The Fear of Fear Itself

When President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his famous inaugural line "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." he was trying to inspire a nation frightened by economic depression.  The origin of the line dates back to a 1908 book Thought Vibration; or, the law of attraction in the thought world, by William Walker Atkinson where it read, "Remember, the only thing to fear is Fear, and—well, don't even fear Fear, for he's a cowardly chap at the best, who will run if you show a brave front."

Fear is something President Donald Trump's administration and the GOP at large have become masters at peddling.  It's the go-to tool of misdirection used to distract the pubic away from policy decisions that pander to business and other big money supporters and instead focus on threats imagined from places like seven predominantly Muslim countries and middle school bathrooms.

Listening to residents in middle America lament over fear of terror is - to use a Trump catchphrase - sad.  Many of these people live in cities and states that no member of ISIS could even find on a map but that do have real needs the administration is actively undermining.  But somehow the GOP has managed to get these people to believe ISIS, Muslims, and immigrants are more of a threat to their safety than environmental pollution on the scale of Flint, lack affordable healthcare, or trampled civil rights.

Conservative advocates of this week's rollback of Obama era rules on transgender rights cite the fear of male predators in women's bathrooms as reasoning for the move.  When have men needed to put on a dress and head into a women's bathroom to become predators?  If the GOP truly wanted to address violence against women that would be admirable.  The reality is Republicans are using the fear of male predators to drive opinion against the entirely unrelated issue of transgender equality.

Of course the pièce de résistance of fear mongering this week came from the Trump administration as Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been empowered to act as the American version of the East German Secret Police.  ICE agents have been rounding up alleged illegals in raids across the country and have used their Stasi modeled tactics even on American citizens.  Two weeks ago a U.S. citizen and NASA scientist was forced by ICE to unlock his phone when returning to the country from vacation in Chile.  Last week, agents demanded passengers on a domestic flight, yes, a domestic flight, show identification when disembarking at JFK in a search of an individual that turned out to not be on the aircraft.  All this over the generated fear of crime, terror, and a belief immigrants are taking jobs and benefits from "real" Americans.

The outcome of using fear to manipulate public opinion is tragic.  This week an assailant in Kansas shot and killed an Indian national allegedly yelling, "Get out of my country" before pulling the trigger.  Hate crimes continue to rise across the nation.  Fear breads more fear and spreads across all cultural boundaries with Republicans peddling yet more to consolidate their power position as the perceived solution.

It is imperative that we as a nation do not succumb to the GOP fear mongering.  Amid the bad news there have been some bright spots.  Citizen across the country have been standing up to be heard at Republican congressional town halls across the country.  GOP lawmakers have endured difficult questions around the proposed rollback of the Affordable Care Act, the ban on immigration, Trump accountability, Russia, and more.

These town halls have exposed fear mongering Republicans and validated what Atkinson said about the cowardice of fear.  Rather than face the questions several Republicans have now refused to hold town halls with constituents.  Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell is appearing in front of paying supporters but not general constituents.  Coward.  Texas representative Louie Gohmert even went so far as to declare he would not hold a town hall due to fear leftists will shoot him.  Not only is Gohmert a coward, he is also a hypocrite given he stated after the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting more guns are the answer to prevent such massacres.  Texas is an open carry state thanks to the efforts of other scared white GOP lawmakers like Gohmert.  Wear a side arm Louie, you should have nothing to fear.

McConnell, Gohmert and other Republicans refusing to meet with constituents are living proof of the cowardice behind fear.  Of course, their cowardice isn't driven by the same fear they are marshaling in public.  McConnell isn't afraid of terrorists attacks in Kentucky.  He sees the intelligence reports detailing that unlikelihood.  McConnell's fear is losing wealth, power, and influence.  In response to protests at a speech last week, McConnell declared "winners make policy and losers go home."  That is not the statement of a man that is a representative of the people - all the people.  McConnell blatantly it made clear he doesn't represent everyone in Kentucky and has no intention of working on behalf of anyone in the opposition in any, even small, way.  He will stand as a coward rather than face his critics.

Government cannot function with a McConnell-like mentality.  Democracy becomes tyranny.  McConnell, Gohmert, Trump, and others like them are unworthy of their offices, unworthy of the trust of the people, and unconditionally on the wrong side of history.  The push back must continue.   Constituents must demand accountability and representation for all the people.  Stand courageous against the fear men like these peddle.  They will crumble for they are afraid of Courage as Fear is truly is a cowardly chap.