Remembering My Friend Folksinger Peter Yarrow

I first met Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul, and Mary fame in 2010 when I was the Peace Corps country director in Ukraine. Peace Corps Volunteers had invited him there to share about his nonprofit Operation Respect that promotes anti-bullying in schools using music -- including an incredibly powerful song titled “Don’t Laugh at Me.” I once ended up on stage with him singing “If I Had a Hammer.”   

Peter and I reconnected in 2019 when he did a benefit concert with Noel Paul Stookey at the Lebanon (NH) Opera House. He greeted me with a warm hug and told me about Braver Angels (then called Better Angels), the national citizens movement that brings Americans together to bridge the partisan divide. Embracing values of respect, humility, honesty, and responsible citizenship, the goal is not to change people’s views of issues, but to change their views of each other.  

I have been involved ever since and this led to my writing  Beyond the Politics of Contempt: Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships in Divided Times which will be published this summer. As I was writing, I was sad to learn of the death of my friend Peter, and thank him for the inspiration! 

We are looking for people to read the book, post an Amazon review, and share it with their social networks. If you are willing to be an ambassador on our book launch team, please let me know. We will send you a PDF of the book and specific things you can do. Thank you so much for your interest and support. 

We each have an extraordinary opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, including our own. Don’t underestimate your impact!