--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the war on terrorism, the immigrant is…" description: "\"In the war on terrorism, the immigrant is often the scapegoat.\" — Andrew Lam" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/andrew-lam-21834_immigrant_in-the-war-on-terrorism-the-immigrant-is_2378931.jpg" --- # In the war on terrorism, the immigrant is often the… ![“In the war on terrorism, the immigrant is often the scapegoat.” quote by Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/andrew-lam-21834_immigrant_in-the-war-on-terrorism-the-immigrant-is_2378931.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/andrew-lam-21834_immigrant_in-the-war-on-terrorism-the-immigrant-is_2378931.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/andrew-lam-21834_immigrant_in-the-war-on-terrorism-the-immigrant-is_2378931.jpg) > “In the war on terrorism, the immigrant is often the scapegoat.” [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Immigrants are unjustly blamed for terrorism, becoming convenient scapegoats in political narratives. **In simple terms:** Immigrants are unfairly blamed for terror. Key Takeaway Challenge stereotypes and demand justice. Themes justice stereotyping politics immigration terrorism Mood critical empathetic Type political social ethical When to use this quote - public policy - community activism - media analysis - legal advocacy Key Concepts social theory political science Questions to Reflect On - What evidence counters the scapegoating narrative? - How can societies protect vulnerable groups? A Different Perspective Security concerns can blur lines between legitimate critique and xenophobia. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Immigrant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrant/) [Immigrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrants/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Scapegoat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scapegoat/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War on terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-on-terror/) [War on terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-on-terrorism/) ## Related quotes > [On 9-11, we discovered that we cannot escape from the world. To me personally, this was a life-changing experience, and I realized, as did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/on-9-11-we-discovered-that-we-cannot-escape-from-the-world-to-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The key battleground in the war on terrorism, therefore, is in the minds of the American public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/the-key-battleground-in-the-war-on-terrorism-therefore-is-in-the/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [This war on terrorism is going to continue for an indefinite period of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ridge/this-war-on-terrorism-is-going-to-continue-for-an-indefinite-period/) [Tom Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ridge/) > [Winning the war on terrorism will also require a level of moral clarity that can provide a vision for struggling people and nations everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-schiff/winning-the-war-on-terrorism-will-also-require-a-level-of-moral/) [Adam Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-schiff/) > [As many critics have pointed, out, terrorism is not an enemy. It is a tactic. Because the United States itself has a long record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-eldridge-odom/as-many-critics-have-pointed-out-terrorism-is-not-an-enemy-it-is-a/) William Eldridge Odom > [Beyond the futility of armed force, and ultimately more important, is the fact that war in our time inevitably results in the indiscriminate killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/beyond-the-futility-of-armed-force-and-ultimately-more-important-is/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The war on terrorism was a bait and switch operation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-alterman/the-war-on-terrorism-was-a-bait-and-switch-operation/) [Eric Alterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-alterman/) > [The catch-all phrase "the war on terrorism", in all honesty, has no more meaning than if one wants to wage a war against "criminal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-catch-all-phrase-the-war-on-terrorism-in-all-honesty-has-no-more/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [The true credit for our safety and security goes to our men and women who are serving in places like Iraq and Afghanistan in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asa-hutchinson/the-true-credit-for-our-safety-and-security-goes-to-our-men-and-women/) [Asa Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asa-hutchinson/) > [We are in a war on terrorism. We need to conduct that war and take it to the terrorists, not here at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-l-thomas/we-are-in-a-war-on-terrorism-we-need-to-conduct-that-war-and-take-it/) [Craig L. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-l-thomas/) > [You cannot win a War on Terrorism. It's like having a war on jealousy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/you-cannot-win-a-war-on-terrorism-it-s-like-having-a-war-on-jealousy/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [I think it's very hard to fight the war on terrorism if we're in retreat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-think-it-s-very-hard-to-fight-the-war-on-terrorism-if-we-re-in/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Those are the things that, in the wrong hands - and certainly in our war on terrorism we also must attack proliferation and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-shelton/those-are-the-things-that-in-the-wrong-hands-and-certainly-in-our-war/) [Hugh Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-shelton/) > [I share the Presidents commitment to fighting and winning the war on terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-shelby/i-share-the-presidents-commitment-to-fighting-and-winning-the-war-on/) [Richard Shelby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-shelby/) > [This is an issue just like 9-11... We didn't decide we wanted to fight the war on terrorism because we wanted to. