Why Neither Love Alone Nor Policy Reform is Sufficient: The Problem of Fear
By: Justina Kamiel Grayman
Tags: Racial Justice, Hierarchy Of Needs, Police Reform, Psychology, Policy

Why Neither Love Alone Nor Policy Reform is Sufficient: The Problem of Fear

This year’s “unexpected” pandemic, racialized uprisings, massive loss, continued exploitation, obvious oppression, and routinized daily suffering have made us acutely and painfully aware that great change must be made in our society.

But, contrary to mainstream foolishness or the ascended Western yogi, it will not be as easy as loving each other or changing policy. Here’s why.

The feeling of physical safety is a core foundation for healthy human functioning. Various frameworks across cultures, including Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and chakra systems place the feeling of safety as a foundational need. After this feeling of safety, one might say the associated feeling of protection is also foundational.

When we do not feel safe — or when we do not feel we can protect ourselves — our physiological functioning focuses on survival. It goes into “fight or flight” so that we can save our own lives amidst danger. Fight or flight is the body’s response to a perceived threat. Emotionally, it is experienced as stress, fear, or anxiety. Physically, it is experienced as a sense of urgency and might include the heart racing, faster breathing, and muscle tension.

This year, we’ve constantly been in fight or flight. And traditionally, our fight or flight systems have been overactivated (particularly Black people, but temporary activations seem to be normal among White people — and felt as “discomfort”). It is important to note that fight or flight is exploited so that we are kept at our lowest level of functioning. More on that later.

Everyone, everyone, all groups in America are made to feel unsafe. White people are taught to fear Black people. Black people are taught to fear themselves, each other and white people — especially those in positions of authority. We are taught that violence is natural, war is inevitable and that there is constantly a threat to our lives.

When people are made to feel unsafe, when people are told that their lives are on the line — they are vulnerable to being controlled. Because this is a basic need, people strive to feel some sort of safety in whatever way they can. The result is falling prey to external powers’ (read:the government’s) offer to protect us. Traditionally, the government has created fear among Whites & Blacks for their safety and livelihood. Within this context of desperation, the government blames the other group for the problem, and finally exploits these fears by offering solutions — more police, more jails (to address the fear among whites about safety and economic livelihood). The fear among white people is never allowed to become obvious or unaddressed.

Black people’s fears are “addressed” by the promise of protection if one simply follows the rules of assimilation and accepts that some of our people will perish. “Do not be the slave that attempts to escape” and you will be protected. Just stay in your lane and do not make noise and you will be as safe as you can be.

The collective is realizing there is a lot of fear within our bodies and minds. When fear is present, human beings can easily be controlled.

We must ask ourselves how much of what we are doing is out of fear. How much of our lives have been lived in fear? Know that that fear does not belong to you. It was created.

Do not be persuaded that just “love” will eradicate this deep fear. Fear is way deeper, at the primal self. When fear ignites fight or flight, it is not this superficial love that will win but the subconscious desire to save oneself (and/or one’s tribe).

Do not be persuaded that policy reform will eradicate this deep fear. Policy reform re-instantiates, re-establishes, the government as the protector and all groups as victims.

What will we do about this fear? How will we truly meet our need to be AND feel safe?