I'm Afraid and So Are You.

I just saw a guy in a Costco who refused to wear a mask. He was yelling at everyone to “stop being afraid”. The thing is he’s afraid too. So am I. So are you.

Sometimes I too use fear to explain the people I disagree with. It’s an easy go-to. Just like that guy in Costco, I say the same thing: stop being afraid. Why are you so afraid. You can’t let fear win. The news you watch is all fear (which is pretty much true for all the news).

All of this acts like some of us are afraid and some aren’t.

Which I just don’t think is true. At all. We’re all afraid - just about different things.

Some people are afraid of the illness. Some people are afraid of the vaccine.

Some people are afraid of losing individual rights. Some people are afraid of losing communal rights.  

Some people are afraid of guns killing innocent victims. Some people are afraid of losing their right to buy a gun. 

Some people are afraid of the earth turning into a boiling heap of toxic fire. Some people are afraid of companies being over regulated. 

Some people are afraid of being woke. Some people are afraid of being asleep. 

Some people are afraid of LGBTQ. Some people are afraid of hiding who you are. 

Some people are afraid of racism. Some people are afraid of losing power.

Some people are afraid of not enough money. Some people are afraid of too much money.

Some people are afraid of government. Some people are afraid of corporations.

Some people are afraid of travel. Some people are afraid of never leaving.

Some people are afraid of the new. Some people are afraid of the old.

Some people are afraid of immigrants. Some people are afraid of not enough diversity.

Some people are afraid of sex gone wild. Some people are afraid of rules gone wild.

Some people are afraid of disrespect to a flag. Some people are afraid of nationalism.

Some people are afraid of justice and equality. Some people are afraid of blind and privileged kings and their loyal knights.  

Some people are afraid of capitalism and greed. Some people are afraid of socialism and laziness. 

Some people are afraid of police. Some people are afraid of chaos. 

Hell, some people are afraid of eating meat or fish. Some people are afraid of not eating meat or fish.

Some people are afraid of going to Hell. Some people are afraid of people who could believe in such a place.

Some people are afraid this list might never stop. I’m afraid I haven’t said enough.

Some people are afraid that my statements are a little biased and tilted. I’m afraid that’s true.

And, of course, none of these are that simple, that black and white, that either or, or that separate from each other. They all exist on a spectrum… many are a little afraid of both things or a little unafraid of either.

The whole list is a bit integrated in many ways too. 

But no matter what, it seems like if we could somehow talk about the fact that we’re all afraid - and come at things from that perspective - instead of always accusing the other of being afraid while acting like we aren’t - I do wonder if we might get a little further in our conversations.