While President Obama personifies the “Audacity of hope,” anti-immigrant Americans individuals personify the audacity of hate.
I am proudly part of a generation that grew up with no Internet, Wi-Fi or any of these instruments that make people believe they are living in the “Information Age”
The question therefore with regards to this “information” is; what kind of information?
Central to the lessons we received around the fire during our dinners included never using the word hate to describe feelings towards any individual including those we strongly dislike.
The thinking has always been that those living in Information Age will have a greater appreciation of the world and therefore be more of global citizens than us.
Clearly, the scenes playing themselves in California with regards to immigrants suggests that some in the United States have deep seated hate not only for the immigrants but also themselves.
Kendra Cherry (2014) defines projection as a “defense mechanism that involves taking our own unacceptable qualities or feelings and ascribing them to others.”
The proponents of the anti-immigrants cabal agree that immigrants;
- Invading America
- Heightening poverty and unemployment
- Will contribute in increasing the crime rate in America.
It would be interesting to know how many of these in the anti-immigrant movement have their roots in California. In fact, all history suggest that they invaded California through butchering the Mojave, Karok and Modoc, among other tribes.
If anything, they are reflecting upon the suffering they caused the native Americans of California and by default; America. They are merely projecting!
While President Obama personifies the “Audacity of hope,” these narrow anti-immigrant individuals personify the audacity of hate.
Olwethu Sipuka is a policy and development specialist. He is currently a Washington Fellow based at the Arizona State University. Read other articles by Olwethu.
