In the past two weeks since my last column the volatility of the global economy has increased dramatically and the level of fear and anger among normal folks has risen enormously. The fact is, nobody is quite sure how bad things are, how bad things will get, or how we fix the mess which we are now in. The media, by and large, has not helped. Fear is an excellent way to attract viewers to television and readers to newspapers. Hearing economic experts argue as to what has happened and how to fix it isn’t particularly calming either.

Whatever the nature and extent of the economic problems we face, we are living today in a time of uncertainty and fear. Folks are frightened that they’ll lose their jobs, that they’ll lose their savings, that they’ll lose their homes. We’ve lost trust in government and in Wall Street. Such fundamental fear and distrust creates a very dangerous political and social situation.

It is precisely this dangerous atmosphere which worries me. History teaches us that when a society is overtaken by fear and anger, these can often turn to rage and such rage, when it becomes widespread, can lead to serious consequences. It can lead to bad political decisions. It can lead to scapegoating and violence.

Perhaps, the most worrisome analogy is to that of Weimar Germany in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Weimar was a fragile democracy which arose out of the ashes of the First World War. But Weimar Germany also was economically fragile. The Great Depression simply destroyed the Weimar economy. Banks closed, people lost their homes, jobs and savings. The currency became nearly worthless.

And with the economic collapse came the rise of political extremism, hate groups, and ordinary people, frightened and enraged at what had happened to their lives, became followers of the most charismatic demagogues. The worst of these, Adolf Hitler, eventually gained power. Tens of millions died as a result and the world was plunged into war.

I do not believe that such a thing will happen to us today. But I believe that our economic and social environment is sufficiently volatile – if not incendiary – that, unless we are careful, bad things may happen. I’m especially worried about this given the increasingly negative advertising of both parties in the presidential campaign.

This is not an ordinary campaign to begin with. We are at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has split our nation apart. For the first time we have an African-American candidate for president. When we think about issues which can give rise to social discord, what is missing?

I think the time has come that all the candidates recognize the very dangerous situation in which we now find ourselves. Now is the time for the presidential campaign to turn positive and away from attacks. It is time to focus on issues and policy. It is time for all of the candidates to be scrupulously honest and sensitive to the fear and rage felt by too many Americans.

The last thing anyone can possibly want would be pre-election violence. Already, several rallies have come close. Now is the time for all of the candidates to show true leadership, to calm the country, to focus on our common interests and the public good. Our country needs to come together in this time of crisis. Our leaders need to bring out the best in us, not the worst. Now, above all, is the time for all of the candidates to act truly presidential.