Chapman University came out with something a little more definitive in 2023.
Fears are ranked by the percentage of Americans surveyed who reported being ‘afraid’ or ‘very afraid.’
Top 10 Fears of 2023 % of Very Afraid or Afraid
Corrupt government officials 60.1%
Economic/financial collapse 54.7%
Russia using nuclear weapons 52.5%
The US becoming involved in another World War 52.3%
People I love becoming seriously ill 50.6%
People I love dying 50.4%
Pollution of drinking water 50.0%
Biological warfare 49.5%
Cyber-terrorism 49.3%
Not having enough money for the future 48.0%
Hmmm...
You know what I don't see in these listings? Inclusion! I don't see Diversity, Equity and Accessibility for that matter. So, what's the objection to inclusiveness? Some conservatives believe DEIA lowers standards in the hiring process. Then incapable people are put in charge of critical functions. They believe the voting rights act and civil rights acts need to be rolled back, because they give an unfair advantage to women and people of color. They believe women and people of color are inherently inferior. Lifting up people, other than white men, is leading to our downfall, and they are willing to tear down democracy to prove their point.
Benjamin Barber defines democracy as a system of government in which the majority of the adult population participates in politics on the basis of a representative system. Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as a system of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. I looked this up in Wikipedia and found, Strong Democracy: Participatory Politics for a New Age by Benjamin R. Barber published by the University of California Press in 1984 and republished in a twentieth anniversary edition in 2004. The book argues that representative or "thin" democracy is rooted in an individualistic "rights" perspective that diminishes the role of citizens in democratic governance. The work offers a theoretical critique of representative or liberal democracy and a foundation for participatory politics. The final chapter elucidates practical ways to apply the theory of strong democracy in large industrial societies. In a Strong Democracy all of us have something valuable to bring to the whole.
Is their hold on power so fragile that it cannot stand against an inclusive (strong) democracy where we all are given a voice? There is power in true unity that values the talents all of us can bring to our community. Rugged individualism serves nobody, and it makes us all more vulnerable by dealing whole groups of people out.
Inspiration
“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other, but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help.
Donald Trump has blocked thousands of refugees from entering the U.S.—but is welcoming white South Africans.
“It is better to die for an idea that will live, than to live for an idea that will die” ...Biko
Afrikaner police admitted to killing Stephen Biko. Why? Because he was willing to speak out against racism and oppression.
"An administration official’s attempt to explain Donald Trump’s decision to allow white South African “refugees” as an exception to his ban on asylum-seekers revealed just how racist the policy really is.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau was greeting the group of 59 Afrikaners who arrived in Washington Monday, when he told a reporter that Afrikaners had received an exception to the president’s order because they could be “assimilated easily” into the United States.
The deputy secretary’s language indicates that the Trump administration is willing to admit refugees who are more culturally and ethnically cohesive with the predominantly white U.S. population." -the new republic
NPR reports South Africa's Department of International Relations has hit back against Trump's allegations that Afrikaners are discriminated against.
"It is ironic that the executive order makes provision for refugee status in the U.S. for a group in South Africa that remains amongst the most economically privileged, while vulnerable people in the U.S. from other parts of the world are being deported and denied asylum despite real hardship," the department said in a February statement.
Afrikaner's who own about 70% of the commercial farmland in South Africa, despite being about 7% of the population, believe their ownership is through Devine Mission. They contend the land was empty when they arrived there. In fact, it was not. The land of South Africa was inhabited by various indigenous peoples, most notably the Khoisan groups (Khoi and San). These groups had lived in the region for thousands of years and were the original custodians of the land.
NPR reports President Trump has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that white South African farmers, known as Afrikaners, are facing genocide and land seizures. The Trump administration classified the white Afrikaners as refugees earlier this year. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump said: "It's a genocide that's taking place that you people don't want to write about, but it's a terrible thing that's taking place. And farmers are being killed. They happen to be white, but whether they're white or Black makes no difference to me, but white farmers are being brutally killed, and their land is being confiscated in South Africa. While South Africa passed a land reform law earlier this year allowing, in rare cases, for land expropriation without compensation, no land has been seized.
I’m a-goin’ back out ’fore the rain starts a-fallin’
I’ll walk to the depths of the deepest black forest
Where the people are many and their hands are all empty
Where the pellets of poison are flooding their waters
Where the home in the valley meets the damp dirty prison
Where the executioner’s face is always well hidden
Where hunger is ugly, where souls are forgotten
Where black is the color, where none is the number
And I’ll tell it and think it and speak it and breathe it
And reflect it from the mountain so all souls can see it
Then I’ll stand on the ocean until I start sinkin’
But I’ll know my song well before I start singin’
-Bob Dylan Hard Rain...
