The New Colossus
Emma Lazarus (1849-1887)
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Except for Native Americans, who were already here, and most African Americans, who were brought here against their will, most immigrants to America, from the early colonists of the 16th Century to the present day, came here seeking a better life. If you’re content at home, you have little reason to leave. It’s hard to immigrate. You leave behind all that you’ve known all your life, and then have to adapt to a different language, a different culture, a different environment. In this new country, people will recognize that you don’t fit in and may look down on you because of that. These are significant barriers, and yet millions of people have braved those barriers to come to this continent, this country, in search of a better life. Historically, most of these people were poor, or were escaping oppression or political strife. Because of the conditions in those countries of origin, Americans tend to look down on them as well. The current White House occupant has expressed his distain for most countries of origin for present-day immigrants, with his typical flare, by calling them “shithole countries.” But this could have been said (and likely was said among some Americans) in the past about the nations of origin of most immigrants of those times: Russia, Poland, Italy, Ireland, Hungary, etc. Yet in every case, these immigrants despised by many of those already here managed to climb up the ladder, now to the point where they can join their erstwhile haters in despising the new crop of immigrants.
I am (as are most of you) the descendant of immigrants, and I have not forgotten that fact. I want to discuss the “shithole country” that my antecedents came from below the fold. But first, a word from our sponsors:
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The countries of origin of my antecedents who immigrated to the US are Germany, Bohemia, and Italy. These days, these countries or regions generally get a pass, but back in their particular days, the immigrants from these countries all were disparaged by those who were here already. For the Germans, it was all that beer drinking. Bohemia held the taint of the Roma (i. e. Gypsies). But likely, the most disparaged of these three were the Italians. Italy in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries was poor and overpopulated. There weren’t enough jobs to employ all those who needed to work to feed their families. As such, large numbers of Italians came to the US during this period. These were largely uneducated, unskilled people who did not speak English and were generally from rural places, dumped into cities with different culture, where their religion was looked upon with suspicion by many. The majority of American citizens at that time were sufficiently alarmed by the influx of immigrants from “shithole” countries that Congress enacted a quota system for various European countries, allowing only small numbers of immigrants from countries in eastern and southern Europe to immigrate here.
Nonetheless, these immigrants were able to find work here, unlike in the old country, and despite their lowly status. They formed their own communities to support themselves, as is usually the case with new immigrants. Over the years, each successive generation became better educated and earned a higher income, and now most people don’t give a second thought when encountering Americans with Italian heritage. Italian-Americans are pretty well assimilated into American culture. The perception of the immigrants (and their descendants) and their country of origin has evolved in the intervening years. This process is ongoing, with each successive immigrant group that comes to this country.
In the meantime, one could hardly call modern Italy a “shithole country” as it might have been called in the early 20th Century. Italy’s economy is more vibrant, the birth rate has dropped (despite Catholicism and the Pope), and now more people are immigrating to Italy than leaving it. Just because a nation is in a sorry state today doesn’t mean that it will remain in a sorry state forever. Trump’s insult wasn’t just ignorant regarding the present conditions and people of the huge swath of countries he insulted, but disregarded any prospect for progress and change in those countries.
I would be negligent if I didn’t point out how blatantly racist Trump’s statement was, and how they are brazenly exploiting the statement as useful for shoring up their racist base (while Trump simultaneously denies having said it). But either Emma Lazarus’ words apply to all immigrants to this nation, or they apply to none of them. Most of our antecedents were “wretched refuse” coming to this country, poor and with few prospects in their countries of origin. The USA gave them the chance to succeed, and by and large, they did. And they still do, regardless of race.
After a year of outrageous behavior, we should not be shocked by ignorant and blatantly racist statements from the White House anymore. While it makes the white supremacists happy, it horrifies the rest of us and, hopefully, will propel us all to the polls in November to relieve Congress of its GOP majority.
And now, to the comments:
Top Comments (January 12, 2018):
From ZenTrainer:
I know you guys don't usually do this, but this particular diary has so many incredibly funny comments that I can't possibly link them all here. Add to that, the fact that the diary is in itself a Top Comment and here goes, I'm nominating this whole diary by Chris Reeves and it's comments as a Top Comment.
Highlighted by smoothnmellow (and ‘co-signed’ by Momentary Grace):
Is this clever comment by Vita Brevis. Don’t miss!
Highlighted by Silent Spring:
Is this diary-length comment by ian douglas rushlau on yet ANOTHER of Trump’s miserable and cowardly failings.
Highlighted by JoanMar:
Is this comment by jayden, repudiating Trump, and standing for what our country is about.
Top Mojo (January 11, 2018):
Top Mojo is courtesy of mik! Click here for more on how Top Mojo works.
Top Photos (January 12, 2018):
Tonight’s picture quilt is courtesy of jotter!