The United States of America has a population of about 331.9 million.

California has a population of about 39.24 million.

The New York City metropolitan area has a population of about 18.82 million.

Anti-democracy propaganda organs have a particular loathing for these two major portions of society. There are certainly others, but these two stand out. These two areas represent approximately 11.8% and 5.7%, respectively, of the whole.

Apart from its general implications of the lesser humanity of individuals with greater melanin, more ovaries, or less adherence to the One True Religion (R) than “real Americans,” vast swathes of general society can also be considered thus by virtue of their location.

“Othering” has a long and storied history of use to promote authoritarian rule. It is strange to me that, among those “othered” are the two most successful and dynamic examples of a state and a city metro area are the subject.

Weird.