Slapped in Paris — A Diplomat’s Wake-Up Call
from The People We Meet with Ty Bruner Hosted by Ty Bruner
When Scott Rasmussen — a husband, father of eight and former U.S. diplomat — is struck in a Paris park, a single shocking moment becomes the first page of a much larger story. That slap sparks a curiosity that sends him from the tightly controlled streets of Asmara to the anxious borders of Poland and into the volatile neighborhoods of Jerusalem, asking a simple question: how do we learn to see each other as human? Through vivid scenes of forced national service in Eritrea, the living memory of war in Poland, and fragile peacebuilding work in Israel and Palestine, Scott shares the small, stubborn practices that actually connect people: conversations, shared projects, and the messy work of cooperation. Back in the U.S., he turns that hard-earned perspective inward, tracing how contempt and division creep into families and communities and how pluralism — respect, relationship, cooperation — can be a practical antidote. This episode invites listeners to sit down, listen, and rethink what it takes to rebuild trust in a polarized world.
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Chapters
- 0:04 Welcome to Season Two
- 0:27 Introducing Scott Rasmussen
- 3:11 Growing Up in Utah
- 6:45 The Role of Faith
- 9:17 A Life-Changing Mission
- 11:37 Understanding Global Perspectives
- 14:28 The Impact of Conflict
- 16:17 Life in Eritrea
- 20:26 Transition to Poland
- 34:16 Fear of Invasion
- 38:44 Jerusalem and Peacebuilding
- 45:33 Building Relationships Across Divides
- 50:05 Reflections on Division in the U.S.
- 1:00:06 The Importance of Empathy
- 1:05:27 Navigating Family Conversations
- 1:09:48 Finding Common Ground
- 1:16:16 The Power of Storytelling
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