Do you think that the 5/1/06 demonstrations>?

Question

were the cause of all this xenophobia?



xenophobia
noun

1. Intense fear or dislike of foreigners or strangers.

Thesaurus: insularity, isolationism, ethnocentrism, ethnocentricity, racism.
Derivative: xenophobe
noun

Derivative: xenophobic
adj

Having or showing an intense fear or dislike of foreigners
Thesaurus: ethnocentric, racist, parochial, narrow-minded.
Etymology: Early 20c.

I think all the Americans seeing all those ppl in the streets during the demonstrations kinda took a couple million ppl off the edge.Do you agree?

Answer 1

No. Xenophobia runs rampid in this country. The fact that the demonstrators were fighting for rights that Americans feel they are not entitled to because of their immigration status is what pi$$ed everybody off. And oh yeah...because they were carrying Mexican flags also.

Answer 2

Xenophobia assumes an 'extreme' rather than a reasonable response.

Everything came out at once. MEChA, the Mexican flag being flown over the US flag at a US school, the signs during the demonstrations 'Europeans go home - you are on our continent'.

Tell me, who was being xenophobic?

I think there is xenophobia on the side of people who travel to another country but insist on having their home culture and language there to the point where the indigenous culture has to cater to it.

I also think there is xenophobia in people being upset at a Mexican flag flying on Cinqo de Mayo.

Without using that term (which includes the insult that the other person's reaction is over the top) I do think the protests were a big cause of back lash.

Xenophobia came out into the open as one result. However, many who weren't particularly xenophobic were upset to learn of the huge numbers of illegals here, and the huge costs, and to see some of the slogans being bandied around by the protesters.

Personally, I came to the conclusion that while the nasty elements were there, the CROWD wasn't supporting those elements. The nastier elements were just taking advantage of the number of people around them.

However, I can see where reasonable people who didn't look into it as closely could have read it differently. I also live in Southern California, and am around Hispanics every day, so I am probably less likely to see them as a 'threat', rather than the economic impact of illegal immigration being a threat.

Be fair. There are people who woke up one day and felt like they were in a different country, when THEY weren't the ones to move. It isn't that they might not like foreign cultures when they visit a foreign country, but that when they are home they want to be amongst the culture they never left. Others who did leave their country wanted to wholesale carry their cultures with them, but their culture is no more important to them than the culture of the people who already lived here.

Culture clashes of this sort are not xenophobic. They are human.

This happened before in what is known as the 'Great Wave' of immigration. One big reason we put immigration limits in place was because of the culture clash and social problems that resulted from that time. It was considered better to have slow immigration.

That only worked if people obeyed our laws, of course.

I agree with slow immigration at this point, because I think we have taken in too many poor too fast and need to assimilate not only the culture issues to some extent, but the economic burdens as well.

However, if the Labor Day marches currently planned are anything like the May 1 marches, I can only see this topic getting more polarized.

Doesn't anyone in your crowd wonder why Labor Day and May Day are being chosen for these marches?

The marchers aren't keeping very good company.

Answer 3

This question is based on an erroneous assumption. Therefor to answer it would do more harm than good. It is clear that you are either not in tune to the vast majority, or you do see what the vast majority of Americans are saying and refuse to acknowledge it. The "demonstrations" as you yourself have admitted to were a complete disaster. They served only to strengthen Americas resolve as a law abiding nation. If you think that the same amount of out rage would not have been seen had it been a kkk rally you are sorely mistaken. In the face of the enormous amount of information that clearly spells out that amnesty should not happen (for anyone) you still use tactics like this, I am convinced that your position is based strictly on idle sentimentality and not on science as you so boldly tout as your main source of reason.

Answer 4

Racists are racists, no matter what. The demonstrations did nothing more than give bigots someone else to focus their prejudice on.

It's just like what's going on in Israel right now. It's bringing all the hatred against Jews out all the sudden- just check out any Israel related question over in the Politics forum.

So I'd say the demonstrations pushed people Over the edge, if anything.

Answer 5

It has NOTHING to do with fearing "foreigners"! Our country is made up of foreigners! It has everything to do with the foreigners here illegally! They are in our country, using our benefits, not paying for those benefits, and then crying that we want them out! They are breaking our laws simply by being here! What don't you get????

My family is a very eclectic bunch of backgrounds (you name it, it's in our family tree somewhere). I don't care who's here. I just want them to do it the way our laws state it must be done. You don't like it? Don't come here. If you're a citizen of this country and don't like it? You can try to change it or leave. Your choice.

Answer 6

Pancha, you just can't get past the May 1st screw up that was heard 'round the world can you? You continually ask the same question in a variety of different ways, all leading back to that fateful day which lives on in infamy in your brain.

Thanks for the two points.

Answer 7

I think the invaders made them selves aware to all the Americans that havent heard or seen of them yet! A Plus for the Americans and a definate self inflicted wound for the wets!

Answer 8

No, I think the May 1st demonstrations were the stupidest thing illegal immigrants could have done as this hurt them far more than benefited them. Like Sashie, I feel I am an illegalophobic.

Answer 9

nope its called back lash and in california its been brewing a long time since prop187 and before,the border states have had this problem a long time,why is it xenophobic to not like graffiti,12 people in a house built for 6,overcrowded non english speaking schools,lower property values, gangbangers,this is about culture and language,cause there coming here and not assimilating thats the problem not skin color like so many want us to believe

Answer 10

no, there is no xenophobia. the 5/1/2006 "demonstrations" did nothing but prove to the ILLEGAL community that they have no effect on our economy. it also showed the LEGAL population what was really going on.