Self-fulfilling

[cmdr_zoom]

Politicians and others in the US are "concerned" about American Muslims, which alienates them, which potentially makes it easier for al-Qaeda et al to recruit them...

Are these people too stupid to realize they're doing half the terrorists' job for them? Or do they, in some part, want that to justify their own fears and policies? Is it simply that, in their bigotry, they assume that all brown people are already in league with the enemy and any less hostile approach is pointless and foolish?

Comments

[seawasp]

I doubt it has anything to do with color and everything to do with power. It wouldn't matter if they were brown, white, or green; they are a convenient way to increase FUD.

[meagenimage.livejournal.com]

This. People are less likely to question your leadership if you convince them you're protecting them from enemies. It is in the leadership's *best interest* to have plenty of enemies.

[caluche.livejournal.com]

Why do you presume that muslim = brown person? Are you trying to make some sort of...ethnic comment there?

[box-in-the-box.livejournal.com]

Or do they, in some part, want that to justify their own fears and policies?

In his autobiography, Colin Powell recalled how Gorbachev ended one of the SALT treaty signings by telling a room full of American generals, in perfect English, "Gentlemen, you're going to have to find a new enemy, because we quit." According to Powell, the generals were LIVID, and other accounts from military members of that era characterize them as "auditioning" new enemies after that point.