STUDENT WRITERS: Tribalism in American Politics

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STUDENT WRITERS PROGRAM
This week featuring: ERSKINE ACADEMY

by Grace Kelso

Tribalism is the behavior and attitudes that stem from strong loyalty to one’s own tribe or social group. Tribalism is a natural part of human behavior that can be seen in all aspects of life. More now than ever, we are seeing strong tribalism in American politics. We are seeing evidence of this when people favor policy proposals from their party and disapprove of proposals from the other party based purely on party and not facts or soundness of policies, or when people only make friends with people from their own party. This essay explains where we see tribalism in American politics.

One example of tribalism in American politics is through reactive devaluation bias. Reactive devaluation bias is the tendency to value the proposal of someone we recognized as an antagonist as being less interesting than if it were made by someone else. An example of this could be found in Daniel Stalder’s article, “Tribalism in Politics” published in Psychology Today in June, 18th, 2018. According to Stalder, Republican Senator, George Vionovich, said, “If he [Obama] was for it, we had to be against it.” This means that even if one of Barack Obama’s policies, or a policy that he was in support of, were very beneficial to the American people, George Vionochich and his Republican colleagues would not support it. This is a clear example of reactive devaluation bias. It is not just Republicans who are guilty of reactive devaluation bias. A study called “Party over Policy” found that when liberal college students were told about a welfare proposal, they were not opposed to it, and some were in favor of it. When they were told that the policy was proposed by Republicans and was not supported by Democrats, their opinions changed. Most of the students were no longer in favor of the policy proposal, according to the same Psychology Today article.

Another example of tribalism in American politics is how it can be seen affecting our social lives. Tribalism based on our political beliefs occurs in how we perceive the people around us and with whom we are in relationships. To put it simply, we treat people with the same political views more favorably than we do people with opposing political views.

A political scientist named Shanto Iyengar has done a lot of research into how political tribalism plays a role in our social life. He found that the percentage of married couples that came from the same party had grown from two-thirds in the 1960’s and 70’s to close to 90 percent today. A survey done in the 1960’s found that only 5 percent of partisans would mind if their son or daughter were in a relationship with someone of the opposite party. This seemed like an irrelevant question at the time. In 2010, the same question was asked for a YouGov Poll and found that 49 percent of Republicans and 33 percent of Democrats would be somewhat or very upset if their son or daughter were in a relationship with someone of the opposite party.

Today, the political party you align yourself with is not just a choice, but an identity. This is seen when people approve of policy proposals from their own party and disapprove of those from the opposing party and when people do not want to be friends with someone from the other party. These are examples of tribalism. America is facing a lot of challenges and we need to be united now more than ever, but why do we still have trouble working with the other side? Maybe we are too egotistical, or maybe we don’t want to seem like hypocrites for agreeing with the opposing party. Only after we get rid of our “us versus them” complex can we make some meaningful change.

Student Writer’s Program: What Is It?

The Town Line has published the first in what we hope will be many articles from local students under the heading of the “Student Writer’s Program.” While it may seem plainly evident why The Town Line would pursue this program with local schools and students, I think it’s worth the time to highlight the reasons why we enthusiastically support this endeavor.

Up front, the program is meant to offer students who have a love of writing a venue where they can be published and read in their community. We have specifically not provided topics for the students to write on or about, and we have left the editing largely up to their teachers. From our perspective this is a free form space provided to students.

From the perspective of the community, what is the benefit? When considering any piece that should or could be published, this is a question we often ask ourselves at The Town Line. The benefit is that we as community are given a glimpse into how our students see the world, what concerns them, and, maybe even possible solutions to our pressing problems. Our fundamental mission at the paper is to help us all better understand and appreciate our community, our state, and our nation through journalism and print.

We hope you will read these articles with as much interest and enjoyment as we do. The students are giving us a rare opportunity to hear them out, to peer into their world, and see how they are processing this world we, as adults, are giving them.

To include your high school, contact The Town Line, townline@townline.org.