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/this-is-an-issue-just-like-9-11-we-didn-t-decide-we-wanted-to-fight/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) ## More by Andrew Lam > [When I came to the United States in 1975 I was eleven, and within a few months my voice broke. I recited commercials like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/when-i-came-to-the-united-states-in-1975-i-was-eleven-and-within-a/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [The collection is a labor of love and devotion, and whenever I found free time from my journalism work, I'd work on one story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/the-collection-is-a-labor-of-love-and-devotion-and-whenever-i-found/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [I am hopeful that the pendulum swings toward seeing immigrants in favorable terms once more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/i-am-hopeful-that-the-pendulum-swings-toward-seeing-immigrants-in/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [When a well-rounded character takes over, he doesn't lecture you about his history and how he is misunderstood. He lives his life, does things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/when-a-well-rounded-character-takes-over-he-doesn-t-lecture-you-about/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [I am glad to see the wheels are moving at last toward comprehensive immigration reform after last year's election. I am glad that immigrants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/i-am-glad-to-see-the-wheels-are-moving-at-last-toward-comprehensive/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [America's story is largely an immigrant story. That hasn't changed since the Pilgrims ate their first turkey some four hundred years ago, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/america-s-story-is-largely-an-immigrant-story-that-hasn-t-changed/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [That experience of losing home, longing for home, that yearning for meaning and rootedness and identity in a floating world, it's what often makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/that-experience-of-losing-home-longing-for-home-that-yearning-for/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [Isn't the first story told in the West about the Fall? Adam and Eve were immigrants too from somewhere, a lost Eden, a paradise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/isn-t-the-first-story-told-in-the-west-about-the-fall-adam-and-eve/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [ After twenty years and thirty stories, thirteen pieces were finally selected and the collection was born. So far, the blurbs from \[authors\] Maxine Hong… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/after-twenty-years-and-thirty-stories-thirteen-pieces-were-finally/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [I thought, "Wow, English is like magic." It not only shattered my voice, it changed me physiologically. I believed this for months ... There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/i-thought-wow-english-is-like-magic-it-not-only-shattered-my-voice-it/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [It's unfortunate that the country of immigrants has turned its back on immigrants. The atmosphere after 9/11 is toxic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/it-s-unfortunate-that-the-country-of-immigrants-has-turned-its-back/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [“He knew it even before he could fully articulate it: between East and West lay a terrain that needed to be charted by stories,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/he-knew-it-even-before-he-could-fully-articulate-it-between-east-and/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [Today, more people are crossing various borders in order to survive, thrive, change their lives. Even if you don't cross the border, with demographic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/today-more-people-are-crossing-various-borders-in-order-to-survive/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [I have a funny story to tell about English and how I came to fall in love with the language. I was desperate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/i-have-a-funny-story-to-tell-about-english-and-how-i-came-to-fall-in/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) > [I've been writing short stories for twenty years now, on and off ever since I was in the creative writing program at San Francisco…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/i-ve-been-writing-short-stories-for-twenty-years-now-on-and-off-ever/) [Andrew Lam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) [Explore all 28 Andrew Lam quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/) ## More Immigrant quotes > [I identify with Superman. I am adopted, I am an only child, and I love the idea that he comes from another world, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-singer/i-identify-with-superman-i-am-adopted-i-am-an-only-child-and-i-love/) [Bryan Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-singer/) > [When you are in America, at least for me, as an immigrant, I try to be as Americanized as I could. I just want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-o-yang/when-you-are-in-america-at-least-for-me-as-an-immigrant-i-try-to-be/) [Jimmy O. Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-o-yang/) > [Royalty has always been an unconscious but all-consuming goal of the European immigrant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vine-deloria-jr/royalty-has-always-been-an-unconscious-but-all-consuming-goal-of-the/) [Vine Deloria Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vine-deloria-jr/) > [My parents were, had a marriage of passion, and the passion was about their religious beliefs. They were both immigrant families that - well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-parents-were-had-a-marriage-of-passion-and-the-passion-was-about/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [I'm an immigrant, a legal immigrant to the United States. I only became a citizen five years ago. Every day, for seven months, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-gorka/i-m-an-immigrant-a-legal-immigrant-to-the-united-states-i-only-became/) [Sebastian Gorka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-gorka/) > [If cheap immigrant labor is made unavailable, employers can hire Americans at a higher wage, or replace low-wage immigrant workers with technology and automation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-c-ting/if-cheap-immigrant-labor-is-made-unavailable-employers-can-hire/) [Jan C. Ting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-c-ting/) > [I was painfully shy as a child; I was dyslexic. I had a single mother who's an immigrant. I just didn't believe acting was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaya-scodelario/i-was-painfully-shy-as-a-child-i-was-dyslexic-i-had-a-single-mother/) [Kaya Scodelario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaya-scodelario/) > [The immigrant experience of all of us is what makes us Americans, because we value in our DNA liberty and opportunity above all else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-immigrant-experience-of-all-of-us-is-what-makes-us-americans/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [In Holland I have seen well-meaning, principled people blinded by multiculturalism, overwhelmed by the imperative to be sensitive and respectful of immigrant culture, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/in-holland-i-have-seen-well-meaning-principled-people-blinded-by/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [My father's immigrant story is a big part of who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-suozzi/my-father-s-immigrant-story-is-a-big-part-of-who-i-am/) [Tom Suozzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-suozzi/) > [My mother was an immigrant from Lebanon to the United States. She came when she was 18 years old in 1920.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/my-mother-was-an-immigrant-from-lebanon-to-the-united-states-she-came/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [“Being an immigrant is not a status but a state of mind. It doesn’t stop when you “assimilate” or “integrate” or when you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-stafford/being-an-immigrant-is-not-a-status-but-a-state-of-mind-it-doesn-t/) [Stewart Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-stafford/) > [“I have lived my life defined as a refugee in Nepal and India, a resident alien and immigrant in the United States. At last,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tsering-wangmo-dhompa/i-have-lived-my-life-defined-as-a-refugee-in-nepal-and-india-a/) [Tsering Wangmo Dhompa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tsering-wangmo-dhompa/) > [The privilege of serving my country is not only rooted in my military service, but also in my personal history. I sit here, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-vindman/the-privilege-of-serving-my-country-is-not-only-rooted-in-my-military/) [Alexander Vindman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-vindman/) > [Immigrant stories are good stories for everyone to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/immigrant-stories-are-good-stories-for-everyone-to-know/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) [Browse all 472 Immigrant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the war on terrorism, the immigrant is often the scapegoat.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andrew Lam" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/in-the-war-on-terrorism-the-immigrant-is-often-the-scapegoat/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Immigrant" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/in-the-war-on-terrorism-the-immigrant-is-often-the-scapegoat/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/andrew-lam-21834_immigrant_in-the-war-on-terrorism-the-immigrant-is_2378931.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/andrew-lam-21834_immigrant_in-the-war-on-terrorism-the-immigrant-is_2378931.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee7/andrew-lam-21834_immigrant_in-the-war-on-terrorism-the-immigrant-is_2378931.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the war on terrorism, the immigrant is often the scapegoat.” — Andrew Lam", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Andrew Lam", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lam/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the war on terrorism, the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/in-the-war-on-terrorism-the-immigrant-is-often-the-scapegoat/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lam/in-the-war-on-terrorism-the-immigrant-is-often-the-scapegoat/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```