In the 80’s we started seeing home alarm companies getting five minute segments on local news shows under the guise of “news.” It’s only become worse with the advent of the 24-hour news cycle, constant political fear mongering, xenophobia, racist dog whistles, and a blatant disregard for science and objective truth. I recommend Hans Rosling’s recent book Factfulness. I’ve worked in the sciences for 30 years, so I’m a data nerd. But, Rosling’s book provides useful insight into the state of the world that’s easier to digest for people who might otherwise be intimidated by endless charts and graphs. Rosling’s daughter and son-in-law do a great job of putting mounds of data into usable bits.

"In 2020, for example, murder has been up but other crimes are in decline so that the crime rate, overall, is down." Oh, so that's OK then. That article is specious. There have been more shootings in New York City so far this year than there were in all of 2019. And it's going to get worse, obviously, all over the country.

It’s a fascist tactic to create a boogeyman to fight against. Our current administration paints immigrants as terrorists and drug dealers. They say protesters are violent anarchists and that suburbs will be turned into slums. Fear is mind control. It’s not surprising this is seeping into normal lives.