Don't be afraid.

Seriously, don't be.

Tupac and the Thug Life crew wouldn’t be backing down. We shouldn’t, either.

My mother is a Florida retiree who loves chunky walks and sitting by the pool and hearing about the accomplishments of her grandchildren.

What she does not like is this website.

Mom is scared. Scared of Donald Trump. Scared of authoritarianism. Scared of a government that seems increasingly intent on destroying its perceived enemies. She watches the news every night, and sees the reports of innocent people being detained, harassed and exiled for the crime of speaking their mind.

Again—my mom does not like this website.

She worries that her youngest son will wind up facing trouble. She’s worried that, when I leave the country later this year, I won’t be allowed back in. She pictures me being handcuffed, dragged into a room and exiled to a far-away third-world prison. She’s concerned about violence, threats, attacks. As the daughter of Nazi Germany escapees, Mom visualizes the shadows of our family’s past in our country’s present.

She is afraid.

But here is what I tell my mother, and what I hope—if you have scared mothers—you tell them, too …

Fuck ‘em.

Fuck Donald Trump. Fuck Stephen Miller. Fuck Elon Musk. Fuck authoritarianism. Fuck group think. Fuck cowering and fuck fear. Of late, I’ve been reading Tobias Wolff’s fabulous memoir, “This Boy’s Life,” and a few hours ago this little passage leapt off the page …

Wolff wrote his book in 1989, but the sentiment holds more true today than ever before. Trump and Miller want you to fear them. Local goons like Chad Williams and Pat Burns want you to fear them, too. They thrive upon cowering; upon cock-walking and big-dick swinging; upon looking down toward your quivering lips and knowing you’re terrified.

Well, to hell with that.

To hell with them.

I am not worried. I am motherfucking mad. I look around our nation and, more locally, Orange County, and I cannot understand how so many of those among us are willing to surrender free speech and free thought for … what? Money? Power? A job title? I keep asking Will O’Neill, the head of the OC Republicans, about this via Instagram DM, and he never, ever, ever, ever answers. I mean, you’re Will. You have a wife, kids. You seem like a decent sort. And yet you continue to go to bat for a guy who bragged about grabbing women by the pussies. Who was accused by nearly two dozen women of sexual assault. Who lied about our first Black president being a Kenyan-born Muslim terrorist. Who is as corrupt as the night is dark. Whose life is one big scam.

Is it worth it, bro?

Is it really, truly, sincerely worth it? So maybe, one day, Will gets some cushy ambassadorship to Peru. A sweet DC parking space. A meeting with J.D. Vance’s receptionist. Dinner reservations at Mastro’s Steakhouse.

Is it worth it—watching the democracy you love (and I have no doubt Will loves it) dangling from a tree branch?

I am not afraid. At all.

A. Because this website is relative small potatoes; and

B. Because I would die for free speech.

I’m not just saying that, and I’m certainly not trying to sound like some fake cowboy. I would die for free speech, because my career as a journalist (my blessed, fun, awesome career) exists as a result of this nation backing near-unlimited expression. I love that people like Steve Bannon and Sean Hannity can spew their bullshit. I love that people like Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless can spew theirs. I love that readers have e-mailed me to say I suck, I blow, I’m talentless, I’m a loser, I’m a fraud. I love all of it, for it speaks to a nation that has long done its best to exemplify the beauty of liberty.

Again, it feels like the odds of someone coming after me because of this website are slim. But, should that happen, you will never see me step aside and ask for forgiveness. We, as a people, don’t have the option to go limp.

We need to fight.

So, thug life.

Fuck fear.