No, it's an "Us vs. Them" thing which is not more beholden or more prevalent in any part of the world over the rest. "We protect our own," is a credo and rallying cry used by families, groups, and even nations, to stir normally passive and peaceful people into blood vengeance. Amrican history is riddled with such euphamisms for "them" attacking "us" like: "the Boston Massacre," "remember the Alamo," and "remember the Maine." It is stirring and chilling at the same time to read accounts like the Union soldiers, having repelled
Pickett's Charge in a bloody slaughter, chanting "
Fredricksburg" as if saying they had achieved revenge for their fallen brethren. Race, religion, ethnicity, profession, social class, or fandom when the ranks close around a group identity it's always "Us vs. Them."
When someone calls you gabacho, or raghead, or Charlie, or any of a number of slurs he's really clearly marking you as "Them" and trying to bring the attention of "Us" to the situation. In Tony's case it had nothing to do with what he eats and everything to do with the culture in which he was raised that marked him as "Them." The canids, like the bartender, seem very much like la raza chicanos.
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"Y'know, if nothing else, living here has incredibly sharpened my 'Hey, there's someone coming for my dick!' defense skills." -
JET