People often resort to dehumanization as a result of preconceived hatred and prejudice toward others that deviate from their perception of a master narrative. Dehumanizing an individual or a group of individuals can be based on perceived racial or ethnic groups, nationalities, religious groups, genders, minorities of various sexual orientations, disabled people as a class, social groups, and economic classes, such as the homeless. A prime example of this is the story of Steven Green, a former 101st airborne soldier. On March 12, 2006, Green carried out an attack on a family near Mahmoudiya, Iraq, that left him serving five consecutive life sentences. According to dailymail.co.uk, Green allegedly for raped and killed a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and in addition to killing her parents and sister. Green claimed that he didn't think of Iraqi civilians as humans after being exposed to extreme warzone violence.
The news article reported that upon arriving in Iraq, Green said his training to kill, the rampant violence, and derogatory comments by other soldiers against Iraqis served to dehumanize that country's civilian population. After spending considerable time in Iraq a turning point came for Green on December 10, 2005, when a previously friendly Iraqi approached a traffic checkpoint and opened fire.
The shots killed Staff Sgt. Travis L. Nelson, 41, instantly. Sgt. Kenith Casica, 32, was hit in the throat. Casica died as soldiers raced him aboard a Humvee to a field hospital. Green said those deaths, “messed me up real bad.” The deaths intensified Green's feelings toward all Iraqis, whom soldiers often referred to by a derogatory term. “There's not a word that would describe how much I hated these people,” Green said. “I wasn't thinking these people were humans.” This occurrence suggests that some individuals believe that dehumanizing someone to a level lower than human justifies violence toward them.
Dehumanization is such a cross-culturally effective tool because cultural and religious groups are prime targets for dehumanization. When one particular ethnic or cultural group holds a hostile sentiment toward another group, it becomes a norm of social construction and is accepted by that society. A prime example of this is Ibrahim Mudayris, a Hamas religious official, who addressed Jews as monkeys and pigs at a press conference (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrj5yGnAwnc). Prejudice toward Jews had become socially acceptable to such an extent within the Palestinian community that it was seemingly politically correct for Mudayris to slander the Jewish class in public. This idea is further supported by Robert R, Higgins when he writes, “Race, gender, and class dynamics are intimately and inextricably interwoven in the fabric of environmental crisis. As a result, the environmental crisis is inherently a social justice crisis as well.” Clearly, social groups will adapt to dehumanization and grow to accept it if it becomes widespread. It is apparent that elements of dehumanization will always be present in society because it is human nature to judge others.
- Alex Wann
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