Freedom of speech versus "freedom of screech." Uncivil showdowns over Civil War symbols. From Trump's wall to the walls we erect against those we disagree with and even hate, both online and off. America and the world have never been more fractured. Now what?
What can decent people do to heal the caustic chasms without compromising our personal convictions? How do we stand our ground yet seek common ground? Where's the guide to drawing unity from the politics of identity? It has arrived. Don't Label Me will equip us to engage the "other" in a way that's at once effective and ethical.
Irshad Manji holds a scrappy yet tender conversation with her Other: a senior dog named Lily. Raised in a culture that deemed dogs evil, Manji learns from her fur elder the transformative power of moving beyond labels, be they racial, sexual, religious, partisan, or species-supremacist. Together, she and Lily show that diversity, when practiced honestly, encourages conflicting points of view while revealing that we're all so much more than the assumptions we make about each other. Infused with scholarly insights and punctuated with stories about Manji's experiences as a refugee from Africa, a Muslim immigrant to the U.S., and a professor of moral courage, Don't Label Me offers a gift to every global citizen: concrete tips on how to start and sustain the toughest, most taboo conversations.
