The humanity within society is slowly dwindling away. It has become muddied each time selfishness costs us a life. Each time that life is spent, it is overshadowed by the selfish people who let that light flicker away. When somebody dies because they couldn't afford cancer treatment in the US, we have every right to blame the ones who continue to stand against free or affordable health care. Every time a refugee child dies of illness or starvation, we have every right to blame the ones who stood against them finding a safe place to rebuild the lives that were taken from them.
We, as a nation, need to talk about the fear that is being instilled in us as an entire civilization. The same fear that convinces people they would rather block herds of children and families from safety than to risk even the slightest chance of a "terrorist" making their way through. When we have fear drilled into our brains, humanity is no longer a priority. So the dilution begins. Slowly, real terrorists begin to convince entire countries that we should not be helping each other, rather they convince people we hate and are against one another based off of categories we place other humans in. Mexican, Muslim, gay, black and poor are all perfect examples of modern concentrations politicians and terrorists alike use to convince us we have other humans to be afraid of (other than the ones actually fueling these fears).
As Mr. Trump stands before a crowd in Manhattan, he states "When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you. They're not sending you. They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people." One could argue that he made it a point to say, "some, I assume are good people" as proof that he is not entirely putting the Mexican race inside of a box with the intent to paint it with negative images. What the real issue is here, is that when a person in a position of influence begins generalizing an entire race in such a negative tone, the public begins to pick up on it. The public begins to fear that race, and that fear dehumanizes those individuals. They will no longer see a family with small children, they will see a Mexican with "anchor" children. I want to make it clear that this is not an attempt to sway a voter one way or another, but an attempt to shed light on the issues of morality our country is now facing. I now invite you to dissect this excerpt from Adolf Hitler's, "Mein Kampf: My Struggle:"
"What soon gave me cause for very serious consideration were the activities of the Jews in certain branches of life. Was there any undertaking, any form of foulness, especially in cultural life, in which at least one Jew did not participate?"
The first thing I want you to consider is that he acknowledged that their may be others unlike the generalization he gave Jews, "in which at least one Jew did not participate." His thoughts on these people obviously morphed into much more than a slightly disturbing thought. He acknowledges the few that he didn't consider disgusting humans, but the hate for what he has referred to as "9/10 Jews" was more than enough to wreak havoc. Thoughts, words and slow negative generalizations about one type of people will always have disastrous consequences. To assume that this taking place in today's world is impossible, is absolutely ridiculous.
Look around you. You see news of children starving to death, people in the black community being beaten to death, Mexican and Muslim children being reminded of the racial assumptions this world has placed upon their ethnicity while sitting in the classroom. The fear being interjected into entire races begins with a person in power. As humans, once we hear something negative about any one thing for so long, we decide that it must be true, or we don't want to take a chance on them. Do not assume that people in power are unaware of this ability to influence. Do not assume that separating an entire nation through fear would not make it easier for said nation to be controlled. Fear is more powerful that many of us understand, but any glance through history proves its role in almost every shameful and heinous event.
Do not allow fear to siphon your sense of humanity. Maybe if you're white and upper class you feel untouched. Please remember, fear knows no boundaries. Of course, these are only modern examples, and their are many more outside of what is on fire in the media currently. I used this example as it is an ongoing and a perfect model of what I am trying to get across. A person of influence who speaks negatively of any group of people, is doing a great harm to that group of people, and to the humanity that he is dwindling within his listeners and followers.
"When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist. When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat. When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist. When they came for the Jews, I remained silent; I wasn't a Jew. When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out." - Martin Niemöller, a prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps.
