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Letters From Iowans FORM
Fear Across Iowa. Fear Across America.
What are the goals of our government, this constitutional republic? The Declaration of Independence lists among its self-evident truths “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States declares among its purposes to “establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” And Iowa's state motto reads “Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain.”
But these high ideals don’t match our current political situation. Nowhere do we read that the citizenry should fear its government. But these days, there’s plenty of fear and uncertainty among the people.
Iowans have lived under Republican domination for several years. LGBTQ+ people, immigrants of color, teachers, librarians, those who need reproductive healthcare and those who provide it, and anyone else who challenges the limited, regressive “conservative” worldview all know this fear. The fear of lawsuits, imprisonment, loss of employment, loss of home, and violence. Fear for themselves or their loved ones.
And soon our federal government will fall into one of cruelty, hatred, and vengeance. Add to this a heavily conservative Supreme Court. Will anywhere in America be free from fear in years to come? Will historically liberal states like California, Illinois, and Connecticut remain sanctuaries for those seeking basic human rights?
Where will we go from here? Who can say? I do know our government should not make us fearful. But then again, maybe fear’s the point.
Gordie Felger
Hiawatha, Iowa
This originally appeared on Felger’s Substack, WTFIowa.
Letters From Iowans is a part of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. We encourage you, our subscribers, to share your perspective in this column. To make your voice heard, use this form to send us your essay:
Letters From Iowans FORM
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I used to be proud to be from Iowa. But now the far right Republican people who live in a silo, make me wish I could live somewhere else.