Having an interesting Facebook discussion about immigration in America. The original post was along the lines of "rag-heads go home..." offered by an third-generation Italian American friend. I wrote back that I really didn't think the post all that funny and explained that just a couple of generations ago, Italians, and then before them the Irish, were targets of people suggesting that those particular ethnic groups "go back where they came from..."
I guess my problem came from painting everything with a broad brush. During the two previous centuries, many people took a leap of faith, left everything and everyone they had known, and came to America. People still do today - believing that America is the land of opportunity.
My ancestors, Dutch New Jersey WASPS - hated those Italians, Irish and Chinese - well, because they weren't white, or protestant. There really wasn't any other reason. The new immigrants were industrious, thrifty - and over the course of time made substantial contributions to the fabric of America.
Xenophobia - the fear of that which is different from ourselves. Stranger fear. That's what seems, to me, to be at the bottom of it all. It wasn't pretty then, nor is it now.
Fascinating to me how fear defines our lives. The fear of difference, the fear of change, the fear of fear.
Sometimes I feel frustrated at the seeming disproportionate amount of crime and resources taken up by "immigrants"legal or otherwise. But then I force myself to remember that the vast majority of people only want what I want - peace and quiet, some financial security, a nice place to raise my family. Not too much to ask, and nothing to be afraid of.
Welcome to America. Land of the free. Home of the brave.
The Etymological Dictionary defines an iconoclast is a “breaker or destroyer of images” from the Late Greek word eikonoklastes. Later, an iconoclast was viewed as “one who attacks orthodox beliefs or institutions.” Today, iconoclasts like perceive things differently than other people - or maybe we just like to be annoying. Either way. This difference in perception plays out in our ideas, worldview and metaphysics - and in how we manage our fears and shadow self. It works well for me.
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