UNITY, Maine — President Joe Biden told the nation on Wednesday that America needs to seek unity after so much political discord.
That message might have connected with people in the Maine town of the same name, who say people there are still able to get along with each other, despite the current sharp political divide.
Unity, Maine, voted for Donald Trump in November, but just barely-- only 11 votes between Trump and Biden. Unity has a little over 2,000 residents, and the leader of the Select Board said its generally a moderate town, though there are plenty of people with strong opinions on all sides. But Penny Sampson, who calls herself a moderate Republican, says that, aside from social media, people are generally able to avoid the political divide.
“There is so much casual cruelty, especially in the Facebook world, that we don’t want to see it happen to people we live and work with.”
Pat Clark, who says she is a strong Democrat, says she has lively discussions with Republican friends, but they’re able to do so without animosity.
“There are some people so extreme, on both sides, you can’t have that conversation, but I think overall there is that sort of acceptance, they’re a good guy, helped plow me out when I needed it, so you just let it go.”
Unity’s GOP state legislator, Rep. MaryAnne Kinney from nearby Knox, says she definitely sees harsh words on social media.
“We need to realize sometimes we aren’t going to agree, and just because we disagree doesn’t mean we need to be disrespectful to each other,” Kinney said.
Pat Clark says the small-town reality of Unity means people in the town have a lot in common, whether they realize it or not, and that can also help bridge the divide.
“So I think there are organizations where people are forced to work together, and I think that does help and I hope we can continue to work that way.”
In the suburbs and cities, where people are less connected, the divide may be harder to overcome. But in Unity, they say the things that have tied people to each other for years, still do. They travel the same roads, shop at the same stores, and send their kids to the same schools. They help keep up the park and the lake, volunteer for the fire department, and meet other local needs. All things, they hope, that will continue to transcend politics.