I've spent a lot of time lately thinking about the anti-immigration furor that is sweeping through many parts of the country. In my opinion, there are three chief components to it, one that tends to be discussed often and two that I rarely see mentioned at all.
Needless to say, conservatives -- particularly conservative Christian evangelicals -- are the ones leading the charge. While I believe their overall numbers aren't that large, they make up for their smallish size by voicing their opinions as nosily and frequently as possible. The mainstream media has a penchant for shining its spotlight on whomever can yell the loudest.
The first component is one we're all familiar with: racism. Latinos have a culture and language different than white America. They also look different. Add to this the fact that, in some states, demographic studies show that Latinos may become the majority ethnic group within a few generations and it's easy to understand why some in the white majority are going bonkers -- Groups responsible for much subjugation ALWAYS worry when it looks like the tables will be turned.
There are two other components, however, that I think sometimes are given a short shrift when discussing this issue. The first of these concerns the white conservative evangelical love-hate response to Latino immigrants.
On the love side, they love the fact that Latinos are willing to perform those icky dirty jobs that no upstanding white American would willingly choose to do. They understand the benefits to business owners and consumers alike in having workers who will toil away for minimum wage or less in horrible working conditions. It benefits the business owner because reduced costs means more money to pocket. It benefits consumers because it keeps prices for consumer goods within reach.
However, the very thing they love about Latino immigrants represents the very same thing they hate them for. Since these Latinos are willing to work in our fields and slaughterhouses as well as scrubbing our toilets and landscaping our palatial estates, they are willing to do the kind of work that any self-respecting white conservative evangelical would be loath to do!
This means that something must be inherently wrong with them!!! They must be a second class (or even sub-human) type of species to allow themselves willingly to be exploited. "Second class people" are not to be trusted because you never know how low they may stoop. So, it seems to me on this issue alone, many white conservative evangelicals are suffering from a woeful split personality disorder!
But it is the second of the rarely discussed components that I submit is the most important AND the driving force behind the increasing vitriol: Most Latino immigrants are CATHOLIC. The CIA world factbook reports that over 76% of Mexico's residents identify as Roman Catholic.
For me, this goes to the heart of one of the strange things about Christianity, in general, and evangelical Christianity, in particular. According to the overall Christian doctrine, people must 1) Accept the Christian God as the creator; 2) Accept Jesus Christ as a person's Lord and Savior; and 3) Believe that the bible is God's word. If you accept these three suppositions, then you're a Christian.
Aah, but not so fast! Evangelicals SAY that this represents the base criteria, but their words and actions seem to indicate otherwise. Though Catholics meet the three suppositions, many evangelicals don't consider Catholics to be full-fledged Christians and some don't consider them to be Christians at all. (The same could be said of Quakers, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses and several other groups too.)
Since overall Christian membership is declining and this trend has even been seen in many evangelical circles as well, the idea of Catholics streaming into the country is downright terrifying. The evangelical movement is already a minority and, if Catholic membership increases due to the influx of Latino immigrants, it will mean that the evangelical slice of the pie will grow ever smaller!
If you think that I'm being a bit over dramatic, then I ask you to consider the following. What if the vast majority of Mexicans were self-identified evangelical Christians? Do you think the evangelical movement would be bouncing off the walls like they are now?
The immigrants would help to swell their membership. The immigrants would help to swell their church budgets. These immigrants would make it possible for them to claim they represented the largest growing segment of the population in the country. It would mean increased standing AND increased influence (which is NOT to suggest they don't have influence now).
But alas, Latino immigrants are not predominantly evangelicals. So they must be thwarted at all costs.
Needless to say, conservatives -- particularly conservative Christian evangelicals -- are the ones leading the charge. While I believe their overall numbers aren't that large, they make up for their smallish size by voicing their opinions as nosily and frequently as possible. The mainstream media has a penchant for shining its spotlight on whomever can yell the loudest.
The first component is one we're all familiar with: racism. Latinos have a culture and language different than white America. They also look different. Add to this the fact that, in some states, demographic studies show that Latinos may become the majority ethnic group within a few generations and it's easy to understand why some in the white majority are going bonkers -- Groups responsible for much subjugation ALWAYS worry when it looks like the tables will be turned.
There are two other components, however, that I think sometimes are given a short shrift when discussing this issue. The first of these concerns the white conservative evangelical love-hate response to Latino immigrants.
On the love side, they love the fact that Latinos are willing to perform those icky dirty jobs that no upstanding white American would willingly choose to do. They understand the benefits to business owners and consumers alike in having workers who will toil away for minimum wage or less in horrible working conditions. It benefits the business owner because reduced costs means more money to pocket. It benefits consumers because it keeps prices for consumer goods within reach.
However, the very thing they love about Latino immigrants represents the very same thing they hate them for. Since these Latinos are willing to work in our fields and slaughterhouses as well as scrubbing our toilets and landscaping our palatial estates, they are willing to do the kind of work that any self-respecting white conservative evangelical would be loath to do!
This means that something must be inherently wrong with them!!! They must be a second class (or even sub-human) type of species to allow themselves willingly to be exploited. "Second class people" are not to be trusted because you never know how low they may stoop. So, it seems to me on this issue alone, many white conservative evangelicals are suffering from a woeful split personality disorder!
But it is the second of the rarely discussed components that I submit is the most important AND the driving force behind the increasing vitriol: Most Latino immigrants are CATHOLIC. The CIA world factbook reports that over 76% of Mexico's residents identify as Roman Catholic.
For me, this goes to the heart of one of the strange things about Christianity, in general, and evangelical Christianity, in particular. According to the overall Christian doctrine, people must 1) Accept the Christian God as the creator; 2) Accept Jesus Christ as a person's Lord and Savior; and 3) Believe that the bible is God's word. If you accept these three suppositions, then you're a Christian.
Aah, but not so fast! Evangelicals SAY that this represents the base criteria, but their words and actions seem to indicate otherwise. Though Catholics meet the three suppositions, many evangelicals don't consider Catholics to be full-fledged Christians and some don't consider them to be Christians at all. (The same could be said of Quakers, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses and several other groups too.)
Since overall Christian membership is declining and this trend has even been seen in many evangelical circles as well, the idea of Catholics streaming into the country is downright terrifying. The evangelical movement is already a minority and, if Catholic membership increases due to the influx of Latino immigrants, it will mean that the evangelical slice of the pie will grow ever smaller!
If you think that I'm being a bit over dramatic, then I ask you to consider the following. What if the vast majority of Mexicans were self-identified evangelical Christians? Do you think the evangelical movement would be bouncing off the walls like they are now?
The immigrants would help to swell their membership. The immigrants would help to swell their church budgets. These immigrants would make it possible for them to claim they represented the largest growing segment of the population in the country. It would mean increased standing AND increased influence (which is NOT to suggest they don't have influence now).
But alas, Latino immigrants are not predominantly evangelicals. So they must be thwarted at all costs.
In a way it has always been about increasing ones tribal membership.
ReplyDeleteWhite Xtian Evangelicals vote. Most minorities have a hard time going to the polls to vote. They feel that their vote does not count, and that they have already been left behind.
It is all political. The right fears the new demographics that are coming. They are trying to stall this for as long as possible.
What they do not realize is that the longer they stall, the harder they will fall.
Check out immigrationdirect, might give you some informations you need with your concerns :)
ReplyDelete