We have nothing to fear but fear itself were the words that inspired our grandparents to overcome the Great Depression and World War II.
But who cares about history?
Today it's fear that drives Americans. We're scared of our shadows and we revel in it. We get on social media and plaster our walls with all the things we're downright proud to be afraid of. Government? Terrorism? Muslims? Christians? Rich? Aliens illegal and interplanetary? Check. Check. Check. Check. Check and double check.
Outside the terrible news of the last week and the ongoing debate about the refugees trying to get outside a deathzone, the list of things we're petrified of could probably fill a report.
As a matter of fact, it just did. The Chapman University Survey of American Fears Wave 2 (I did not make that up) has surveyed a cross section of real Americans and identified not only the top ten things we're afraid of but a list of 89 things that terrify us.
What are we most afraid of you wonder? Is it terrorism? Natural disaster? Poverty?
Nope. The thing most Americans, 58% of us, are afraid of is government corruption. It wins by a long shot, fourteen points over it's nearest rivals cyber-terrorism and terrorist attack. But it says a lot that 44% of us are actively fearful of a terrorist attack when we're far more likely to get it on a 4 wheeler.
Studying the rankings of fears of Americans is a exercise in 'say what?' According to the survey, 35% of us are afraid of Obamacare. More are afraid of Obamacare than are afraid of Illness (34%) and Dying (21%). More than are afraid of Nuclear Attack (33.6%). More than are afraid of Global Warming (31%).
And you know what Americans are more afraid of than Obamacare? You guessed it, Gun Control. 36.5% of us are scared to death of Gun Control laws. That's more than are afraid of War (35.8%) and way more than are afraid of Mass Shootings (16.4%).
I credit most of these numbers to our friends in cable TV. Fear is their product and productivity is high.
On the other hand, thanks to them, we're hardly afraid of Ghosts (9.7%), Zombies (8.5%) or Clowns (6.8%) at all. Bust out your Ain't Skeered window decals.
If the survey were done today, Syrian Refugees would outscore most of the things we're afraid of. It might even out-terrorize Obamacare on the fear meter.
Fear of a potential terrorist amongst the refugees seems a bit more rational than being afraid of a medical program. Of course it's possible someone bad could slip through the long and thorough screening process. But that shouldn't scare us out of doing the right thing.
Think about your ancestors. At some point in history, they came to this country escaping conditions that threatened them. Why would they come here if things were good where they were (unless they were forced)?
Is it a risk? Possibly. But it's the risk this country was built on. Don't let fear or a political candidate tell you differently.