Lincoln County Indivisible (LCI), whose mission is “To preserve and support our democracy through direct, local, and peaceful action”believes the Trump administration is threatening many of the foundational pillars of both our society and democracy. To highlight these concerns, LCI has developed a set of twenty-foursequential ‘Signs of Democracy’.The common theme for all the signs is: ‘This is Democracy’.  

Last Saturday, following the overnight snowfall, volunteers shoveled snow from their driveways to join an inaugural deployment of the signs along the approaches to the Newcastle/Damariscotta bridge. The signs were greeted with enthusiastic horn honking from numerous passing cars.  

Groups of signs focus on specific issues. For example, the current administration’sdeclared intent to ensure a Republican victory in the midterm elections more-or-less regardless of the vote. A mix of signs support‘Free and Fair Elections’, ‘No Voter Intimidation’, ‘Respect for Election Results’, ‘No Pardons for Criminal Loyalists’, and ‘No Corruption in Government’.The common subtitle is: ‘This is Democracy’. 

Another set of signs takes on the ever-rising cost of living and failing social safety net with ‘Livable Wages’, ‘Affordable Housing’, ‘Stable Food Prices’, ‘Feeding the Hungry’,‘Universal Health Care’, ‘Equal Access to Education’, and ‘Fair Taxes, Including for the Rich’. Once again, with the common subtitle: ‘This is Democracy’.  

The excesses and lack of accountability of ICE are a major concern for LCI supporters, expressed in signs such as: ‘Respect for Immigrants’,‘Diverse Communities’, ‘No Arbitrary ICE Abductions’,‘Due Process for Everyone’, and ‘No Army in the Streets’.Yet again, with the common sub-title: ‘This is Democracy’.  

And then there is the right to gather, pray, and love who we want, and the failure to protect the most vulnerable among us. These are reflected in a mix of signs: ‘Freedom of Assembly’, ‘Freedom of Speech’, ‘No Muzzling the Press’,‘Religious Freedom’,‘Protecting LGBTQ+ Rights’, and ‘Publishing the Epstein Files’.With the common subtitle: ‘This is Democracy’.  

The final sign declares: ‘We Believe in Liberty and Justice for All’.  

None of these signs should be controversial. LCI believes it is a sad reflection on the current polarization in our society, and the constant undermining of longstanding norms of behavior by the administration, that many of them are. Over the coming months LCI will be deploying the signs on a regular basis to remind Lincoln County residents of once commonly shared values before they are relegated to past history.  

The deployment of the signs was followed by the weekly community rally on the Newcastle/Damariscotta bridge with around 80 in attendance carrying a wide array of homemade signs.  

For more information contact info@LCIMaine.org. Call or email Nigel Calderfor high resolution copies of the attached photos. Cell: 401 215 5603.