Rising hopes for democracy in the American heartland
At a time when many see looming clouds on the horizon of American democracy, I’ve been thinking about glimmers of hope.
From interviewing high schoolers running for governor in Kansas to following a canvasser in Kentucky as he knocked on doors, I’ve had the privilege this past year of meeting many Americans energized about their role in making government better.
Political activism in America, especially as depicted on social media or TV, tends to focus almost exclusively on die-hard Trump supporters or those who form the official “resistance” to the current administration.
But in between the red Make America. The encouraging signs I’ve seen across the heartland this year are, I believe, part and parcel of a broader awakening that includes both sexes.
An earnest argumentLearning to defend the other sideShared love of country‘Without you ... the election just won’t be the same’‘We the people’