They Are So Scared

     People around the world poke fun at American fears.  Comfortably situated, Americans are renowned for being afraid.  Afraid of home invasion, car theft, kidnapping, terror attacks, and immigrants.  (They don't seem afraid of conniving  banks, marketing schemes, assault weapon availability, toxic cigarettes, "empty-calorie" GMO junk food, or over-watching TV "reality shows").  It has been said that such ignorant fear is the source of America's racism and unwelcoming global attitude... which has been brought to light during this new Presidency.  
     Looking at our history, Americans have been programmed to be anxiously fearful.  Too many have a mindset of scarcity and mistrust.  What they do and don't do has often been brainwashed by fear-mongering.  Take a look:

  

     The "double standard" is that we're notorious for massacring and double-crossing Native Americans, Mexicans (Texas territory), Spanish, and British entities to get our land, in the first place... and innumerable European and Asian immigrants were lured/trafficked here to build it up.

As you noticed, many of those posters/advertisements are quite old.  Back then, people were uniformed due to distance and lack of media.  Therefore, they were as gullible as the characters in "The Music Man".  Circus creator of the 1850s, P.T. Barnum, knew it and said, "There's a sucker born every minute."  Orson Wells saw it in 1939 when radio audiences ignored his "War of the Worlds" broadcast disclaimer and actually thought aliens were invading America!  (He was immediately hired by Campbell Soup to sell to consumers).

However, our modern citizenry doesn't have those excuses.  Nearly everyone--even in rural middle-America--has a handheld device with internet access.  Also, the world is a lot smaller--especially considering cross-culture experiences.  

A virtual "fountain of information/learning" is literally at everyone's fingertips.

Nobody can claim ignorance, unless they CHOOSE it!