The Politics of Fear

By: PM
Published On: 7/11/2006 12:58:34 PM

In a July 9 story, James O'Toole of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes about Rick Santorum using the immigration issue to fire up Pennsylvania voters.  http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06190/704504-178.stm  The story begins:  +óGé¼+ôIn a meeting one night last week at a Monroeville fire hall, Sen. Rick Santorum bemoaned the threat of illegal immigration even though this region, by his own analysis, has remarkably little immigration of any kind. But the embattled incumbent was betting that his audience contained voters who were nonetheless agitated over immigration, and that the state of Pennsylvania has lots more like them. In that, the Republican was following an issues path becoming increasingly well worn by politicians across the country.+óGé¼-¥

I grew up in the northeastern side of the state and remember well that in the 60+óGé¼Gäós and 70+óGé¼Gäós racial intolerance was high even though few blacks lived in the area.  My high school class of 450 had one black.  As I matured, I realized that people often fear +óGé¼GÇ£ or are taught to fear +óGé¼GÇ£ things they do not know well.  Xenophobia often springs from lack of relationships and lack of knowledge.

In our 67th district delegates race last year, we saw the failure of the intolerant Republican candidate to excite voters with such divisive issues.  The problem he faced was simply that the district is cosmopolitan and racially and ethnically diverse.  Your kids+óGé¼Gäó friends in school are just as likely to be Asian, Indian, black or something else as white.  I know my kids+óGé¼Gäó friends are. 

So in Pennsylvania we have a self-professed religious man, Santorum, stoking up the fires of hatred to get reelected.  And he may find some receptiveness among people whose daily lives do not put them in contact with people +óGé¼+ônot like them.+óGé¼-¥

I predict that we will see similar efforts by Sen. Allen.  I hope enough voters will ask themselves +óGé¼GÇ£ are the issues he is raising really relevant to my life?

Comments