Economic Crisis, Anti-Immigrant Violence

As Professor Eric Foner noted at a panel on "Capitalism, Crisis and Politics" last week, during times of economic crisis or transformation, racist ideologies can crystalize and come to the fore, citing the 1890s as a period for the solidifcation of white supremacist ideology in the United States. 

The news of today makes the same argument quite strikingly. 

First, unemployment has reached it highest point in 25 years. 

Second, we have the breaking news of the shooting spree against oganizations aimed at helping immigrants in Binghamton, New York. 

Thirdly, hundreds, if not thousands of immigrant detainees have died while being held by ICE. The truly horrific fact is that the true number and extent is not even known. 

Correction NOTE: As further details have been released, it appears that the shooter in the case was not someone motivated by anti-immigrant hostility, but an immigrant who had some personal conflict with the Civic Center in Binghamton. Nonetheless, we should still be vigilant to a rising tide of anti-immigrant politics and violence unleashed in this climate of economic crisis.