# Why the sudden surge in Xenophobia?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [August 4, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155 "2010-08-04T15:36:35Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/1 "2010-08-04T15:36:35Z")
Apparently, Republicans are now [unhappy](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_republicans_birthright_citizenship) with the 14th amendment they passed 145 years ago. More specifically, the provision that guarantees citizenship to all persons born in the United States.
> [@Associated Press](#):
>
> Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said Tuesday he supports holding hearings on the 14th Amendment right, although he emphasized that Washington’s immigration focus should remain on border security.
>
> His comments came as other Republicans in recent days have questioned or challenged birthright citizenship, **embracing a cause that had largely been confined to the far right.** [emphasis mine]
So why the sudden hard-on against illegal immigrants? What’s made it so important now that the Overton Window is being pushed to the point that the 14th amendment needs to be changed?
Could it be that in these troubled economic times, people are bitter and pissed off, and need someone to blame? Obviously the GOP doesn’t want their base to point fingers at the greed of big business in the wake of financial deregulation, so they chose a different target: Illegal immigrants. They’re different from us! THEY TOOK OUR JOBS! :rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/2 "2010-08-04T15:52:59Z")
The Republicans need something to hold their base until they [roll out new\* product, after Labor Day.](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/112383-mcconnell-gop-will-detail-election-year-agenda-in-late-september)
\*Fansites in the know suggest it’ll be “ **Return to Bush, the Nostalgia Edition**.”
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### Author:  [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/3 "2010-08-04T15:57:48Z")
I hate to say it, but Simpsons did it. And that’s exactly what it is: election-year demonization for the base.
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### Author:  [@Gustav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gustav)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/4 "2010-08-04T16:04:11Z")
I’m not positive as to the exact reason, but I’m pretty sure it’s middle name is “Hussein”.
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### Author:  [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/5 "2010-08-04T16:06:47Z")
Because banning same sex marriage for the 4th time doesn’t sell as well to the base?
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### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/6 "2010-08-04T16:08:46Z")
Is it feasible to blame minorities for the upsurge in the blaming of minorities?
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### Author:  [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/7 "2010-08-04T16:17:57Z")
What do you mean, sudden? Xenophobia always sells.
“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross.” - not Sinclair Lewis, nor Huey Long, apparently, but still pithy and applicable.
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### Author:  [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/8 "2010-08-04T16:18:56Z")
Nasty fucking Republicans. Of course the Democrats have only noble intentions in wanting all of these illegal and coincidentally poor aliens becoming citizens as soon as possible.
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### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/9 "2010-08-04T16:19:44Z")
In times of economic hardship, populations often need a scapegoat to blame for their economic woes. Minorities are often used in this role, because it’s quite convenient to blame the “other” or the “newcomer”. People search for an explanation about why they are having troubles, and it’s very comforting to blame someone else rather than uncontrollable complex externalities for your problems.
I’m sure that when mammoths were in short supply, some Cro-magnon leader came up with the idea of killing Tharg, because he came from the Turgto tribe, and everyone knows that the Turgto tribe are dirty, smelly and cause bad luck with the hunt.
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### Author:  [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/10 "2010-08-04T16:21:11Z")
**EP** just beat me to it. Unemployment and xenophobia are directly correlated.
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### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/11 "2010-08-04T16:23:10Z")
Because nobody gives a fuck about prayer in schhols when they’re broke.
> [@bup](#):
>
> What do you mean, sudden? Xenophobia always sells.
>
> “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross.” - not Sinclair Lewis, nor Huey Long, apparently, but still pithy and applicable.
Maybe it was Huey Lewis.
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### Author:  [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/12 "2010-08-04T16:33:03Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> Because nobody gives a fuck about prayer in schhols when they’re broke.
>
> > [@bup](#):
> >
> > What do you mean, sudden? Xenophobia always sells.
> >
> > “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross.” - not Sinclair Lewis, nor Huey Long, apparently, but still pithy and applicable.
>
> Maybe it was Huey Lewis.
They say the heart of yahooism’s still beatin’. And from what I’ve seen, I believe 'em.
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### Author:  [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/13 "2010-08-04T16:58:02Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#):
>
> In times of economic hardship, populations often need a scapegoat to blame for their economic woes. Minorities are often used in this role, because it’s quite convenient to blame the “other” or the “newcomer”. People search for an explanation about why they are having troubles, and it’s very comforting to blame someone else rather than uncontrollable complex externalities for your problems.
It’s also rather ironic in this instance because the number of illegal immigrants has actually _decreased_ the last couple years when the economy went in the tank.
In any case, the right-wing has been cultivating xenophobia for years. The scapegoating of illegal immigrants is just one example. You can also see it in the demonization of Muslims in instances like the proposed mosque to be built near Ground Zero. It was also evident in their campaign against health care reform when one of their arguments was that such a plan would make America be like those godless and sexually degenerate socialists in Europe.
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### Author:  [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/14 "2010-08-04T17:05:12Z")
> [@gravitycrash](#):
>
> Nasty fucking Republicans. Of course the Democrats have only noble intentions in wanting all of these illegal and coincidentally poor aliens becoming citizens as soon as possible.
Well, you got the first sentence right…
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### Author:  [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/15 "2010-08-04T17:09:34Z")
> [@dalej42](#):
>
> Because banning same sex marriage for the 4th time doesn’t sell as well to the base?
Pretty much.
Some people suck, and require someone to hate at all times. Some people suck _even more than that_, and require someone to actually \*persecute \*at all times.
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### Author:  [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/16 "2010-08-04T17:13:34Z")
Beats me, I stopped reading after Ender’s Game.
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/17 "2010-08-04T17:17:19Z")
This is quite a coincidence, because I myself was wondering what was up with Republicans’ thinking on this issue. So naturally, I thought I’d check the Straight Dope Message Board, an excellent source of unbiased and neutral analysis of the subject.
Hmmm… let’s see… “racism,” “racism,” and “more racism,” seem to be the favorite theories.
Also, the only theories.
Well, that’s it. Must be racism.
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### Author:  [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/18 "2010-08-04T17:22:04Z")
Of course not. Look how doggedly they’re chasing down white kids on expired student visas.
Oh… wait…
Nope, they only care about the brown ones.
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### Author:  [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/19 "2010-08-04T17:33:19Z")
> [@DianaG](#):
>
> Some people suck, and require someone to hate at all times.
You would know, wouldn’t you? Of course, I’m sure you only hate people who suck, and deserve it.
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### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-surge-in-xenophobia/549155/20 "2010-08-04T17:33:22Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> Hmmm… let’s see… “racism,” “racism,” and “more racism,” seem to be the favorite theories.
>
> Also, the only theories.
>
> Well, that’s it. Must be racism.
> [@](#):
>
> n times of economic hardship, populations often need a scapegoat to blame for their economic woes
Hmmm… You read “racism” into this, did you?
What is your alternate explanation? Fine, upright citizens have suddenly decided (in the middle of a recession and high unemployment) that they must uphold the letter of the law, and the best way to do this is to demonize anyone who is in your country without all the “t’s” crossed. Is that your explanation?
Or do you have an explanation? Did you just come into this thread to shit and laugh?
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