Real Fear vs. Perceived Fear

To the editor:

When “real” fear enters your body, adrenaline surges. It is preparing your body and brain for flight or fight. That’s a good thing. Then, there are our “perceived” fears: fears that we are aware of through our senses. They may not be real, but these perceived fears are what the “fear-mongers” are hoping folks will believe, whether true or not.

Remember way back in the 80s or 90s when a young man was just jogging through a neighborhood at night. Another man from that neighborhood thought, just perceived that he was up to no good and confronted him, killing him during the altercation. An innocent young man with hopes and dreams was killed because of perceived fear. The fear-mongers made wearing a hoodie something to fear.

Recently one evening, I was dropping off books at a Little Free Library, and in the distance, a figure with a hoodie was jogging toward me. Nobody was around and fear crept into my body and brain, perceived fear. I hurried to get into my car when the young man jogged up and a voice said, “Hi, Mrs. Reid.” The young man was a former student all grown up. Reconnecting with him was a joy.

When we hear from the mouths of politicians that people at the border and from other countries are thugs and murderers, the perceived fear creeps in. Regardless of whether the threat is real or imaged, we still respond in the same way. It happens easily, I’ve felt it. My hope is that we will search for truth. For example, I’m sure many of us watched the assault on the Capitol on Jan 6, 2020. Still today, politicians, men and women, are saying that the insurrectionists were only “tourists.” We can’t be that gullible, just wanting to hear what we wish it was. We saw the horror of that day in real time. Now, we are listening to lies coming from the mouths of politicians we used to respect. This is the real fear we are facing- the lies.

Stand up for truth. Our freedom and Democracy depends on it.

Patty Reid La Grange