I have been carrying on a continuing conversation with a young mother who is adding civic involvement to her already full life. The conversation has been a sobering wake up call to me. She and her husband, both well-educated professionals, have two young daughters.

And she is afraid. She is afraid of the world in which she is raising her children. She is afraid of global warming, she is afraid of the coming economic troubles, she is afraid of the radical fundamentalist right wing's attack on science (she is a scientist by training), afraid that our elections will be stolen, afraid that food, water and air will be unsafe for her children. Bush and the Republicans in Congress have done their job of promoting fear very well.

I have not heard her express fear of terrorism, or gay marriage, or immigrants, but she surely is in pain about the future for her children.

I have two daughters as well. They were born in the 60s, and there was fear then, too. Fear of nuclear war. But I sense a greater fear in my friend than I felt then. I try to keep my spirits up by working hard for the causes I believe in, electing good people, helping my town survive a vicious attack by ignorant people, but hearing her makes me hurt. I have grandchildren now, and I hurt for them as well.

There are many young families who must have the same fears. If we cannot fix this for ourselves, can we do it for them?