MHS: Music in a coronavirus world

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The Messalonskee High School band practicing outside, at the school, in Oakland. (contributed photo)

by Colin Hickey
MHS English teacher

Try playing a saxophone outside when the temperature is 47 degrees. It’s not easy, and it’s not particularly pleasant. But for members of the Messalonskee High School band program, playing outside has become a necessity in the year of the pandemic, a year in which the music could have died.

“It is doable,” Messalonskee band director Andy Forster said of the outside venue, “but your finger dexterity slows down quite a bit and tuning your instruments is just something you don’t worry about because you need room temperature to do that.”

Forster, though, accepts the inconvenience of playing in chilly weather, and he is willing to adapt in sundry other ways as well. For example, he runs 100 feet of cable outside from the Performing Arts Center so he can hook up a wireless mic to the sound system he reconfigured to work both inside and outside the auditorium. To set it up, he comes to school even earlier than in the past – another inconvenience he accepts as the price of keeping the music alive.

What he cannot preserve, at least for now, is the ability to practice and hold performances inside. The concerts and other musical events that used to fill the fall calendar have all been erased this year, and the sad reality, he said, is they might not return until next fall at the earliest.

But Forster said, “If you focus on what you can’t do, you’ll be stuck and paralyzed and once you do that, the students have lost. They’ve lost everything.”

So instead of bemoaning the losses, Forster celebrates what he can do. “I can be grateful that I work in this (school) district in that I get to see my kids and have my classes,” he said, sitting in his band room as he talked through his mask.  “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be creative. That is not the case throughout the state.”

Forster talked of school districts in which music teachers have had to switch to teaching science and others in which they have become designated substitute teachers.

“It is all shades of bad,” he said of such situations. “As a music teacher, I can’t support any of those decisions.”

Forster realizes that he and his music program face many challenges ahead. As winter approaches, the temperatures will dip to the point in which playing outside no longer will be an option, but Forster already has plans to overcome that frigid reality.

He points to bundles of wooden rhythm sticks in his band room that he ordered. His vision is to distribute those percussion pieces to his students to transform them into a huge rhythm section spread safely across the Performing Arts Center. Forster said he has yet to write the arrangements and create the routines, but the instruments and the determination to put them to use are in place.

Such an approach to making music avoids the dangers caused when blowing into mouth pieces or, in the case of vocalists, breaking into song. Those two methods generate the aerosol emissions that epidemiologists say is a prime way to spread the corona virus and thus methods they warn to avoid at all costs.

Forster, who is married to a physician and has a brother in the medical field, understands full well the danger that his beloved music can generate. At the same time, he also understands that it’s vital to keep his students involved with music, and that gets back to his commitment to adapt rather than bemoan.

Along with his plan for the extensive rhythm section, Forster talks of shifting from performance to creation as the focal point of his program. Instead of playing in front of an audience, he will teach his students how to compose and arrange music – music, he hopes, they one day  will be able to share with classmates and others in a world without the need for masks, a world once more filled with beautiful sounds.

Life Scout presents schools with 13 benches

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Principal Kim Silsby, left, and Stephen Labbe stand with one of Stephen’s benches. (contributed photo)

Stephen Labbe (contributed photo)

The Eagle Scout project is considered to be the most challenging part of Scouting. What is the purpose of the Eagle Project? To give the Scout an opportunity to “plan, develop, and give leadership to others,” as noted in the requirement. Eagle Scout projects are evaluated on the benefit to the organization being served and on the leadership provided by the candidate. There must also be evidence of organized planning and development. During these Covid-19 times, many schools are finding it useful to have as many classrooms and activities outside. Stephen Labbe led five adults and two Scouts to construct 13 benchtables for the Cony Middle and High schools. He graduated in the Spring and wanted to give back to his alma mater. Students and teachers have already put the bench tables to use. “Students will enjoy these benches for years to come!” Cony posted on their Facebook page.

The project was the final requirement needed and once approved, Stephen will come before an Eagle Scout Board of Review to evaluate his Scouting career.

