To monger fear (monger is one of TL's favorite words), you must prey on what society is least educated the the most sheltered from. From here, we can break it down into 2 categories: International and Domestic. Today, I will be focusing on just one part
People tend to be pretty educated with regard to their own society (being a part of it essential does its own job). However, people with minority status are an easy target for someone pandering to the majority masses. In the last presidential election, 77% of voters were white.
Minorities, such as blacks, 'hispanics' (although they can be black too), and Asians (among others) make up the rest of that 25% or so.
Notably, the significant number of 'illegal' humans living within the United States have no power to vote at all. I call them illegal humans for the irony of someone living being illegal. "But they don't pay taxes!" They also can't vote, have no representation, get paid less than minimum wage, and are often taken advantage of by their 'American' landlords. But hey! as a society its nice to have a group to exploit for our own economic benefit.
So, there is a group out there that has no influence by way of votes. They are visible enough to the rest of the population for them to know what they are (immigrants), but have enough barriers (class, race, language) to keep them a yardstick or two away from being understood.
Domestic Fearmongering, take 1.
Some candidates have likened immigrants crossing the border to goats crossing a fence. Suggesting people are anything other than human is an easy way to scare your electorate. Suggesting that people who are supposedly as stupid as goats are also carrying shoulder-fired missiles, and are capable of taking down the entire US infrastructure is just a little bit ridiculous. And hey! letting in terrorist immigrant goats also increases the likelihood that gay people will indeed be marrying them if we do not defend traditional marriage between one man and one woman.
Picture: Esmeralda, a Guatemalan feminist extremist goat, crosses the US border with a dirty-bomb device. Her homosexual kids, fathered by a Pakistani Cashmere goat, suckle at her teats, gaining nutrients essential to government overthrow.
Look, I won't disagree that immigration is a problem here in the United States. But 'securing our borders' is kind of like fitting lil' Kim's breasts into an A-cup. It's just ridiculous, and honestly whatever fence they do build isn't going to do much good (but don't tell that to Esmeralda), and we all know it. I have yet to hear a comprehensive plan on dealing with immigration (once again, I am purposely leaving out the term 'illegal' here) that makes any sort of sense, and treats people as human beings. As an electorate, are we choosing the ignorant path, and oversimplifying the problem as an us/them scenario? I'd argue that we are.
Picture: Lil Kim's breasts are just really ridiculously huge for her frame. She is a lama indeed. Her bra-contraption here represents immigration reform efforts to cover up the nipple of open borders!
Anyway, my point here is: if you are honestly concerned about immigration, you would be educating yourself about it more. About who is coming here, why they are coming here, what they do, how they effect the economy, and where they are from.
Of course a terrorist is going to be an 'illegal immigrant'. I severely doubt anyone in their right minds wants a terrorist within their borders.
But next time you see a candidate bring up illegal immigration and equate it with terrorism, ask yourself: Are the majority of those coming to the US actually a direct threat to our national security? Is wanting a better life for you and your family something that can be deemed 'illegal'? I only hope in earnest that our population can see through xenophobia in an increasingly nationalist post 9-11 America. The old America would have put some more thought into the situation:
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
"The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus
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