Racism and xenophobia are at an all-time high in America. Some people are frustrated and tired of hearing about this issue, but the fact of the matter is that it presents a problem in all sectors of society. There is a reason for this: life in this universe is binary; there are at least two sides to every coin. Even in a homogeneous society, you will find people who separate themselves into opposing groups. These may be based on religion, career choice, and just about any other category that people can identify.
During the Second World War, the notorious German dictator Adolph Hitler and his minions identified a group that could be held aloft as inferior. The Jews became the scapegoat, and they were vilified to the point that Germans were whipped into a manic, genocidal frenzy during what has become known as the Holocaust.
Closer to home, white colonists came to these shores and saw the un-white indigenous population of Native Americans. They were vilified and seen as savages, which apparently justified the American colonists taking their land away from them. Once they snatched the land, they then went abroad to find someone to work the land. For a while, they utilized “indentured servants” who were able to work for a period of time and then gain their freedom.
After a while, however, someone got the bright idea to utilize totally free labor. They went to the African continent and tore people from that land, brought them to America, and put them to work as slaves. This particular brand of slavery was very brutal, and slaves were looked upon as little more than livestock. Families were broken, children were taken away from their parents and husbands were wrenched away from their wives. These were Black people who were demonized and ruthlessly brutalized as part of the racist dualism (and a consequent white supremacist attitude).
Today, the xenophobic binary is rearing its ugly head once again.
The travesty is that non-white people seeking asylum from violence-ridden countries south of the American border are being maltreated. The current American administration has targeted them for demonization; they are stripping these immigrants of their humanity and separating parents from their children who are then placed in cages. There is no doubt that this would probably not be occurring if the people seeking asylum were white people.
Racism and xenophobia are very evident in the shenanigans happening at our border. The game plan has been to demonize these people to such an extent that Americans would hate them and, therefore, not care what the administration is doing to them.
Fortunately, there has been a subtle shift in America. The outcries against the treatment of immigrants at the Mexican border is unexpectedly huge. It has had such an impact that President Trump has been forced to back step, at least publicly. The executive order that was signed to discontinue the practice of separating children from their parents and detaining them is suspect, at best, though. The devil is definitely in the details, and bears close monitoring, because this administration is not known for its honesty.
So, the binary that is racism and xenophobia is operating all of the time in various and sundry ways: the Me Too Movement wherein women are claiming their right to oppose sexual abuse or harassment and all other types of dualism comes under this banner. For purposes of mitigation, the most important thing to remember in dualistic relationships is that in order for oppressors to rise triumphant, they must make a pact with someone from the opposite camp.
In other words, it is impossible for an oppressor to be victorious without the consent and participation of the oppressed. White people could not have snatched Black people from the African continent, for example, without someone from the indigenous population assisting them!!! This is an important point to note if we are to offset the dynamics set in motion by racial dualism and xenophobia. Unity of action cannot be defeated!!! Remember this during the upcoming midterm elections. A Luta Continua.
