Scapegoating hurts

When frustration with complex problems sets in, it’s easy for humans to blame someone else for our predicaments. That’s especially true when the causes of our problems are not easy to change, such as global economics. Scapegoating, which redirects blame to a person or group not at fault, often happens when legitimate fears and frustration are mobilized for political purposes. Elites are sometimes scapegoated, such as blaming Galen Weston – the CEO of Loblaws – for all high grocery prices. More often vulnerable groups find themselves caught up in political blame games and very real harm is done. Harmful scapegoating is on the increase in Canada, and, even when it is recognized for what it is, it is not easy to stop.

Scapegoating is easy in an age of social media. It is also ancient. In Leviticus 16, one goat was sacrificed and one, loaded with the sins of the people, was sent into the wilderness in a symbolic ritual to cleanse and restore right relationships. Jesus stood up to blame-shifting in his ministry (John 8). His death and resurrection – to reconcile all creation – should be the end of scapegoating. But it persists.

Fuelled by fear

History shows that scapegoating does not solve problems; in fact, it diverts our attention from the real causes. It tends to escalate and undermine the solidarity needed to tackle complex issues. Blaming “welfare bums,” for example, for poverty in Canada (1980-90s) did real harm to poor people, especially single mothers, and it took decades to build public support for serious poverty reduction. Welfare rates still cannot be raised because of entrenched stereotypes that became embedded in our culture through political scapegoating. Blaming migrant workers for job shortages or housing prices will not solve the problems, but it is doing harm to people with limited options.

Not the solution

At this moment, I find the scapegoating of trans youth particularly harmful and troubling, partly because the blaming is associated with Christianity. Fear and frustration about the current state of male-female relationships, the future of family life, and more specific concerns about the healthy development of young males are not going to be solved by blaming a “gay agenda,” the presence of trans youth in high schools, or books in school libraries that include stories of non-traditional families. Policies that tell non-binary youth they should not exist or stay closeted and removing books from school libraries are not going to bring back family life of the 1950s or help adolescent boys develop a healthy sense of being masculine in our society.

Wedge issues

The harm being done to young people, especially those who are questioning their identity, is well-documented. There is an alternative. In a thoughtful book called Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It, Richard Reeves identifies economic, educational and social factors that contribute to legitimate concerns, and he suggests changes that could make a real difference. While his ideas are debatable, it would be more productive to be talking about those causes than scapegoating non-binary youth in the name of family values.

Perhaps the unity that comes from a “Team Canada” approach to fighting the real threat of tariffs will reduce some of the scapegoating to drive political wedges between people. At the same time, a narrower focus on economic issues may only postpone social tensions without solving them. Hard times can bring solidarity or new forms of scapegoating. I hope followers of Jesus will be among those who expose scapegoating, reframe issues to focus on real causes, and bring people together to find solutions.