I am prompted to write this based on a comment I made in another diary about the New York Daily News front page headline. In response to Trump’s “threat” of sending immigrants to US Sanctuary Cities, the headline reads “We’ll Take Them.” My comment was simply that a corollary of that is “we’re not afraid.”
Fear is Trump and the Republican’s favorite propaganda tool, but Democrats do not seem to address this ploy enough or at least effectively. It seems to me the time has come to do so and as a start I think it might be helpful for the Dems to talk about what they are afraid of and, perhaps just as importantly if not more so, what they are not afraid of. Here, I start a list of each, beginning with what we’re not afraid of. Please feel free to add to these in the comments.
What we are not afraid of:
Immigrants — Just like it says on our Statue of Liberty, ““Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” We welcome them and do not fear them. Our stance is consistent with what the bible says about the caring for the poor, weak and hungry, and about doing unto others. It’s about love, not fear.
Terrorists — Whether foreign or domestic, we are not afraid of terrorists. We have the most powerful military in the world and a system of domestic security and laws that protect us. Sure, all of this cannot prevent every act of terrorism, but we will not change our way of life or our basic tenants of government out of fear of their actions. Terrorists or terrorism will not degrade our culture or ethics. We are not afraid because we are confident we will prevail. The dogs bark, but the caravan keeps moving.
What we are afraid of:
Climate Change — The is the biggest threat not only to our way of life, but to our existence. Everyone should be scared shitless about this if not for themselves then for their children and grandchildren. Time to do something effective about it is running out. Anyone not afraid of this is in denial or simply just stupid. Ignorance is no longer an excuse and willful ignorance is the height of stupidity.
Degradation of the rule of law — This is happening before our eyes and the perpetrator is our own government under the corrupt control of Trump and his Republican/conservative accomplices. This is a threat from within that is far more insidious than any terrorist organization. It is the first step toward the demise of our way of life and basic freedoms. This is where the real fight is. This is an immediate danger.
Loss of Health Insurance — This, too, is a matter of survival both financially and existentially. The failure to recognize this as a human right is unforgivable and inhumane. This includes Medicare and Medicaid, which are clearly successful programs that help millions and protect the most vulnerable.