in recent years. Kelsey McLendon, chair of the Stuttgart chapter of Democrats Abroad, and Michael Pierce, PhD., member of Republicans Overseas, represented the different sides of this divide, while Dr. Martin Kilgus, Managing Director of the ifa Akademie, moderated the talk. The many attendees in the packed room not only witnessed this event, but frequently participated in it themselves with their own questions and comments. The topics ranged over a variety of subjects, including immigration, climate change, international relations, racism, and, of course, Donald Trump, and though it was occasionally heated, the tone between participants remained always respectful and civil. As perhaps could have been expected, little was resolved between the starkly contrasting viewpoints of the participants that evening, but on one point Kelsey and Michael ended up finding one thing they both could agree upon: the dire need for campaign-finance reform. That's at least a start! Democrats Abroad would like to thank all the participants -- the speakers, the moderator, and audience -- as well as the DAZ for organizing this wonderful and thought-provoking event.