Turning Point in Trust

A circle of trust and hope at the SPLC in front of the words of Martin Luther King, jr, quoting the Bible: "Let justice roll down like the waters, and righteousness a mighty stream."

Source: From the Southern Poverty Law Center, Montgomery, Alabama

Trust vs. mistrust is the first developmental stage of infancy, according to pioneering developmental psychologist Erik Erikson.  The baby experiences the world as unfamiliar and unpredictable, leading to crises.  If caregivers respond with consistent attention and soothing, the little one develops trust in their environment and other people.  If not, then the baby develops fear and mistrust, which leads to later problems.  A fearful, mistrustful person can become anxious, paranoid, isolative, and even hostile.  Mistrust is one of the most deeply rooted, and often most entrenched, causes of suffering.  How can you help a mistrustful individual gain trust, and through it a sense of belonging, connection and psychological health?

What happens when mistrust rules the body politic?  Mistrust has been prevalent in American society for decades.  Certainly, we can point to the upheavals of the 1960s, including conflicts over the War in Vietnam, Civil Rights struggles, the assassination of major leaders, and the ultimate betrayals of the Nixon presidency as all leading to deep divisions between citizens, and cynicism, mistrust and even paranoia of federalgovernment and its institutions.  Political polarization has risen for the last two decades, reflecting deep mistrust and alienation.  While the majority of the country has moved towards trust and inclusion, significant and powerful holdouts have remained, leading us to a seemingly hopeless split in society.

But history might mark the last few weeks as perhaps the most significant turning point in trust across the American political divide in generations.  The massacre in Charleston was a horrific reminder of the legacy of hatred, division, fear and mistrust in the country.  But within days, we saw victims offering up the possibility of forgiveness for the alleged assailant, forgiveness that emerged from the depth of their faith.  Can anyone doubt their position as the spiritual center of this struggle?  Then Nikki Haley, Republican governor of South Carolina, made a courageous and unexpected declaration of opposition to the Confederate battle flag, calling for it to be taken down from the state capitol.  Haley made it clear this was a personal decision and not a political calculation.  Indeed, other political leaders in the south have lost elections after making similar declarations, and most Republican presidential candidates demonstrated caution (shall we call it fear?) rather than courage at this moment.  Republican leaders across the South followed Haley’s lead.  It was and is a watershed moment, perhaps the only remotely satisfactory legacy that the death of innocents can offer at this time.  Left and right were coming together against racism and the symbols of division.  Some might say that instead of being called out about racism, they were being “called in” by the compassion of the congregation of Emanuel AME.

The Supreme Court offered up two massive rulings that boosted trust.  First, in a 6-3 decision announced June 24th, the court validated a core principle of Obamacare, the provision of subsidies for those in states that refused to set up their own health care exchanges.  In so doing, they supported and in effect trusted the legislative intent of Congress.  On June 26th, in Obergefell v. Hodges, a 5-4 decision validated gaymarriage across 50 states, based on a solidunderstanding of core principles of the U.S. Constitution.  What other decision is possible if one believes, as the 14th Amendment requires, in equal protection and due process for all citizens?  Dissents pointed to judicial overreach and the wish that a legislative process had prevailed, but the principle of equality has triumphed, as even initially recalcitrant officials in conservative parts of the country concede the rule of law.  Certainly, the dissents are important to understand, and I intend to read all opinions fully.  (What better way to spend the Independence Holiday!)  Of course, this last decision in particular will reverberate for some time, but popular opinion has already moved in this direction.  Twice as many people support gay marriage today as supported interracial marriage in 1967, the year of Loving v. Virginia.  We’ve come a long way.

Perhaps this last decision highlights the fundamentals of trust best.  Certainly, as Americans, we must have a level of conviction in the American experiment.  What are the first principles of this experiment?  What is in our Constitution and in our “constitution”?  Our blood, so to speak?  I would point to the Declaration of Independence, perhaps the grandest statement of human rights the world has seen:  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit ofHappiness.”  While the Constitution itself reflected the shortcomings of the time, the principle of equality – the moral necessity of equality – has been rolling down for centuries, through Civil War, women’s suffrage, the civil rights movement, and every other recognition and correction ofdiscrimination we have seen, including the latest ruling on Gay rights, powerful relief for millions of gay citizens, who have long felt like second-class citizens subject to the whims of discriminatory laws, biases and outright hatred.  

What more powerful antidote to mistrust than further proof that under the American sun, we all are entitled to “equal justice under law”, the societal ideal engraved in stone at the U.S. Supreme Court?

Of course, we will continue to deal with our differences in opinion.  Some citizens will feel that some or all of these seminal events are proof that they can’t trust the Supreme Court, the legislature, or elected officials, because they have delivered decisions that run counter to their religious beliefs or personal convictions.  Quite frankly, I have mistrust of authorities as well.  That’s also perhaps a constitutional quality of being American.  There have been ample reasons for those left-of-center to mistrust.  

But trust can’t be based simply on agreement on any set of decisions.  It must be based on process.  Robert Axelrod, expert in game theory, demonstrated quite clearly that the most stable strategy for long-term cooperation is “tit-for-tat” play.  In other words, one party’s moves reciprocate the other party’s.  Never be the first to spoil the game and cheat your partner.  Each side learns and responds to the trustworthiness of the other side.  If defections happen, the other side reciprocates, but then immediately returns to cooperation when the other party does.

The “game” that started with the founding of America is still being played.  But do we abide by or defect from the “rules”, especially the foundational rule of equality?  This is the essential question, psychologically, politically, and socially.  This is a profound and deep question, appealing to both reason and compassion.  As Americans, we must answer in the affirmative.  That’s the path to trust. 

But the forces against trust are significant.  Seven black churches have burnt in recent weeks, possibly hate crimes.  But I continue to trust America, and I trust that equality will remain our guiding principle.

And the outcome of trust, according to Erik Erikson, is a little thing called hope.

(c) 2015, Ravi Chandra, M.D. F.A.P.A

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