Posted June 18, 2025

TLDR:

Dear friends,

I declared Saturday, June 14th a day of partying, a chance to choose Fun over Fear. However, the day began with news of the shootings of Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota. The political assassinations left Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark dead and state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette seriously injured. In the wake of this violence, I questioned whether it still made sense to celebrate. Was it self-indulgent or disrespectful to have fun on such a day? Could having a party actually help anyone?

In the midst of these doubts, I realized that the juxtaposition of celebration and violence on Saturday crystallized exactly what the Fun over Fear campaign is about. The Minnesota shootings were acts of domestic terrorism. Terrorism, as the name suggests, weaponizes fear to threaten and intimidate the populace, sending the message that it is too dangerous to speak out and to fight back against the growing tyranny in our nation. By attacking the Hortmans and Hoffmans at their houses while disguised as a police officer, the shooter sought to undermine both our sense of safety in our own homes and our trust in public servants. He wanted us to believe that we have already lost.

Fear is an effective weapon. It turns our minds into prisons, trapping us in spirals of anxiety and panic. It blinds us to possibilities for change and progress, insisting that the way things are is the way they will always be (unless they get even worse). “You’re powerless,” Fear whispers. “Why even try? Nothing you do will make a difference.” Under Fear’s spell, we end up frozen, feeling helpless and alone.

But we do not have to listen to Fear’s lies. We cannot opt out of the emotion itself, nor should we; it can be a useful signal that we are in danger. However, we can choose how we respond to our fear. As someone who has struggled with anxiety for most of my life, I have a lot of practice at feeling scared but doing stuff anyway. Over and over, I have pushed through my fears, because I believe that there is so much good in the world and so much life to be lived. That’s why I’ve been encouraging you to choose Fun over Fear. To break Fear’s spell, we need to remember what we are fighting for, what makes life worth living. As Meg Cabot writes in The Princess Diaries, “Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” For me, joy, love, and connection are the most important things, the light that drives away the darkness and shows me a path forward.

Marjane Satrapi shares a similar message about the importance of parties in Persepolis, her memoir about the Iranian Revolution.

Choosing Fun is also a reminder of our power. It was not easy for me to celebrate on Saturday, not only because of what had happened in Minnesota, but also because I was alone. Although I invited everyone I know to my party, no one came. I felt foolish and kind of pathetic having the party anyway; I cried while I put up the decorations. But then something magical happened: I had fun. It turns out that partying is inherently enjoyable. Surrounded by the spoils of my final trip to Party City and overlooking a glassy lake, I drank sweet tea and Coke, ate chicken nuggets and Publix cake, texted with friends, and danced to my favorite songs. It made me happy. I also was able to share the fun with you via my texts and social media posts. I hope they made you smile; they certainly elicited a lot of emojis.

The success of my party means that we have the power to create joy. I said that I would have a fun party, and I did, making my words true in the performance of the promised celebration. While I would have loved for others to join me, their absence could not stop me from having my party. Empowered by the Holy Spirit (a Spirit of Fun!), I had the agency to make it happen. It felt like I’d cast a spell, transforming my hope into reality and breaking free from Fear’s grip on me. And if I can do it, you can too. 

June 14th has passed, but there are still so many opportunities to celebrate. Tomorrow is Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Friday is the Summer Solstice, and then it’s only two weeks until July 4th. Let’s choose to cultivate joy and connection so that we can stand united in defense of our democracy. We can do this, because, as a certain musical reminds us, we’re all in this together.

Love, Hope