In the latest edition of their Finding Forward series, University of St. Thomas President Rob Vischer sat down with Justice Alan Page for a fireside chat covering political polarity, the state of the courts, and Page’s own upbringing.
The university hosted the series in partnership with the Star Tribune. The current series is an iteration of the long-standing First Friday speaker series, which began over 30 years ago and aims to reach a wider audience.
President Vischer began the talk with a brief introduction of the topics he and Justice Page were set to discuss. He shared that the conversation would surround leadership and collaboration in an age of polarization. In his introduction, Vischer referred to Ezra Klein’s book “Why We’re Polarized,” which found that disagreements over issues just express a deeper sorting of fundamental identities.
Vischer went on to say, “Our polarization is fundamentally about social identity, not simply disagreement about particular political issues.” After framing the conversation for the audience, Vischer introduced Justice Page to the audience at the O’Shaughnessy Educational Center (OEC) Auditorium.
He shared the justice’s accolades as a 15-year NFL veteran when he played for the Vikings and the Bears, becoming the first defensive player to win MVP. Page also served on the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1993 to 2015.
He credited his accomplishments to his upbringing in Canton, Ohio in a world he described as being “quite different from today.” Page spoke about the lessons his parents imparted to him at an early age that stuck with him well into his professional life. He stated that they made sure he understood that life did not owe him anything. They also instilled in him the value of education.
At a young age, Page had also learned the importance of a court’s decisions. He learned the power that the Supreme Court wielded through its decision on Brown v. Board of Education.
Vischer then pivoted the conversation to the current judicial landscape, one he described as a microcosm of the culture war. He asked Page what it was about the Minnesota Supreme Court that fostered a sense of camaraderie, resulting in an oasis of collaborative thinking compared to other state courts.
“I think in some measure it comes from history and our tradition, and staying grounded in that history and tradition,” Page replied. “It’s grounded in having avoided the influx of money and influence. Some of those states you mentioned view the judges there as politicians in black robes.”
Page said his fellow Minnesota Supreme Court justices knew that the cases in front of them were not about their egos. They had a vested interest in seeking to understand the letter of the law as it was written and not what they wanted out of a given case. “Once you have an interest in the outcome, you’ve got a problem,” he said.
Page’s passion for education was on full display during the fireside chat. He stated that education was a useful tool in the goal of overcoming poverty and could help minimize the effects of discrimination.
Asked why he was so passionate to give back in the educational arena, Page stated that he and his wife Diane might have some self-interest motivating them. He pointed to their grandkids as a main driver behind his interest in bringing about a better world for the next generation to live in, quoting the late Paul Wellstone: “When we all do better, we all do better.”
In regards to finding a solution to the nation’s increasing political divide, Page pointed to his experience on the football field where he learned that he didn’t need to like his teammates in order to succeed with them. All that was important was establishing some sense of common ground with the other person. After that, there may be a chance of finding something to appreciate in the other person.
When asked about his source of hope in the world, Page offered some advice: “You want hope? Spend some time in a third-grade classroom,” he said.
“Feel that energy, that curiosity, that openness, and the lack of animosity. Spend some time there. That’s where I get my hope from.”
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