Be Not Afraid
Trump and MAGA want to frighten you. Don't let them.
1. No Fear
Real talk: Have you been afraid?
I have been. Afraid for the country. Afraid for democracy. Afraid for vulnerable populations. Afraid for the children of immigrants. Afraid for the kids who will get polio. Afraid for members of the military who will refuse unlawful orders.
I’ve been afraid for what is coming for Liz Cheney and Mark Milley. And also for people I know personally who aren’t as famous. I’ve been afraid for the future of The Bulwark. I’ve been afraid for myself and my family.
I’m just being real with you. These are the ghosts that visit me in the small hours.
We don’t talk about the fear much. When we do, it tends either to be in the form of venting or gallows humor. Which is why I’d like to go deep on the fear today. I want us to understand its roots and its purpose. And I want to talk about how we should respond to it. Because our response will influence everything that follows in the coming years.
So let’s start there and work backwards: Be not afraid.
Say it with me: Be. Not. Afraid.
It’s important to understand that fear is not an ancillary biproduct of Trumpism. It is a method and a mode. A goal unto itself.
Let me explain.