IT'S US VERSUS THEM!

The concept of  IT'S US vs. THEM is a basic feeling in human nature.  It may well be hardwired in our brains and only overcome by much education, but, under the surface, it may be still there.

Also think of a corollary that when one of THEM joins US, we accept THEM and the new US start to worry about the former THEM.  Think of your favorite football team.  If one of the stars of the hated THEM joins us, THEM might be accepted.  If you are a Redskins fan, the THEM might be a star from Dallas who joins US.  We may even cheer the new arrival and they become loyal to US.  But this acceptance involves small numbers.

Not surprisingly this US vs. THEM effect has been studied.*

However, we don't always accept THEM, particularly if THEM is a large number as in immigration.  Today we see this not only in the U.S. but Europe as well.  In Britain it appeared as Brexit.  The continued affect may be seen in elections of other countries like France and Germany as 2017 develops.

In U.S. history US (American citizens) have usually not been immediately accepting of THEM  It goes way back.  For example, when the potato famine in Ireland led to a large migration of THEM to US (the U.S.), they were not immediately accepted.  In fact, there were stores looking for employees that said Irish need not to apply.  To some extent, the Irish literally fought their way into being US through boxing.  Eventually WE did accept them, some time after the massive migration stopped.  The same could be said about Italians.  For signs, see: https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEVjvD3JBY9pwAbBsnnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTEyNzJ2NW0xBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMyBHZ0aWQDQjI2MThfMQRzZWMDc2M-?p=Irish+Need+Not+Apply&fr=yhs-mozilla-002&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-002

There was a time when migration of Chinese were not allowed to join US (America).  It was called the Chinese Exclusion Act,** not suspended until 1943!  It was the first law applying to a specific ethnic group.

Then we shouldn't forget that Black Mark on our history of interning Japanese-Americans into special camps during WW-II.  Some  financial compensation along with an apology was given to more than 100,000 of these by President Reagan in 1988.***

Lesser known was the registration of ethnic Germans in WW-I and internment of ethnic Germans and some Italians-Americans (mainly non-citizens but also some German-Americans) also during WW-II.***  (See my biographical piece What Nationality Are We Anyway:  http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2013/11/what-nationality-are-we-anyway-biography.html)

So we should not be surprised if today the issue of THEM is Muslims in view of a small fraction of them being Terrorists. It is proposed that Muslims coming into the U.S. should be registered.****  Curiously, the internment of Japanese-Americans during WW-II is given as a precedent for this although the interred Japanese were eventually given compensation with a small amount of money and an apology by Republican President Ronald Reagan!  I wonder if the proposer knew this?

I find it interesting that death by certain causes is accepted as a daily occurrence but death by a Muslim Terrorist is considered a disaster.  Consider that around 30,000 people are killed by automobile accidents per year so in 15 yrs after 9/11, about 450,000 people have been killed by automobile accidents.  The figures for death by gunshot (murders and accidental plus suicide) are similar.   Neither of these bother US and are accepted, whereas deaths from THEM, Muslim terrorists, don't total 100 people (94 though 2016*****) over the same 15 yrs and many of US are scared to death.

Panic is not necessarily always from murders but can also be induced by disease, for example, the Ebola scare of 2014.  Many did not believe that Ebola cannot be transmitted through the air but direct contact with an infected person was needed.  There were those scientists that said "Ah, but it can mutate!"(though it didn't)   There were demands that people who had been in the infected countries, i.e. THEM, not be allowed back in the U.S. or at least should be held in isolation (quarantined) or self quarantined.  Then as now Politicians and pundits called for the immediate cessation of flights from the affected countries in order to “keep America safe.” *****
.................................................................
While incubating the virus, Duncan [first infected person to return to the  U.S.] had contact with 43 people, including close family members, who were monitored for symptoms for 21 days. In that time, he was with his fiancée, sharing a bed, for almost a week. At the hospital, a total of 76 other people were involved in Duncan’s care and likewise monitored for three weeks. Other than the nurses Pham and Vinson, who cared for Duncan while he was at the height of his illness, no one else developed Ebola.*****

I find it discouraging that there has been no evolution on the issue of  US vs. THEM fears over the decades.  We often can find a THEM to be fearful of.  I am not immune to this myself.  When I lived in Southwest Washington D,C., I would become very alert to my surroundings as I walked through a rather poor part of Southeast Washington, D.C. to a favorite restaurant.   African Americans would be sitting on their front porches or stoops. Passing through my mind was the thought of some African American yelling "Get Him!"  It was a thought that fortunately never developed into reality.

I asked my minister once if he knew of any evolution towards the teachings of Christ in the 80+ generations  since his death (a female generation is considered to be 25.5 yrs).  I'm not sure if he ever responded.

* http://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/1/28/14425658/fear-of-refugees-explained
** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Exclusion_Act
*** http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/08/09/210138278/japanese-internment-redress
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internment_of_German_Americans
**** https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/11/17/japanese-internment-is-precedent-for-national-muslim-registry-prominent-trump-backer-says/?utm_term=.204d570b8eff
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/11/18/kelly_file_debate_trump_surrogate_carl_higbie_vs_cair_leader_hassan_shibly_on_muslim_registry.html
***** https://www.newamerica.org/in-depth/terrorism-in-america/what-threat-united-states-today/
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2015/10/ebola_panic_anniversary_predictions_of_a_u_s_epidemic_didn_t_come_true.html