What is xenophobia? The Left labels Americans frustrated that foreigners don't abide by immigration laws as "xenophobes." But if Lou Dobbs or Pat Buchanan is your idea of a xenophobe, you probably don't know what one is. To get a look at what xenophobia really looks like, avert your gaze to South Africa, where more than 22 Zimbabweans were murdered in the past week. One foreigner was burnt alive. Several thousand have been displaced from their homes. Ironically, one of the causes of xenophobia in South Africa is past xenophobia in Zimbabwe. President Robert Mugabe embarked upon a program of expropriation against the descendants of English settlers about a decade ago. In 2004, a chilling government document entitled "Solution to the White Problem" outlined ways in which Zimbabwe could rid itself of the pale menace. In an effort to spread the wealth, Mugabe destroyed wealth by driving wealth creators from Zimbabwe. Now, he's stuck with 80 percent unemployment and his southern neighbors are stuck with providing a social safety net to Zimbabweans unable to earn a living in their homeland because of the basketcase economy. Xenophobia begets xenophobia.
You're arguing that there is a qualitative difference between intolerance of immigrants in America, which has not yet resulted in widespread violence, and intolerance of immigrants in South Africa, which has now led to violence. I disagree that there is a qualitative difference... I don't see how this can be seen as anything other than a matter of degrees.
The same two core issues are involved in both countries: competition for jobs and (in)tolerance. As competition for jobs skyrocketed in RSA, intolerance increased until it became violent. If the US was facing unemployment rates as high as South Africans are, do you really think violence would be that far behind?
I would hope not, Brad, but as the Katrina disaster showed, we may not be as entrenched within civilization as we like to think. Consider the other aspect of the post: the initial xenophobia in Zimbabwe, which didn't prey on welfare recipients but targeted well-to-do whites. Instead of SA and the USA, apply your question to Zimbabwe and the USA. If an immigrant group did fabulously well in the U.S. economy, would the natives drive them out? No, I think. That's totally foreign to the American spirit.
brad: what intolerance of immigrants in the USA? The US does not have a spotless record on immigration, but it has one of the most impressive records in history for taking in, giving opportunities and equal legal right to, and appreciating the contributions of immigrants. I don't think you can name a country in history that has done this better - despite the interethnic rivalries and stupidities we have and still see.
Moreover, there is simply no "intolerance of immigrants" in mainstream American society or politics. There is, however, a widespread desire to control immigration and to expell those who break immigration laws. This is nothing like the real xenophobia in Zimbabwe or South Africa. Do you really want to say that there is "no difference in kind" between a commitment to broad but limited and legal immigation and a committment to killing or expelling decendents of people from different places?
Brad, you mentioned "Competition for jobs". Would that be the "Jobs Americans won't do"?
Uhh,
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but this sort of violence is common here already.
I think the comments here are shaped too much by the trap that our media sets in discussing immigration, namely allowing it to be an inter-racial squabble between white liberals and general elites (think Bush/McCain) and the populist/conservative whites that these elites compete with for status and prestige (as well as sinecures and jobs).
The reality is that this sort of violence is present now and I am giving you links to 3 of the first articles on the phenomenon that popped up under a google search of "violence between blacks and hispanics." A more extensive and careful search could dredge up a ton of sad info about violence resulting from the pressures of immigration.
Whites of middle and upper class social status simply do not take into account enough the entirety of the impact of widescale illegal immigration from poor and unskilled South American societies. The true impact is felt by native blacks in lower income neighborhoods. I think the issue isn't what the majority races reaction to immigrants is but rather it should be looked at on a class basis, since it is the reaction of those directly competing with the immigrants that matters for determining if a reaction has become violent. And placing our lower income citizens into an artifical competition as part of the lower skilled labor force b/c of open borders is frankly an obscene and immoral position for our ruling elites to take.
Brad, would the difference in degree between the the worker illegally crossing the border in the US and the foriegn national visiting in South Africa that got burned alive be about 451?
"I want US law already on the books enforced" is not equal to "Kill the foriegner!"
I wish people would get it straight, when discussing the 'immigration' issue, that there's a huge difference between legal and illegal status. The latter is the problem, not the competition created among foreign born and naturalized workers.
Many in the media and too many of our elite pols fail to use that very significant little word (illegal) when involved with any discussion on immigration or the foreign born work force. They've droned on in this way for so long to convince the unwashed that they're just being racist and paranoid when it comes to foreigners in general. After a while, to those paying attention, it just sounds like a cheap parlor trick.
I guess what brad means is that immigrants are beyond reproach of any sort. It would be interesting to hear what he deems an acceptable way of addressing immigration issues.