We've been here before
Someone told me at the beginning of the pandemic that these are really strange and perilous times. She was right, and it has gotten much worse. We were asked during the election if we were better off in 2024 than we were in 2020. Decidedly, yes!
Getting Even
"Trump has moved aggressively to fulfill his promise of “retribution” in the first 100 days of his second term by taking action against over 100 people and institutions, according to an NPR review. He has used the government to target political opponents, news organizations, law firms, universities and more. Some of the harshest actions he has taken against people he has targeted include ordering multiple Justice Department investigations." " Trump is also effectively telling investigators what he believes the outcomes of the investigations should be, NPR’s Tom Dreisbach says. The Trump administration uses over 10 agencies in various ways to get payback. Secret Service protection has been pulled for President Biden’s children, media companies that Trump dislikes, including NPR, face FCC investigations, and universities face investigation from the Department of Education unless they agree to sweeping government demands."
We are living in dark times.
Giving up is not an option. Starting by gathering with like minded people is a beginning. The mutual support makes us stronger. Speaking out is important. Taking action, even in small ways is the beginning of a ground swell.
The attacks on the dignity of individuals, on whole communities, goes beyond the attempts to silence contrary voices, voices that uphold the facts.
You understand what's going on here, right? Blatant racism! A callous disregard for the health and well being of fellow Americans based on their skin color and economic situation. The mere fact I am bringing this up, the fact that the previous administration was willing to step in and alleviate the plight of groups of people is deemed racism. Do you understand how warped their reasoning has become? Are you willing to stand with the facts, to stand in favor of justice, and treating people with dignity?
Trump shut down environmental clean-up programs
In Lowndes County, Alabama, funding was granted to end human waste backing into Alabama homes. A situation that went unchecked for years. Lowndes County is majority black. The State of Alabama was unwilling to do anything about the unhealthy situation. The Biden administration stepped in to alleviate situation. It was a $26 million federal program to help residents of Lowndes County, Alabama, who have dealt with inadequate sewage systems for decades.
"The Biden administration investigated and allocated nearly $26 million to rebuild Lowndes County’s water infrastructure, with the Department of Justice declaring the majority-Black area was suffering from “environmental racism.”
"But earlier this month, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to kill the deal, calling it “illegal DEI.”
Five things we can do
The UN suggests five things we can do to stand against injustice and hatred.
1. Show your support for diverse ethnic groups in your community by attending, promoting or helping fund events run by local organizations and houses of worship that bring people together: festivals, film series, guest lectures, language classes and celebrations. Bring your children.
2. If you see something in news reports or on social media that reflects prejudice, write a letter to the editor or leave a comment to let others know that intolerant remarks are unkind and uncalled for.
3. Prejudice and hate are not innate. They are learned behaviors — and they can be unlearned. Children absorb biases from the adults around them, and from the media, books and their peers. So set a good example. The process of countering negatives with positives begins at an early age. Talking about differences does not increase prejudice in children.
4. When the public stands in solidarity with immigrants and marginalized groups, bullies lose their power. If you see someone being harassed or physically attacked, it is important to help if you can do so safely. Make your presence as a witness known. Make eye contact with the person being attacked and ask if they want support. Don't escalate the situation.
5, It's more important than ever that we all remain in solidarity with one another. Human rights are a collective promise made by all countries of the world, including those in distress. Children from all ethnic backgrounds — especially children who have been uprooted by violence, war and poverty — need our support, wherever they are. Every child deserves to be treated with humanity, and to grow up in a safe and healthy environment.
Don't forget to laugh.
It’s just easier to laugh than to cry. If I cry, I’ll cry alone. But if you laugh, we can do it together. I guess no one knows how strong they can be until it’s their turn to deal with tragedy. - Yusra Mardini,“Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian, My Story of Rescue, Hope and Triumph”
Trump is also effectively telling investigators what he believes the outcomes of the investigations should be, NPR’s Tom Dreisbach says. The Trump administration uses over 10 agencies in various ways to get payback. Secret Service protection has been pulled for President Biden’s children, media companies that Trump dislikes, including NPR, face FCC investigations, and universities face investigation from the Department of Education unless they agree to sweeping government demands."
