There is little question that over the past several years – perhaps even decades – that social trust has eroded in America. Our Nation and, indeed, societies in general depend on social trust, the faith that even strangers will follow established norms, is essential for any society to function. Increased political polarization, fed by politicians hungry for power, has broken many of these bonds here in America.
In order to survive as a functioning democracy, we must overcome such polarization. How do we move beyond our basic distrust of others based on politics? How do we become less insular and learn how to listen to and talk with one another? How do we discover what we have in common rather than the differences that divide us?
These are essential questions. There was a time when we were terribly divided and not just over slavery. When Irish immigrants flooded us after the Famine and when the poor and persecuted of southern and eastern Europe came to our shores, old white Protestant America reacted with both violence and legislative restrictions. There was little, if any social trust. But it began to develop. Now we are in the midst of another breakdown in social trust, also fueled by political vitriol. We must learn to overcome the fear and hate such language feeds and how to reestablish it.
Prayer for the Day
Told to fear who or what we do not know,
We turn to you, O God, for guidance;
Spurred on by the language of distrust and hate,
We need, O Lord, your words of understanding.
Teach us, O Holy One, how to embrace each other,
As you have embraced us all, your children.
In the name of the One who healed strangers,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
We need tolerance and institutional forbearance to make democracy work; otherwise, we cannot keep political losers integrated into the political system.
Kevin Vallier, from Restoring Trust in a Polarized Age
The most important determinant of social trust in institutions—whether schools, hospitals, libraries, law enforcement agencies, sanitation departments, or local governments—is how well they do their jobs and whether they provide real value to citizens.
Kristen M. Lord, Arizona State University
Happy are those who make the Lord their trust, who do not turn to the proud,
To those who go astray after false gods.
Psalm 40:4