Most everyone seems to agree that these are dark times for democracy. Times when trust in both government and the media are at all time lows (20 percent according to a Pew Research Study of trust in government – May 3, 2017). The media fares a bit better. (32 percent according to a Gallup Poll – September 2016).

It is becoming increasingly clear that the leadership in both major parties and the mainstream media act in support of big business interests rather than attending to the common good. Wall Street, the fossil fuel giants and weapons manufacturers are a few of those beneficiaries whose demands overshadow concern for people and planet. Their power is heavy and tangled. The needs of the people are a whisper in the background, though constant misinformation is offered to make it seem otherwise.

Many of us (the people of Micoast Maine) are coming to understand that this is not an issue of one political party or the other. Republicans and Democrats alike are acting in our names but not in our interests and I, for one am infuriated by the level of pain their policies create for all but the wealthy few.

Those of us left in the wake have much in common regardless of the vote we may have cast. Looking at those who chose to support the Trump campaign, am I right that many had hoped to find relief from the fancy words and mock honesty that substitutes for substance? Gaps in the job market, weak schools, cruel and privatized prison systems, terrorizing wars – all these have led us to this place where “more of the same” has finally become unacceptable. The plain speaking of Sarah Palin and Donald Trump has appealed to those who have suffered most as the American dream has fizzled away. But does plain speaking necessarily speak wisely?

Many of those who supported Clinton seem to have decided that, while “more of the same” wasn’t good, it would be better than electing a real estate mogul, inexperienced in government affairs and whose plain speaking encouraged religious and racial oppression.

The Bernie campaign shook things up and generated lots of excitement. When he was thrown under the bus, many of his supporters got a glimpse of the level to which the Democratic National Committee would go to protect the status quo. That was a troubling moment for many Americans.

The Greens had a stellar candidate with important ideas but the playing field is wildly tipped to prevent competition with the two party system. Libertarians faced the same stacked deck.

What a mess! It’s not surprising that so many have lost trust.

Our nation has been brought very low by the complexities of the chess game so beloved by the powerful and we watch in dismay as desperate attempts are made to carry it on.

So here we are, in a place that serves none of us well. We’re all being used by those who care more for profits than people or peace, more for power than trust. We are finding that our voices are our best hope for change.

It’s energizing to see the numbers of local people whose activism is becoming an ongoing practice. There are at least three newly formed groups that I know of in this area that are part of the Resistance Movement: Mid Coast Voices for Democracy, Brunswick Area Rising and Sagadahoc Indivisible. Are there also groups supporting the Trump administration that we could be learning from? People of similar points of view are paying attention and speaking out in new ways but there isn’t as much discussion among people with differing points of view. We could be looking to each other for support and for smart strategies, addressing our differences with empathy rather than accusation. I know of two opportunities and would like to hear of others.

Since January, Craig Freshley has hosted five Make Shift Coffee House gatherings in our area “where people with different views exchange and consider different views guided by a neutral facilitator.” Two more are scheduled for the fall. (makeshiftcoffeehouse.com)

On June 17 Greater Brunswick PeaceWorks will host the second in a series of “Brown Bag Lunch” gatherings at Curtis Library. The topic will be “Spirit Informed Activism” and discussion will be led by Leslie Manning, who is Legislative Coordinator with the Friends Committee on Maine Public Policy.

Our voices won’t create big changes in policy right off but, through discussion and active listening, we will be personally changed in our expectations of leadership and that is a swelling wave that will continue to build. Every kind of strategy is useful in building cooperation and local trust.

The bottom line does seem to be trust: I think of it as a place where we can dare to practice the good old Golden Rule. Ironically the best way to find trust is to practice it.

We may be on our way to a tipping point that can reshape our politics and it’s important not to let up. We can take pride in what we’re accomplishing through these early stages of questioning and discussion.

Rosalie Paul is a member of PeaceWorks. She lives in Brunswick.