Is there a reason that we find ourselves in a "post-truth" world? Is there a reason that the mainstream press is constantly denigrated and dismissed as "fake news"? Is there a reason immigrants are so often framed as criminals, rapists and freeloaders? Is there a reason the departments of our government are run by people whose main qualification is past criticism and attacks on the departments they are now running? Is there a reason radical Christian groups have succeeded in eroding the separation of church and state and the rights of sexual minorities and women? All of this is all too familiar, and it adds to that disturbing feeling of anxiety, foreboding and powerlessness many of us are carrying. But what can we do about it? • We can learn the underlying reasons behind what's going on. • We can come together and reaffirm the foundations of democracy. • We can learn actions that ordinary citizens can take to shore up those foundations before they are further eroded. This is exactly what we'll be doing at our October Seeds of Hope gathering. We'll watch some illuminating short videos, process our responses, share resources to expand our awareness, and learn ways to shift our anxiety into constructive action. There's no need to stay isolated and distressed. Let's come together and learn what we can do!

[source: Rochester Pachamama Alliance e-mail, 2018-Oct-1]