PHOTO: Soccer underway

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China and Vassalboro Rec kicked off their youth soccer season in September. China players Silas Parlin and Tucker Hussey, in blue, and Vassalboro players Mia Mclean and Baylee Fuchswanz chase the ball down field. (photo by Mark Huard, Central Maine Photography)

China School’s Forest gets ready for students

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China school teachers get the China School’s Forest ready for students. (photo by Anita Smith)

Six animal cutouts stolen from the grounds

by Eric W. Austin
A few weeks ago, a heinous act was committed in the China School’s Forest. Someone snuck into the outdoor learning center and stole six of the animal cutouts that were set up along the trails to teach children about wildlife in the Maine woods.

“Not only did you steal them, you stole the hard work of middle school children and volunteers who made the project happen,” admonished a post added to the China School’s Forest Facebook page on July 22, shortly after the incident. “You stole the grant money that was used to make them. You stole the enjoyment and learning opportunity from hundreds of children and visitors to the school forest. You stole the desire to continue to do projects like this that our whole community can enjoy. You stole the pride our community feels with the entire school forest project.”

Danica Ferris, left, and Anita Smith putting up a crow cutout. (photo by Katie Reed)

The China School’s Forest, founded in 1995, is located behind the China Primary school and is designed to serve as an “outdoor classroom with trails and learning stations to teach children about the Maine forest in a real-life, hands-on setting.” The trails are also open to the general public.

In the current age of COVID-19, the China School’s Forest has become an important place for local teachers to hold classes in a safer, outdoor setting, and the Forest has been scrambling to get ready for the upcoming school year.

Thankfully, since the incident, community volunteers have rallied to help with the work.

“There has been a huge outpouring of volunteerism in the forest this summer,” says Anita Smith, administrator for the China School’s Forest.

Of the six animal cutouts stolen, three have been returned, says Smith. Additional cutouts have also recently been supplied by local residents Jim Burke and Katie Reed.

Katie Reed says she reached out to Joshua Newhall, of Madison, owner of Gridiron Woodworks, to make them. “Scrolling through Facebook, I came across a post from China Forest…[and] my daughter asked me if we could help replace them,” Reed explains. Her daughter, Danica Ferris, is a sixth grade student at China Middle School. “We did this because my daughter loves spotting the cutouts on the trail. You can see anything from a cat, skunk, bears and more,” she says. “[We’re] hoping the community gets to enjoy them for years to come.”

Lydia, left, and Luke Naegely test out the stump stools at the Geology outdoor classroom. (photo by Anita Smith)

That’s just the tip of the iceberg though, in terms of the work community members have accomplished in the last few months. Volunteers have been mowing and weed-whacking. Extra seating has been added to the Geology Station, and outdoor-themed art has been stenciled on the walls of the wooden classroom structures to remind children to practice social distancing.

In addition, Anita Smith says, “Nine new interpretive signs, manufactured by Leighton Signworks, in Oakland, have been installed to explain features from last winter’s harvest and thinning, and a few additional points of interest on the trails.”

The wood from last year’s harvesting is also being cut up and will be donated to local families. “At the end of July, we had a large crew of volunteers from Central Church,” says Smith. “They helped cut up trees that will be used for firewood for those in need this winter. They also stained picnic tables, water-sealed several structures, raked trails, trimmed brush, replaced the roof on the CPS entrance kiosk and donated two new tables to the outdoor classroom spaces.”

Danica Ferris, adding a hare and bunny. (photo by Katie Reed)

A “Firewood for Friends” event held last Saturday drew an additional eight volunteers who cut wood into workable sizes and stacked it for drying. “We got 1.5 cord cut today,” says Smith. “The wood will be distributed through the China for a Lifetime Committee or the town office as needed.”

Smith says another event will be held on Saturday, September 12, from 9 a.m. – noon. “People with chainsaws are needed as well as others to lug and stack the wood,” she notes.

Steve Childs, of SD Childs & Sons Excavation, in Palermo, has also donated gravel, which volunteers used to smooth and cover muddy areas of the trails.

