JANUS Forum sparks open conversations about politics

On paper, the only things former Ambassador to the Netherlands Shefali Razdan Duggal and former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan shared on Oct. 13 were an alma mater and a stage.

Graduated from Miami University in ‘93 and ‘92 respectively, the pair ended up on opposite ends of the political spectrum: Razdan Duggal was a Biden appointee and Ryan a lifelong conservative and Vice Presidential nominee on the 2012 Republican ticket.

Both were invited back to Miami on behalf of the JANUS Forum, an organization that serves as “a place for members of the community to come together and discuss opposing views freely and passionately, and where students can explore the multitude of views that exist, and then arrive at their own opinions,” according to its website.

It’s that spirit of collaboration that both Ryan and Razdan Duggal talked about — especially due to their own, personal friendship.

“People need to find the commonalities,” Razdan Duggal said. “Then you can actually get things done. That’s the reason why I think it’s important we’re here, because I think the [political] atmosphere has changed a bit, and I don’t know if that [change] is sustainable for our country.”

Ryan agreed.

“[Razdan Duggal] is a Democrat. I’m a Republican. We were always still friends irrespective of that,” Ryan said. “That’s the way things ought to be in this country. It’s just that simple. You can maintain good friendships without having to agree with everybody and everything.”

He said that the country was built on pluralism, which means respecting people’s views and operating off “a basis of common humanity.” The JANUS Forum helps facilitate that basis.

President of the JANUS Forum and junior political science and business leadership co-major Nate Novak said these debates are a staple for the political science department and offer a space for diverse viewpoints within Miami.

“In this day and age, it’s very difficult to have conversations with people we disagree with,” Novak said. “The JANUS Forum gives us an outlet to showcase people who disagree, probably on a lot of different issues, but they can come together and debate in a friendly, respectful way.”

It helps that Razdan Duggal and Ryan are good friends and alumni, which Novak said helped them secure the two for the event. Normally, they have to “go on the hunt” for speakers.

Past debates featured former press secretaries, presidential nominees and chiefs of staff, with topics ranging from Roe v. Wade to cryptocurrency.

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The event features two types of questions: some the JANUS Forum executive board comes up with and the rest supplied directly from the live audience, which the moderator can read on stage via a tablet.

As for their personal reactions to talking politics in college, both Ryan and Razdan Duggal said politics weren’t as open in friendships and everyday conversations when they attended Miami, but they agreed openness isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as long as discussions are in good faith.

“Don’t be a polarizer. Don’t try to think of other people as your enemies,” Ryan said. “If you’re going to make an argument, don’t base it in emotion, base it in principles, facts. Know your policies, and be willing to understand a different perspective.”

That mentality was put to practice when a sold-out crowd filled Wilks Theater to hear their debate.

After talking about their time at Miami and how it prepared them for a life in public service, Ryan and Razdan Duggal tackled current public issues, including factors that will matter in the upcoming midterm elections, current U.S. foreign policy and the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (also called the SAVE Act).

Throughout the night, Ryan and Razdan Duggal rarely disagreed. They both elaborated and expanded on each other’s points, and seemed to agree on their dislike of President Donald Trump’s policies, specifically, economic and foreign policy

But when Ryan said that Democrats were highly mobilized and should pick up House and Senate seats during the November elections, Razdan Duggal offered a different view. While she agreed Democrats would gain seats, she warned Ryan not to discount Republican and Independent voter motivation.

Several times during the debate, Ryan and Razdan Duggal mentioned a spirit of bipartisanship that they felt was missing in current politics and expressed a desire to return to it. This also resonated with the audience.

Mackenzie Donoher, a senior political science major, attended the forum and wanted to hear Ryan and Razdan Duggal’s positions on the SAVE Act, a federal proposal that would change how American citizens register to vote and require photo ID when requesting a ballot. Ryan and Razdan Duggal’s agreement on certain aspects of the bill surprised her most.

“This [forum] was unique because they were friends and had such a great relationship,” Donoher said. “However, they clearly had different views, and it was refreshing to see that they could be friends when they feel that way, but at the same time, it was interesting to hear where they differ and maybe why they differ.”

Other audience members thought the JANUS Forum provides a unique opportunity to hear both sides of the political spectrum share their opinions civilly, and without fear.

“Bipartisanship is really important in our government, and I think fostering it through discussions with both sides is really important,” said Carter Harrold, a junior political science major. “For people just now getting involved in politics, you know, young politicians, it goes to show both sides of the aisle are real people.”

greenpt@miamioh.edu

fahymm@miamioh.edu