As I crocheted, I pondered the level of fear required to hate as intensely and fiercely as has been demonstrated for the entirety of US history. What about equality, justice, fair treatment, and equal protection under the law terrifies those who wield the power to deny them? What atrocities did they make up in their minds in the 1960s to justify expressing their fear as hate? Were they the same imagined atrocities they held to in the 17th century? The 18th century? The 19th Century? Today?

What about me terrifies people? Is it the same thing that threatens the lives of every black man, woman, boy, and girl? The same thing that has threatened our lives for centuries?

It’s incomprehensible to me, and my guess is, those living with this fear don’t understand it either. They probably don’t recognize it as fear. But that’s what it is. Fear fed and bred with misinformation and willful refusal to see what is.

I used to think hate was the opposite of love, but I’m coming to believe it’s fear. Perfect love casts out fear, and as we fight the fear we face daily, we must remain vigilant to love.

And that’s my bit of creativity for today.