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LINCOLN — A day after protesters disrupted a speaking engagement of U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, nary a demonstrator was in sight as Nebraska’s other senator, Ben Sasse, addressed the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday.

During his speech, Sasse said the harsh political discord in the country has a lot to do with the way people communicate today and the loss of “neighborliness” that stems from connections built via membership in civic groups such as the Rotary Club.

People, he said, identify less with their neighbors and family than they do with cable news networks and political parties.

“We need much more engagement with actual neighbors,” Sasse said. “Social media allows you to talk to people in ways you wouldn’t face to face.”

Happiness is based on family, friends, meaningful work and a religious foundation, he said.

“Love is the center of human experience, not force, not vitriol, not politics,” Sasse said.

On Tuesday, a protest organized via social media drew between 200 and 300 people to a noon-hour event in downtown Lincoln where Sasse’s colleague in the Senate, Fischer, spoke.