A letter from the editor

A fear-for-all

We all live in varying degrees of fear. For some the fear is paralyzing, rendering our behavior immobile—unable to grow and flourish with experience. For others the fear motivates anger and violence. For some, fear can lead to debilitating self-loathing. But for most, the fear is something we are able to overcome every day in order to survive.

For myself, the fear is deeply rooted in failure. I fear that I shall not live up to my potential. I fear that I will not meet and/or exceed others' expectations. I fear I will not meet my own expectations. I fear that my mistakes, not my accomplishments, shall define who I am. But I push on and move forward. I refuse to let my fear cripple me and my ability to learn.

As I observe the world we live in, I find that fear is becoming increasingly motivational. In the Middle East, for example, brutality stemming from fear is escalating. And the latest combustible in the powder keg is political cartoons. Cartoons? Depictions, caricatures if you will, of the Prophet Muhammad have insulted Muslims to a degree that they are perpetuating violence in retaliation. And the governments of the Middle East are fueling retribution, which is overflowing towards all things western (American). What, in the end, does this have to do with cartoons? Nothing. It has to do with fear.

The Middle East has a deeply ingrained history of fighting and upheaval. The people of this war-torn land have struggled for so long that strife has become comfortable. It has become normal. Peace and democracy—the great unknowns—represent change, which makes many afraid. The same principle can be applied to gangs in Los Angeles. Why do they continue to fight and kill? Because it is all they have ever known.

In the Flathead Valley, fear is also deeply rooted in change. Growth, destruction of natural resources, loss of the unique aspects that made us all move here in the first place—fear is a correlation of development. Fear is driving a wedge into this community, pitting neighbor against neighbor. Will people start killing each other over it? Probably not (hopefully not), but it will result in long-lasting animosity unless residents can overcome the fear. One advisory board fears another advisory board, and both lose their effectiveness in the struggle to discredit the other. It's like watching children fight over a ball, when really they just want to play the same game. Fear not. It is time to work together every day in order to survive.

Fear. We fear what we do not understand. Different cultures. Different races. Different lifestyles. We fear what we do not know. But here is something we need to realize—we are all members of this human family, no matter how dysfunctional. We need to believe that fear, if turned on its head, can be used to further the human condition.

I fear a world where intolerance shapes political policies. I fear a world where we all become so numb to suffering that we ignore those in need. I fear a world where complacency replaces desire to achieve innovation. So I became a journalist. I decided to tell people's stories in order to promote understanding. I chose to be a voice for the people. We may not all accept one another's personal beliefs, but we can coexist and create a world where fear no longer rules.