Recent terrorist attacks have left many Americans embracing the philosophical dilemma of Islamic phobia, not only we have labeled a faith that preaches peace and brotherhood a threat to American democracy but more so as a threat to human existence. This rush to judgement on Islamic phobia has threaten who we are, what we stand for but more so tested our concept of a true American democracy. The idea of small segment of radical faithful represents an entire religious belief has become synonymous with American idealism and our historical stereotype that has existed in much of our history.
History tells us especially in times of national crisis we have embraced different types of ethnic phobia and we have utilized this hatred as an excuse against small segments of population who threatened our way of democratic life. This rush to judgement especially in times of national dilemma has been so insightful that it has brought the worst out of us, what we stand for as a democracy, and what we can become as a nation of tolerance.
History reminds us that during World War II, our phobia against Japanese Americans became the cornerstone of our hatred and ethnic stereotypes against Americans who posed no viable threat to our democracy. History reminds us by embarking on ignorance against patriotic Americans causes more harm than good for a nation that preaches, practices diversity and embracement of all. Very few remember the historical phobia against Mexican immigrants in the early 1900's, our government in 1916 began implementing a series of anti-health laws targeted at Mexican immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Our rationale was that Mexicans were bringing diseases into the United States, therefore American health policies had to change in order to secure the border, protect Americans and keep Mexicans out of America.
The Mexican Repatriation policy was another rush to judgment against Mexicans with the aim of cleansing America's ill. Our government between 1929 to 1939 deported some one to two million Mexican-American citizens and legal residents of Mexican descent. These policies, along with other racist ideologies, continued to persist throughout the 1930's, 40's, 50's and '60's, with its ultimate goal of cleansing America's ill.
History reminds us again that during World War II, Jews became the scapegoat for many of social problems that America faced, anti-Jewish sentiments became synonymous with American idealism in the 1940's. Jewish immigrants and members of the Jewish community faced immense discrimination attacks ranging from hateful slurs to barring of their ships in U.S. ports pre and post Holocaust years.
As we embrace a new America, one fill with optimism and patriotism, we must be cautious and sensitive on how we make judgments against ethnic groups whose small but radical segments define how we view them on a larger scale. Rush to judgement has become the gauge on how view and embrace certain ethnic groups who have been loyal to American idealism and they continue to define what a true democracy is.