The Gift of Fear

Fear, a gift? Think about it. If we listen to our fear, it can keep us from doing some incredibly stupid things.

In 1997, Gavin de Becker wrote a self-help book called "The Gift of Fear." In it he discusses fear and it's role in keeping us safe in the face of violence in a number of circumstances, dating, the workplace, home...

He doesn't mention politics or voting, but I can see the application. Think of it in terms of fight or flight.

Are we going run away and hide from the big scary republicans? Or are we going use our fear of what they are trying to do to this country and fight?

We've heard a lot lately about the enthusiasm gap, and how people are so disappointed in Obama that they are just shutting down, and are prepared to stay home. The republicans are using their fear of the big scary black man who is a socialist, facist, marxist, nazi, Kenyan anti-Christ to motivate people to get to the polls and vote for ignorant, loud-mouthed bigots. Meanwhile many, including a large chuck of the left and indies, sound like they are willing to stick their tails between their legs and either stay home or worse yet actually vote for these cretins.

If you just can't think of one other reason to get off your butt and vote for a dem, any dem, (and I REALLY hope you can, because there are many) do it out of fear.

If they have been able to screw over us so completely as the minority party, just think of what they can do if they (aided and abetted by a handful of gutless wonders with Ds after their names) are the majority party.

It ain't pretty, and it ain't right, but we have 2 choices (as I used to say to my kids when I presented them with 2 options, neither of which they liked.) We can stay home/vote repub/vote 3rd party (all of which equal voting repub)  KNOWING that bad things will happen. OR, we can fight, force ourselves to get enthusiastic and vote for the dems no matter what, and have SOME hope that the bad things won't happen...

I know it is a little dramatic, but work with me on this analogy...

It's like when a bad man tries to drag you into his van...you are better off fighting like hell and taking the chance you might be harmed in the process, but have the chance of escaping, rather than going with him quietly KNOWING bad things, up to and including dying, will happen.

Is letting the repubs back in control akin to a life and death situation? You know what? For some of us, that answer truly is, YES.