Death by Fear: How Drama Queens Act Out

In one city after another, police who kill unarmed citizens testify they feared for their lives. In stand-your-ground states, ordinary folk with guns kill other citizens by the same alibi. Nearly always there are no charges or penalties for murder.

We see acted-upon fear on many levels. It's only increased since 9/11 and other terroriat attacks. In Boston, after the Marathon bombings, a ring of over 10 miles around quivered in cowardice under shelter-in-place orders because there might have been two bombers still around. One still was but he wasn't caught until the hide, hide order was lifted.

Likewise, the LA schools chief kept 7 million students home because of an incredible threat that other cities like New York took in stride. It was like yers before when Boston and Massachusetts cops and attorney general overreacted to electronic advertising toy displays, again while other cities yawned and took those down.

Have the terrorists won? Have they reduced us to chickens running in panic at the slightest hint of danger? Are we willing to cede our all-American, historic guts? We seem eager to cow to the TSA and let various policing agencies spy on what used to be private. Cowering indoors is surely better than slaying neighbors and strangers, then claiming we feared for our lives because they looked at us.

Can we find our courage as individuals and collectively?