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CWA # 47, 25 July 2018
United States
Immigrants as the “Other”: The Social and Economic Factors in the US

  Rahul Arockiaraj

Though fear of 'otherness' can be traced back to the days of cavemen, the furthest in the contemporary American context is September 11, 2001. 9/11 marked a change in the American spirit.

Rahul is an incoming First Year Student at Brandeis University, Boston, Massachusetts

People call it isolation politics, others call it economic bolstering, but simply put it is fear of those that are different.   
 
The strong sentiment against immigration of all sorts has swept all across America. Whether it be Trump's blatantly discriminate Middle East immigration ban or a general "us vs them" rhetoric that most Americans feel, the land of many races, cultures, and people, certainly doesn't feel that way as of late. 

Why? What are the reasons behind viewing the immigrants as the “other?”
 
The Social Factor 
Though fear of 'otherness' can be traced back to the days of cavemen, the furthest in the contemporary American context is September 11, 2001. 9/11 marked a change in the American spirit.

It started with breaches of privacy (The Patriot Act) and a meaningless war in the Middle East and ended with Islamophobia and discrimination of the present. It was put perfectly by a correspondent of The Daily Show Hasan Minhaj, a first-generation Indian American, "9/11 is a super touchy subject. I understand. Because when it happened, everyone in America felt like their country was under attack. But on that night, September 12th, it was the first night of so many nights where my family’s loyalty to this country was under attack." 

The above perspective is shared by many others in the US. There is a general distrust among most of the Americans. 

 

The Economic Factor 
As a republic, the federal government gives power to the states to set up their own structure of law and order. Some fundamental differences between states can be found state income tax (or lack thereof), environmental stewardship, and social outreach programs.

 Every single region of the US has a different way of life which adds to the diversity of our great nation. However, the difference that we are aiming to highlight is the difference in acceptance within the different states. The average American would say that this would come down to the difference of conservative states and liberal states which is not true. Political affiliation is not the sole indicator of equality and acceptance in a state. States with a large need for menial labor, tend to be the states that aren't the most inclusive. 

The states that have a large section of their population working blue collar jobs include Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Some of these states have political agendas and social communities that stir more discrimination towards immigrants. The connection between these two statistics is that the majority of immigrants coming to the United States are willing to do these blue-collar jobs for a fraction of the price of those that were born here. In other words, the residents of these states feel that their livelihood and economic benefits are in danger with the arrival of more and more immigrants. Consequently, these states tend to have a bit more conservative policies concerning immigration. 

 

The Who Question
Narrowly calculating the specific demographics of who is discriminating relies on two specific indicators: class and age. Generally speaking, the younger generation has a major threshold in left-wing politics and advocating against discrimination. However, that is not to say that right wing politics don’t advocate for the same equality given under the constitution. Nevertheless, it is important to note that with the rise of diversity in all fifty states, the new generation is growing more and more accepting of ‘otherness’. 

Whether it is Pride parades that highlight the LGBTQ rights to Black Lives Matter marches that advocate for racial equality, the younger generation is leading the charge in lowering discrimination’s effect. This being said, the older generation, once again, generally speaking, seem to reject the youth’s engagement in social justice, and would rather focus on more conservative areas of focus. In addition to age, another factor that is helpful in distinguishing the people involved in discrimination is class. 

A study conducted by the New York Times stated that blue collar workers in the Midwest and South tend to be more opposed to the idea of heightened immigration. This evidence can be found in the majority of those that voted for President Trump. The rhetoric of his “Make American Great Again” campaign targeted a journey back into the Industrial prime of American blue-collar labors, and a time without ‘the excess’ of immigrants. However, all this being said, it is almost impossible to predict who, what, and where discrimination is born…All that can be done, is understand what is being said and working to strive for equality

The Way Ahead
This analysis has narrowed down discrimination in the US to two main factors, the economic issue and the social issue. However, what hasn't been discussed is a way to address this issue. 

Discrimination and a fear of those that are different from you is a very natural, human instinct. America isn’t the only country where discrimination and a fear of immigration exists. To solve these issues, there is no formula or antidote to counteract this emotion other than kindness. Treat others like you'd treat yourself. This simple proverb is the key to a lot of the world’s problems. 

And though it is much easier said than done, just understanding what we all share rather than don't will bring the US closer. 

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