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> For as long as there have been humans it has been us against them. Them/the others/the strangers/the not us are dangerous and cannot be trusted. It's importa

> For as long as there have been humans it has been us against them. Them/the others/the strangers/the not us are dangerous and cannot be trusted. It's important to add that the definition of 'other' changes. In the U.S., Protestants and Catholics, Italians and Irish used to riot against each other. 'No Irish Need Apply' was appended to job postings. Jews faced significant discrimination. Sometime around the 1930s, it shifted so that all Protestants became 'white'. Since then, all white-skinned people, including Jews, Mormons, Catholics, became 'white', generally one ethnic group. Nobody seemed to care that Mitt Romney was Mormon; none seem to care or even notice that the US Supreme Court has no Protestants (unless Gorsuch is one).

maxerickson 9y ago
The protestant Anglo-Saxons were the original "white" group. Irish Catholics and such were additions. (I'm responding to it shifted so that all Protestants became 'white'. which could just be an accidental misphrasing)
asveikau 9y ago
Not only that but we are talking about a timeframe in which any of our present divisions are totally not fathomable let alone in existence. I take exception even with your examples. How long has there been an "Italy"? In one sense, since the current state emerged in 1861. In another, Italia would only have meant land south of the Rubicon, excluding northern Italy. In another still, it's probably some Etruscan word with some completely different meaning. (Just a guess, I have not looked it up.) So when you go all the way back to when Europeans adapted for lighter skin and before... There is no "Italy". Maybe even there isn't any "Europe". I think the people answering my comment with "but it's always been us vs them" are really grasping for some cynicism to make themselves feel superior, because I would ask, who exactly is the us or the them they are talking about? Because no current group existed. It is constantly changing. That is the whole point.

maxerickson 9y ago

The protestant Anglo-Saxons were the original "white" group. Irish Catholics and such were additions. (I'm responding to it shifted so that all Protestants became 'white'. which could just be an accidental misphrasing)

asveikau 9y ago

Not only that but we are talking about a timeframe in which any of our present divisions are totally not fathomable let alone in existence. I take exception even with your examples. How long has there been an "Italy"? In one sense, since the current state emerged in 1861. In another, Italia would only have meant land south of the Rubicon, excluding northern Italy. In another still, it's probably some Etruscan word with some completely different meaning. (Just a guess, I have not looked it up.) So when you go all the way back to when Europeans adapted for lighter skin and before... There is no "Italy". Maybe even there isn't any "Europe". I think the people answering my comment with "but it's always been us vs them" are really grasping for some cynicism to make themselves feel superior, because I would ask, who exactly is the us or the them they are talking about? Because no current group existed. It is constantly changing. That is the whole point.