An Era Defined by Fear [nytimes.com]
Another synagogue shooting. Another day of shock. Another lonely fanatic. Another cascade of insecurity and fear. I wonder if we’ve fully grasped how fear pervades our society and sets the emotional tone for our politics. When historians define this era they may well see it above all else as a time defined by fear. The era began on Sept. 11, 2001, a moment when a nation that had once seemed invulnerable suddenly felt tremendously unsafe. In the years since, the shootings have been a series...