Hello Family,
Fear is a powerful emotion.  It can motivate people and communities to behave in ways that seem irrational and self-destructive.  There are things we all fear.  For example, not getting what we want or losing what we already have.  Some parents fear their children will not receive their fair share of programs supported by their tax dollars.  Communities fear not being able to stretch their resources to meet increasing demand.
We live in a time when politicians have mastered the strategy of “manufactured fear.”  The more fear generated by those in power, the more people are willing to vote against their own best interests to alleviate their fear.  When voters in our country are willing to see the “other” as the problem, they are less likely to focus on the individuals, groups and businesses that profit from their fear.
Over the past few months, stories about immigration have increased.  Most noteworthy is the Anti-Immigrant Law passed in Arizona in April.  People in support of tightening our borders and deporting those who are undocumented believe they stand on the side of law and order.  People who support amnesty for undocumented immigrants believe they stand on the side of economic justice, human rights and love.
I encourage you to get in touch with what you fear, because if you are in control of what you fear instead of being controlled by what you fear, you will be one less consumer of the current political strategy of manufactured fear.
As always I would love to hear from you.  You can message me on Facebook at Monica Cummings, email me at mcummings@uua.org or leave a comment for me on the YaYA of Color blog, UU Living Mosaic at http://uuyayaoc.blogs.uua.org/.
Living My Faith,
Rev Monica

About the Author

T. Resnikoff

Ted Resnikoff is the Digital Communications Editor at the Unitarian Universalist Association.