It’s looking like, with the generous help from many volunteers in the community, the China School’s Forest is going to be ready to serve its purpose as an outdoor learning center when China schools open this month.

“I am so proud of our little town and grateful to those who have helped to make the Forest a place that everyone can enjoy and our students can use this fall,” says Smith. “The teachers and I are so appreciative of the help!”

For more information about the China School’s Forest or to find out how you can help, contact Anita Smith by email at chinaschoolsforest@gmail.com.

Contact the author at ericwaustin@gmail.com.

Anna Schutte makes the deans’ list at Azusa Pacific University

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Anna Schutte makes the deans’ list at Azusa Pacific University

Sidney resident, Anna Schutte, was named to the academic deans’ list at Azusa Pacific College, in Azusa, California.

An English major, Schutte is honored for a fall semester 2019 academic standing of a 3.5 or better grade-point average. Schutte is joined by 2,171 other students receiving the same honor.

Azusa Pacific University is an evangelical, Christian university committed to God First and excellence in higher education. With 68 bachelor’s degrees, 48 master’s degrees, 18 certificates, 10 credentials, and 9 doctoral programs, the university offers its more than 10,000 students a quality education on campus, online, and at seven regional locations throughout Southern California.

Youth football in Waterville

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Coach Matt Vaughan and team member Dylan Devlin practicing during a recent Waterville Youth Football Clinc. (photo by Missy Brown, Central Maine Photography staff)

Waterville Youth Football Player Isaac Chase, practicing with Coach Matt Perry during a recent clinic. The season begins next month. (photo by Missy Brown, Central Maine Photography staff)

Volunteers needed to help set up outdoor classrooms in the China Schools Forest

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photo: China School’s Forest Facebook

Anita Smith, Director of the China Schools Forest, has been preparing the grounds for outdoor learning experiences in time for the beginning to the 2020-21 to year. The China School Forest provides ample space for students to socially distance in a calm, safe atmosphere, while learning. Volunteers have been essential. They have cleared brush, raked gravel on trails, stained picnic tables and water sealed a bridge over a pond. As school is about to begin, we need volunteers to give it one last push to prepare for the kids’ arrival.

Volunteers will be need on Friday, August 28, from 5 – 7 p.m., and Saturday, August 29, from 9 – 11 a.m. Four or five strong people with ladders to tie tarps up in the trees will be needed. The tarps will help protect kids from sun or unexpected sprinkles.

Contact Anita Smith at 207-445-3056 to volunteer. For more information about the China Schools Forest, visit chinaschoolsforest.wixsite.com.

Future needs for volunteers:

Saturdays, September 5 and 12 at 9 a.m., to cut and load firewood to store for neighbors in need. Bring chainsaws, work gloves, and goggles. If you own a pick-up truck, please bring it.

China For A Lifetime also needs more volunteers. We help with projects such as the China Schools Forests and with individuals who may need a helping hand or two. We run errands, rake leaves, shovel snow, basic home repair, minor chores and welcome neighbors. Contact them at 207-200-3704 or at chinaforalifetime@gmail.com.

Belfast Senior College fall session begins Sept. 2020

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Are you searching for something of value? There is much anticipation in the air these days with elections, school openings, vaccines, domestic and global issues. Why not consider a Zoom class to broaden your personal knowledge?

Value awaits you beginning next month at the virtual zoom classes offered by the Belfast Senior College. Literature, history, technology, wellness, language courses among others commence in September.

Look for our course descriptions and registration form at www.belfastseniorcollege.org. Several courses have class size limitations so register early.

No stress, no exams, no homework, no report cards! Connect with new ideas, practical education and experienced instruction. Add some value this Fall.

Skowhegan tailgate gathering rescheduled

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The Skowhegan High School Class of 1963 Tail Gate Gathering is being canceled due to rain on Saturday, August 29. The event will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2020 at noon on Hilton Hill. Bring your lunches, chairs and masks, drinks and chips provided, and a comfort station will be in place. If any questions call Cindy @ 207-858-0946.