Here’s today’s challenge: do one thing: acknowledge your Harris/Walz support publicly. Be safe. Don’t take an unnecessary risk, but try to do something that allows someone else to know you’re all in to move forward. Now, let’s talk about my challenge.

Fear is a powerful (political) weapon.

It can silence voices, paralyze movements, and push people into corners where they feel isolated and alone. But fear doesn’t have to control us.

Through his brilliant satire on The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert showed us how to see fearmongering for what it is: a manipulative tactic used by media and political figures to sway public opinion. He used humor to pull back the curtain on these fear tactics, allowing us to laugh at the absurdity of exaggerated threats and embrace a more courageous way of thinking.

This manipulation through fear is nothing new, but Trump and the GOP choose fear as their influencing tool.

Trump has threatened anyone working on behalf of our elections.

For example, Donald Trump’s escalating threats against Kamala Harris in the lead-up to the debate. Trump vowed to “prosecute anyone who cheats” in the election, a veiled attack meant to intimidate and discredit Harris and her supporters.

This tactic of fear and intimidation extends beyond Harris herself, as we saw with two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss. Their lives were turned upside down after Trump falsely accused them of tampering with ballots during the 2020 election. These baseless accusations led to harassment, threats, and fear for their safety. Both women were forced into hiding, illustrating the devastating real-world consequences of fearmongering and false narratives. This is the same kind of fear Colbert often mocked—intentionally manipulating facts to stoke anger and silent dissent.

By amplifying the narrative of election fraud and urging law enforcement to intervene, Trump aimed to create an atmosphere of fear and distrust around Harris’s candidacy. His rhetoric was designed to undermine Harris and make her supporters think twice about publicly supporting her. This is the kind of fear Colbert so often satirized—the manipulation of narratives to silence dissent and control political discourse.

Mike Johnson and the House of Representatives threaten government shutdown.

Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, is in a difficult position trying to navigate former President Donald Trump’s demand for a government shutdown. Trump called on Republicans to halt any further budget resolutions unless they received assurances on election security.

To scare those who rely on the government for services and income, Trump is claiming without evidence that Democrats were attempting to manipulate voter registrations with “illegal aliens.” Trying to align with Trump’s rhetoric, Johnson struggled to balance this extreme position with his political goals. While Trump demanded an aggressive stance, Johnson initially appeared reluctant to endorse a complete shutdown. Still, he ultimately echoed Trump’s rhetoric, saying they were “saying the same thing.”

This kind of alignment with Trump’s divisive narrative is emblematic of the fear tactics Colbert so often satirizes. By repeating unproven claims of election fraud and using government shutdown threats as leverage, both Trump and Johnson are engaging in a form of political fearmongering that aims to control discourse through intimidation and fear of instability.

Elon Musk sexually bullies the world’s most powerful woman who thinks independently.

It’s not just political figures like Harris who face this. After Taylor Swift publicly endorsed Kamala Harris for president last night, Elon Musk launched a bizarre and degrading attack on her. Musk’s response was more than a casual tweet—it was a reminder of how powerful women are often belittled and bullied when they enter the political arena.

His message was clear: women who speak up, who show their support for someone like Harris, are targets for mockery and intimidation. It’s a fear tactic aimed at making women feel that their voices don’t matter, or worse, that they will face public humiliation if they dare express their opinions.

Yet Colbert’s satire teaches us that these tactics, though loud, are hollow. Fear is meant to push people into silence but can be resisted. By understanding how fear is used against us—whether through threats of prosecution or public belittlement—we can begin to reject its power. In today’s world, especially for women, considering their support for leaders like Harris, fear is still used to manipulate and divide. But we can stand up, speak out, and reject fear’s hold. Colbert’s understanding of how fear works empowers us to confront these challenges head-on.

How The Colbert Report Made Us Fear Fearmongering

When The Colbert Report debuted in 2005, it targeted media personalities who shaped political discourse through fear-based narratives. Colbert’s character—a parody of right-wing pundits like Bill O’Reilly—was constantly on the alert for fabricated threats, stoking his audience’s fear over ridiculous and exaggerated dangers. This satirical persona was Colbert’s way of showing how easily fear can be used to distort reality and lead people to support ideas that, in the light of day, make little sense.

Colbert’s Catholic background likely shaped his views on fearmongering. As discussed in publications like America Magazine, Catholic theology holds that fear should never be used to manipulate or divide. The phrase “Be not afraid,” repeated by Jesus in the Gospels and often quoted by figures like Pope John Paul II, underscores the Christian belief that fear can lead us away from faith and community.

This idea is reflected in how Colbert approached fear-driven narratives in politics. His satire exposed the manipulation behind fearmongering, showing how demagogues and media figures use fear to distract from real issues and push agendas. In a way, Colbert’s humor can reflect his Catholic values—rejecting fear and promoting a more just and truthful discourse. His show served as a reminder that while fear can be a powerful tool, it is ultimately hollow, and through reason, humor, and faith, we can resist its grip on our lives and society.

One of the most memorable ways Colbert did this was through his segment “The Word,” which borrowed its format from Lawrence O’Donnell’s The Last Word.

In “The Word,” Colbert presents a topic and spouts ludicrous reasoning while speaking with his exaggerated conservative character. Meanwhile, a text sidebar offers an accurate interpretation, often pointing out the flaws in Colbert’s argument or undercutting his fear-based rhetoric. This brilliantly shows how language can be manipulated to generate fear, a tactic frequently used in media and politics.

Truthiness, emotional manipulation, and utterly no substance.

One of Colbert’s earliest contributions to political satire was the concept of “truthiness.” As he explained, truthiness isn’t about what’s factually accurate; it’s about what feels true. This idea reflected the growing trend in media to prioritize emotional appeal over facts. If something feels true in your gut, that’s enough—facts be damned. It is noteworthy because it has only gotten worse.

