Is Xenophobia Really This Normative?

Last updated on: March 28, 2017 at 9:54 am by Libby Anne

Is Xenophobia Really This Normative? 2017-03-28T09:54:17-04:00 Libby Anne

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Check out this tweet, from earlier this month:

SteveKingIA-tweet

Text of tweet by @SteveKingIA: Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can’t restore our civilization with somebody else’s babies.

How is it now publicly acceptable for a U.S. Congressman to tweet something like this? The nativism, xenophobia, and racism incumbent in such a statement is startling. This isn’t marginal figure. This is a U.S. Congressmen from Iowa.

Who are “our” babies? Because last I checked, children born in the U.S. are U.S. citizens regardless of where their parents are from—they are Americans. This is how it has been for centuries.

The children of Irish immigrants weren’t someone else’s babies, they were Americans. The children of Italian immigrants weren’t someone else’s babies, they were Americans. The children of Jewish immigrants weren’t someone else’s babies, they were Americans.

None of this comes without a fight. Irish, Italian, and Jewish immigrants, too, faced nativism and xenophobia. The children of Japanese immigrants weren’t someone else’s babies, they were Americans, but they were still imprisoned in camps during WWII. The children of Chinese immigrants weren’t someone else’s babies, they were Americans, but they faced horrific discrimination nonetheless. But today, Irish and Italian immigrants are not distinguished from others of European descent, Jewish Americans are (mostly) accepted as part of the fabric of our country, and Asian Americans thrive.

In the same way today, the children of Muslim immigrants aren’t someone else’s babies, they are Americans.

In some sense, I suppose, the history of the U.S. is one of twinned immigration and xenophobia. Things can and do sometimes go backwards, such as after the Immigration Restriction Act of 1924, passed during the heyday of the Ku Klux Klan. We face just such a crisis today. Which direction will we go—backwards, closed to future immigration, or forward, with an understanding that we are a nation of immigrants?

I live in a city. My daughter attends school with immigrants and the children of immigrants. When I last canvased for a political candidate, I went with the knowledge that many of those living here are recent immigrants, and that not every home held an eligible voter. I can scarcely go out in public without hearing other languages, or English spoken with accents. But this is how it has always been—we are not and never have been a nation formed by any one culture or demography.

Perhaps someday Rep. King will learn that we are not a nation united by a common past or a common race, but rather by common values.

I have a Patreon! Please support my writing!

Politics

race

xenophobia

Previous Post

March 27, 2017

"I'm not saying they deserve to be raped, but..."

Next Post

March 29, 2017 Massive Resistance Then and Now

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Atheism Evangelicalism/Fundamentalism Family Feminism Homeschool Meta Parenting Patriarchy Politics Purity Quiverfull Social Justice Uncategorized Worthwhile reads

Select a Month February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Paul instructs the Philippians to do everything without grumbling or arguing.

Select your answer to see how you score.

TRUE FALSE