@pomegranate_stew @svc @georgetakei I disagree. They fan the flames, but they're not the origin. The origin is in the fear of the unknown. The more diversity one is exposed to, the less bigoted they're likely to be. Politicians talking openly with hatred just enables those who had previously held back to express their views, where normally they might have been silenced by shame. The more that express those views, the more see that as normalized and feel comfortable expressing similar views. But they were already there. Those things are cultural and are imparted unintentionally and subconsciously during childhood (ask me how I know).

That said, the above only applies to adults, who are fully responsible for their actions. Children are more impressionable and susceptible.