American xenophobic syndrome? It is obviously ever-present

American xenophobic syndrome is historically expressed as anti-immigrant sentiment, which is mostly false bluster rather than being based in facts and data.

  It has, SADLY, been an established American tradition, since before the Revolutionary War, for a portion of the population, made up of descendants of immigrants, or immigrants themselves, to direct their anger on new waves of aspiring citizens and residents. 

  Accusations usually include claims like:

-they are inferior, because of their country of origin, skin color, religious identity, or- well, you name it. 

- too many are coming at once. 

-we have no room. 

-they couldn’t have come for the same lofty reasons as my family.

-they will take away our jobs. 

-the border must be wide open if they are seeking entry. We should build a wall. 

-they will be a burden on our cities. 

-we should not help them get jobs or places to live because no one helped my family (not always true), and that way we can claim that they are a burden. 

-they will change the culture of our country with their different customs. 

-they don’t deserve citizenship under any circumstances.

-they can come only for a short time to do jobs we won’t do and then they have to “go home.”

-they are to blame for all of our troubles. 

-if their ancestors were brought here by force to do slave labor, they can never be as good as “we” are or be given equality. 

-if they are native to this land, they are not as good as those who came from across the sea, offering them “better beliefs” and “salvation.”

These are only some of the presenting symptoms of this insidious syndrome that keeps manifesting in one generation to the next. 

Those NOT affected by this syndrome face ridicule for their desire to welcome the strangers/newcomers, find them jobs and homes, help their children get an education, support their desire to become citizens, affirm their hope to live in freedom in this country, and work for equality for everyone. In the words of scripture, they know the “heart of the stranger,” remembering their own immigrant experience and how it feels to be treated as “different.”

    Every day, we are in a conflict on which approach will prevail. 

    The choice is ours.