FEAR FACTOR

By Barnard L. Sacket

As King Solomon wrote:  “To every thing there is a season… A time to weep, to laugh, to mourn, to dance…to love…to hate…a time of war and a time of peace,” Nowhere it is recorded there is a season to fear. The only fear we should fear is that of God. And where is it recorded that people should fear to know what they don’t know?

I have never grokked the fear factor that seems to grapple the minds of so many of the educated, the successful and their minions. There are so few sapient and open-minded homo sapiens that dare to go beyond their ability to be safe within their own skin. It is unthinkable to believe that anyone could forgive an individual’s solecism and move on. If we remain numb and in a sense incommunicado, we will generate to the dystopia of Mad Max.

We cannot be mere sybarites speaking out and wanting for those things that can only make us feel good.


People have the right to question without being intimidated, cursed, threatened or demonized. And when it comes to government, people the right to know the truth of every situation. Regardless how fescennine. If we can stomach the needlessness of war, we can live with tyranny that should be exposed.


Unfortunately, too many people are saddled with the FEAR FACTOR!
Basically people are imbued with that innate expostulation to shout and be heard. However, too many can not. They hold back when fear attacks their mental faculty.


The mere thought of wanting to stand on their own two feet, to speak out, to express their feelings gives that person pause and a dry mouth. Can they really take advantage of their free speech without retribution and being dismissed as ignorant, backward or unenlightened? Will they still be able to face their friends and neighbors and get a choice cut of meat at the butchers?


What is that fear that suddenly catches their breath and causes someone to momentarily to go into an emotional tailspin? Have we forgotten our inalienable right to speak out on behalf of our thoughts and our disbeliefs? This is America. It is the inherited right of every one in this land. Our leaders are not omnipotent. No crowns sit on their head. They are humans prone to make mistakes. Unfortunately, they do attempt take advantage of their position to pursue their own narrow beliefs, prejudices and agendas. But we must have the right to question. To be heard. To challenge.


Unfortunately, people begin to fear at first instant of confrontation. They recoil in moving forward in expressing themselves. They shudder thinking they will be faced with the disquieting words of others like their thoughts are “unbelievable”, “impossible”, “you’ve got to be kidding”, “you don’t know what you’re talking about” and of course, “what are you a communist? A socialist?” People do want to speak out, but fear the rancorous remarks from the legion of mindless followers.


Must our people be reminded there has been progress in civilization because daring souls had the outrageous temerity, audacity and open mind to extend a vision beyond their wildest imagination and asked questions. If they had not, we would still be wheeling clubs and living in caves.


Unfortunately, fear factor often makes those ready to express themselves to become confused, anxious and frustrated even though they are emotionally equipped to intellectually grasp the sounds of deceit and lies. But with their inherent fear factor, they seem to be embedded with that fearful thought of a misjudgment or error and projecting that possible fear of being rejected and losing support of those who have in the past always hung on to your every word.


A majority people are very provincial. Too many don’t have the inner security and foresightedness to accept and challenge anything that comes across as unusual and certainly unorthodox. . Too many people have become complacent with traditional methods in keeping their mouths shut, rather than take the position to make the honorable decision of being forthright.


It does take courage and an adventurous spirit for people to want to know what one doesn’t know. Why can we not appreciate someone’s personal candor? Why can’t everyone speak out as to why someone doesn’t believe the lies, the obfuscation, the twists and turns and the roller coaster rides that distracts from clarity of the questionable actions that emanate from Washington. No one should keep their thoughts in limbo, afraid to speak out because they might accidentally disappear? Or be struck by an on-coming vehicle.


People will always fear what they don’t understand, but how else can one learn if one doesn’t challenge?. They also fear they must listen to those who think they know everything about something when in actuality their know very little about all things. How else can they return their invocation of God’s blessings back to the community if they do not believe in their right to be free and to speak their mind.


Any person remaining on the outside, afraid to overcome their fear to stand up against nefarious activities , lies and distortions, will have only themselves to thank for the position in which they will eventually have to savor.


British political writer Edmund Burke once said, “No passion so effectively robs the mind of all its powers of reasoning – as fear”

Copyright May 2011  - Barnard L. Sacket