The concept of truthiness is central to how fear works in media. Fear doesn’t need facts to thrive; it must trigger an emotional response. By coining “truthiness,” Colbert gave us the vocabulary to describe how fear bypasses critical thinking, manipulating people’s emotions to provoke reactions rather than reason. Recognizing this tactic is crucial in today’s political climate, where emotional appeals often drown out fact-based discussions.

Let’s look at one more example of truthiness designed to create fear. Last night, it was so loud that everyone in America still hears it echo through the halls of every social media channel available in the United States (and Canada, Europe, Australia, and beyond).

Refugees are eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, and they’re coming for yours!

Trump’s baseless claim during the debate that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating people’s pets is a prime example of fearmongering at its worst.

This accusation, repeated with no credible evidence, was not just about vilifying immigrants—it was designed to scare multiple groups of people.

• Immigrants are portrayed as criminals, feeding into xenophobic stereotypes
• Pet owners and animal lovers incited to fear for their beloved animals
• Racists given further justification to target Haitian and other minority communities

Trump’s rhetoric played on deep-seated fears about crime and the unknown, suggesting that this “other” group was not just dangerous but inhumane. By spreading this kind of misinformation, Trump wasn’t just trying to win a debate—he was fueling division and playing to the worst instincts of people afraid of losing their cultural or physical security.

Fear of crime, fear of outsiders, fear for our pets—Trump’s strategy was to turn a baseless, sensationalized story into a rallying cry for those who already held prejudices or insecurities. His false narrative wasn’t about policies or solutions; it was about stoking fear to create an “us vs. them” mentality, using fear as a tool to control the conversation and vilify entire communities​

How to Stand Up to Fear-Mongering

Colbert’s humor didn’t just make us laugh—it armed us with tools to fight against fearmongering. His show offered several techniques for standing up to fear-based manipulation:

Spotting “Truthiness”
In Colbert’s world, gut feelings often trump facts, reflecting how much the media relies on emotional appeal over evidence. To counter this, we must check our sources and verify information. Just because something feels right doesn’t mean it’s true. By researching and cross-referencing facts, we can counter fear-mongering narratives that rely on emotional manipulation.

Recognizing Fear Tactics
Colbert’s character constantly warned viewers of absurd dangers, mirroring how political figures blow threats out of proportion to generate fear. To resist this, we should ask who benefits from making us afraid. Understanding the agenda behind fear-based messaging helps us see through the manipulation and stay grounded in reason.

Look for the Hidden Agenda
Through satire, Colbert exposed how language can mask ulterior motives. When we hear fear-based narratives, we must ask: What’s the real goal here? Is it to divide people? Push a political agenda? Recognizing the true purpose behind fear helps neutralize its power.

Don’t Let Fear Keep You Silent
Perhaps the most important lesson from The Colbert Report is not to let fear silence us. Political fearmongering is designed to make us too scared to act or speak out. But, as Colbert demonstrated, laughing in the face of fear is a way to reclaim power. If we let fear dictate our choices, we give up control. Standing up means challenging fear wherever it appears—in our conversations, our actions, and at the ballot box.

Women, Fear, and the Courage to Support Other Women

Fear is used to undermine women and people who have less power. So imagine how hard you have to work to create fear about having a woman in power like Kamala Harris. Her whole identity and political role challenge the status quo. Supporting a woman like Harris can be intimidating for many men, especially in a political climate filled with divisive rhetoric.

But here’s the thing: fear only works when we allow it to hold us back.

And this bring to why I wrote this content. I’m worried many women are afraid (the horrifying reality).

Before I continue, let me briefly address the racism associated with Trump and fear. It’s horrendous, loathsome, and worthy of examination – and I will return to do that. From my point of view, one big difference between gender and ethnicity is people of color have learned to rely on one another for support when it comes to being bullied.

Unfortunately, many women have been socialized not to trust other women (this is an interesting read). I think there’s a whole TV franchise built on watching women be untrustworthy.

Most women don’t usually turn to other women for support to manage fear until they are desperate. That’s because the masters of fear know isolating the target is essential. It’s the basis for the pet-eating lie – don’t talk to the alleged pet eaters, hide, put your animals away, and don’t go near “other.” It’s a powerful tactic to stop us from finding common ground.

For women, the fear of judgment, criticism, or backlash for supporting a strong female leader is real—but it’s also something we can overcome. Showing our support for Harris isn’t just about politics; it’s about breaking the cycle of fear that holds women down. It’s about standing up and saying that we’re not afraid to support Kamala Harris, endorse progress, and advocate for change.

We can take Colbert’s lessons to heart. Just as he used humor to deflate fear, we can use our voices against fearmongering and manipulation. We can be brave enough to say we want leaders who reflect our values, strength, and courage.

Laughing at Fear, Living in Courage

Stephen Colbert reminds us that sometimes, the best way to confront fear is to laugh at it.

Fear is a tool those in power use to manipulate, divide, and silence.

But we can resist fear’s grip if we see through these tactics and understand the hidden agendas and emotional manipulation. And for women especially, this means being bold enough to publicly support leaders like Kamala Harris, whose presence in power challenges the status quo.

Colbert showed us that humor can expose the absurdity of fear, but it’s up to us to take that next step: standing up, speaking out, and showing that we won’t be silenced. Fear is a choice we don’t have to make. Courage is the path forward.

So, let’s laugh at the fearmongers, arm ourselves with facts, and proudly stand up for the leaders who inspire us. Because when we refuse to let fear dictate our actions, we reclaim our power—and that’s when real change begins. Stay safe and be strong.

And don’t forget to laugh!