Racism and Xenophobia in America
“Xenophobia: An intense and irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries."
Many Americans today are plagued by the ignorance of xenophobia. An example of xenophobia that younger generations are most probably most familiar with, because of either experiencing it or witnessing it, would be the common disdain and discrimination against Muslims and Middle Eastern people. Because they have been dealing with the after effects of 9/11 since a very young age, teenagers and young adults today are very familiar with discrimination against these people.
Xenophobia is directly caused by ignorance and fear of the unknown. If Americans knew how the presence of Al-Queda had ruined the lives of so many Iraqis, and that terrorist groups and America-hating radical Muslims were an extreme minority in the Middle East, Muslims probably wouldn't face the discrimination that they do today.
Another example of xenophobia Since Donald Trump’s political ascendency is the issue of illegal immigration from Mexico to the United States. Many want to put in place more restrictions on immigration laws in order to prohibit immigration. People fear that immigrants from countries South of the border, not only Mexico, take American jobs and threaten American culture.
These fears are mostly fed by ignorance and political manipulation. Most of these immigrants are working labor intensive jobs which most Americans would be too proud or too lazy to work, and working them for lower wages than most Americans would accept.
Additionally, immigrants could never threaten "American culture" because the culture of America is a melting pot of cultures, all brought together and created by immigrants, including persecuted white Europeans from Ireland, Italy, Germany, etc.
As an American, it is important to remember that we are all immigrants, or decedents of immigrants, and either us or our families have endured the animosity and anger that immigrants today are facing.
Our country was founded by immigrants looking to make a better life for the immigrants to come, in search of the same thing. Immigration is a vital part of America's history and nothing to be afraid of.
Sadly, the white nationalist minority election of Donald Trump to the US Presidency will leave a nasty scar on the face of American history for years. After almost three years of Trump’s predatory incompetence and blatant kleptocracy, we are witnessing the growth of a metastasizing political cancer that is eating away at the soul of American exceptionalism.