Basically, it's human impulse. 'Us vs. Them'. Shaun and I are doing it too, but we're aware of it and I'm keeping the bleeding into my official decisions as minimal as possible. It's not possible to get rid of it entirely.
But impulse doesn't mean we should entertain it, or ask for concessions based on it. How would it look? "Don't be bigoted against us, but by the way we hate you."