Fear of The Other

Basic Black returns.  Over the summer there have been a range of incidents with the most recent being the mass shooting in El Paso where it was believed that Latinos were targeted.  The President made the comment, “Go Back,” about four Congresswomen, sparking outrage with many calling the comment racist. Comments about citizens’ and their race to the recent small anti-straight protest in Boston.We all have some kind of fear. After all it is supposedly healthy. It can keep us safe—it’s our internal warning signal for danger.  But what happens when fear overtakes you and is intermingled with hate or people that do not look like you, speak like you, live like you or love like you?Headlines around people being targets and identifying individuals as other, something separate from one group or the other.  But what does that mean and who is the other?  As the country becomes a majority-minority country, how is the notion of separation or fear affecting the way we live and interact with our families, coworkers, neighbors and everyday people?