From Merriam Webster Online:
Main Entry: fear
Function: noun
1: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger
I can't think of another word that more accurately sums up the Democratic party right now. Everything they say, every decision made, every action taken is considered through a prism of fear. "What will the Republican's do?" "How will this play in the sticks?" "What are my consultants going to say?" "Am I going to catch heat for saying or doing this thing?"
Fear is one of the strongest emotions that humans possess. It's perfectly understandable for people to be fearful when they take action. It's simply human nature. However, a lack of, or resistance to fear is one of the key ingredients to making a great leader.
As we all know, the foundation of the GOP platform is fear. They play on the raw fears of their base to drum up support for their candidates. Not because the candidates will relieve the people's fears, it's because they create a fear of the other guy that would seem a much worse alternative. Fear of homosexuals, fear of immigrants, fear of terror, fear of a loss of morality, fear of seeming spineless, fear of anything that will drive people to vote based on those fears.
(2004 couldn't be a more blatant example. One day someone needs to do a real poll about the 04 elections and ask how many people voted against Kerry as opposed to for Bush?)
A few weeks ago I managed to catch Nancy Pelosi on Timmeh's show. Nancy's fear was palpable. Every question was answered with fearful hesitation. Every point avoided in fear it would backfire. Every time she had the opportunity to debunk one of Timmeh's blatantly partisan talking points, she just sat their cringing with fear trying to avoid a direct answer because of fear of how it would be taken in various living rooms across the country.
Fear in this context, to me, is a survival mechanism. You want to say enough to get by, but you are fearful of saying to much lest it be used against you in the future. As I said before, it's a perfectly human emotion, and I can't say if I was in her shoes I might do any better. The problem though is that's not a way to lead. It's a way of surviving until your next election, but it's nothing else. By thinking fearfully you place yourself in neutral. And then, when you get berated over what you do say, even though it was done out of fear, you continue to react with more fear and soon find yourself in full reverse.
Fear is NOT where leaders should dwell. This entire country is in constant fear factor mode because of the GOP's (with the obvious media accomplices) drive to keep people afraid. The more afraid people are, the more you can get away with while using the people's fears as a blockade for what you are doing. (Could it be any more clear in that every speech given by Bush, no matter what the core subject matter, always has references to terrorism and 9/11?)
What makes leaders great, and what makes people want to follow them is a lack of fear. A person becomes a leader when they show no fear. Though inside they may be scared to death, great leaders refuse to allow fear to control their decisions. It's a struggle against man's natural instincts. But when mankind has managed to overcome their fears, we've made the greatest strides in our history.
You have to understand this to know why Bush has done as well as he has. He has nothing to fear, and he knows it. He controls those that are controlling the populace's fear. That allows him to step beyond it to seem fearless and brave in the face of opposition. Well, it's pretty easy to act brave when you have a massive hit squad of your own fear mongers ready to take on the world on your behalf.
Democrats to date haven't had that luxury. When giving speeches or making comments to the press, they know that more often than not they don't have someone backing them up. The shameful thing is that 90% of the time they can't even count on their own party to get their backs. But ultimately, that's just an excuse for not trying. Feingold has managed to stand up for himself despite his cowardly allies, and lo and behold people are embracing it! Amazing huh?
The Democrats "fear factor" (Blech!) is what needs to be addressed ASAP for us to make positive gains in 06 and beyond. We need to teach our representatives that they must no longer embrace their fears. We've got to show them that we have their backs. More importantly though, Democrats need to come together and agree to cover each other's backs. And it's got to happen now.
All Democrats have to do is look around and see who the netroots supports. Feingold, Lamont, Gore, Tester, Dean, Busby, on and on. These people are being embraced by the netroots for one simple reason: they don't behave as if fear is their primary motivation. They speak for what is right, not what is the hot item in the latest polls.
You can hear it in their voices when they speak. There's an overwhelming sense of confidence relayed in their voice. They know they could get torn apart for saying things, but they know it's the right thing to say. They act without fear.
Of course, acting without fear can have its downsides. Dean knows that first hand. You speak your mind without fear consistently and things are going to come out that can be used against you. However, Dean knows that the most important thing is showing people that you make sense and that you speak from the heart without a fear filter. Sure he gets hit with flak from time to time, but he doesn't relent because he knows it's the right thing to say or do. He knows that the truth (and reality) can sting like hell. When he shoots those barbs across the water he knows he's hitting the jackals on the other side because of the vitriol they throw back at him. He knows that it's not a signal to back down because he hurt them. He realizes that his words have opened wounds in scared animals because of the feces they start throwing back at him. He knows then that he's hit a soft spot, and like a good hunter, he continues to hit the spot over and over again until the opposition flail's wildly in fear of being served for dinner.
It's time for our party to stop living in fear. The first step to overcoming it though is to acknowledge it. It's time to cast aside those that would keep you in fear: The Wormtongue consultants telling you to be fearful of the Republican's wrath. The establishment media telling you day in and day out how weak and pathetic you are. Then of course the corporations that line your pockets telling you not to say anything that might alienate their share holders. Fear, fear, fear.
America was founded because people decided to rise above the fear of those that ruled over them. It's time for that to happen again. Rise above the fear. Embrace the future, and lead with confidence showing no fear. You may feel the fear like a snake on the back of your neck, but don't succumb to it. Slap it down with strength knowing that what you are doing is the right thing.
Where would this country be right now if leaders like Kennedy and Roosevelt did everything out of fear? Does anyone think we could have won WW2 if it wasn't for our ability to cast aside our fears and face the realities of the time? It was the greatest generation because they didn't fall to their baser instincts of fear. I hate to think where we might be now if the people of that time were not willing to stand up to the fear and defeat it decisively.
If Democrats want a future for this country, they will show it with conviction and without fear. Those that would lead this party into the future must do so without fear. Embrace the unknown and take a stand. Not because it's the politically correct thing to do, but because it's the right thing to do. Feingold isn't one of the most popular Democrats now because he's scared of his own shadow. He's embraced the way he is because he does what is right, not what is the most politically viable option.
If Democrats would join together and cast aside their fears, they will quickly find that they will completely overwhelm the GOP. If you don't react to the fear mongering created by the right, then they have no way to defeat you.
Stand strong and rise above your fears Democrats. Now is the time. Lead us with confidence and faith in what is right. Do that, and you will find more support than you could have ever imagined.