Watching all the hysteria against this group or that group got me to thinking about what's really going on here. Journalist Tom Jacobs may be on something.
"We have seen the enemy, and he is powerful. That’s a recurring motif of contemporary political discourse, as generalized fear mutates for many into a fixation on a ferocious foe. . .According to one school of thought, this tendency to exaggerate the strength of our adversaries serves a specific psychological function. It is less scary to place all our fears on a single, strong enemy than to accept the fact our well-being is largely based on factors beyond our control. An enemy, after all, can be defined, analyzed and perhaps even defeated."
Amen. Take for example rampant homophobia. The already bigoted country of Uganda which has experienced hyper inflation and a ruinious economy and corrupt government now turns it's sights on a bill that would allow homosexuals to be executed. They don't really think gays are a threat- this is more about cultural feat and anger at feeling powerless. Read "the lottery " by Shirley jackson and you'll see where this will end up.
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