We are hearing a lot about immigration these days. We might take a look at this subject and realize the progress we have made through the years!
We often hear it said that "we are all immigrants." (Except for the Native-Americans, who were here when we came!)
The immigrants came mostly from Europe when our nation was founded. The Irish came because of the "potato famine," settling mostly in Boston and New York City. Germans, and others, settled mostly farther West or the South.
It was tough going for them. Those who arrived as families were much better off than those arriving who were single males. They lived in tenements or basements, where they cared for their children, if they had any, and became respectable members of their communities.
Among the single males, prostitution and begging were everywhere present. They became known as the "Dangerous Classes!" Gangs filled the slums, and politicians, like "Boss Tweed" hired gangs on election day, to intimidate, and sometimes beat up on opponents of Boss Tweed's. They were paid in cash, or sometimes in alcohol. In those days there was not such thing as a "secret ballot," that didn't come until 1915! Many of the police "gossiped, drank, and smoked." They were not much good at keeping order!
When the English writer, Rudyard Kipling, visited New York he said they were: "first cousins to a Zanzibar Zulu ... " and were a "shiftless outcome of squalid barbarism and reckless extravagance." America has made much progress through the years!
A writer commenting in 1860 had this to say about "Hell's Kitchen," and other rough sections of New York, there were: " ... streets ... [that were] ill paved, broken by carts and omnibuses into ruts and perilous gullies, obstructed by boxes and sign boards, [quite] impassable by reason of thronging vehicles, ... filled with filth and garbage, which was left where it had been thrown to rot and send out its pestiferous fumes, ... fever and cholera [were ever present]. Their ... drivers dashed through the crowd furiously, reckless of life, ... women and children were knocked down and trampled on ... rowdyism seemed to rule ... [and] it was at risk of your life that you walked the streets late at night, ... "
Immigrants were at least more than 20% of our total population in 1860. Another 20%
So why did they come? They came because America was "the land of opportunity," and they cared about what kind of a country they were leaving their children and grandchildren. Many had made great sacrifices so that their posterity could have the chance they never had!
Immigrants were at least more than 20% of the total population in 1860. Another 20% had died on ships coming to America. Those that survived were successful, especially as their skills improved. The ones who had come as families made their way all right! We, in America, are having quite a problem with "illegal immigrants" these days! Many immigrants are coming to the U.S. "illegally," because the federal government has failed to seal our borders! Gangs are once more menacing our land! Our social services are being inundated! If we are to survive as a nation, we need to do something about it!
I am open the your suggestions!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
The Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
I am a Constitutionalist, first; a Conservative, second; and a Republican, last! I'm starting this Blog because I am concerned about my country and what is happening to it!
I believe the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were inspired by men whom God raised up to do that very thing. They were men who "pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor" to making this new nation. This "pledge" was not an empty boast, for they, as Benjamin Franklin said, "We must all hang together, or we most assuredly will hang separately!"
No republic has lasted for long, until the Constitution came along. Maybe that's what Benjamin Franklin meant when he told that lady, "We have given you a republic, if you can keep it."
We must not lose our Constitution! Many nations have copied it, and until the United States came into being, there was no lasting republic to copy!
Rush Limbaugh, and others, have been ridiculed for saying that the ocean currents would take care of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, that has been concerning most Americans. However, for those who are aware of history, it is not such an outrageous statement, at all.
This is for the history "buffs" among us. In May, 1915, the passenger liner Lusitania was sunk, killing 1,198 passengers and crew. Among the victims were 128 Americans. Only a few days later a U-boat
(i.e. submarine) sank the passenger liner Marina, in which six Americans died!
During World War I the Germans had sunk a million tons of Alllied shipping. (Even those ships who claimed to be neutral, like the U.S.) Soon the Germans had torpedoed five ships within sight of Nantucket Island! And Kaiser Wilhelm promised that "such atrocities would never by repeated." (He didn't keep that promise.)
After the sinking of the Lusitania, the New York Herald called it "wholesale murder," and the New York Times, claimed that the Germans were "savages drunk with blood."
The sinking of the Lusitania, eventually lead to the United States entering the war, in 1917. U-boat attacks were an important part of the German strategy for winning the war! The sinking of ships also became a real problem in World War II, it was a serious part of Hitler's German strategy for winning. It got so bad that the government had asked for ideas from the public!
A well known comedian at that time, Will Rogers, had an idea. He said, "You have to get the Atlantic Ocean to boil, then the U-boats will all pop to the top, and the U-boats will be exposed, so the Navy can shoot at them." When asked, "How they could get the ocean to boil?" Rogers replied, "I'm just the 'idea man,' you'll have to ask someone also that qauestion!" Rogers made fun of the question but to the United States it was real!
Today, there is hardly a trace of the U-boats or the millions of tons of shipping that happened in World War I and an unknown number in World War II. It seems that it is not so outrageous to believe the currents of the Atlantic will take care of that oil spill.
While I believe the U.S. should do all it can do to contain the effects of the oil spill, until nature takes its course! Perhaps one good hurricane, Heaven forbid, might do it!
Jean Last
I believe the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were inspired by men whom God raised up to do that very thing. They were men who "pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor" to making this new nation. This "pledge" was not an empty boast, for they, as Benjamin Franklin said, "We must all hang together, or we most assuredly will hang separately!"
No republic has lasted for long, until the Constitution came along. Maybe that's what Benjamin Franklin meant when he told that lady, "We have given you a republic, if you can keep it."
We must not lose our Constitution! Many nations have copied it, and until the United States came into being, there was no lasting republic to copy!
Rush Limbaugh, and others, have been ridiculed for saying that the ocean currents would take care of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, that has been concerning most Americans. However, for those who are aware of history, it is not such an outrageous statement, at all.
This is for the history "buffs" among us. In May, 1915, the passenger liner Lusitania was sunk, killing 1,198 passengers and crew. Among the victims were 128 Americans. Only a few days later a U-boat
(i.e. submarine) sank the passenger liner Marina, in which six Americans died!
During World War I the Germans had sunk a million tons of Alllied shipping. (Even those ships who claimed to be neutral, like the U.S.) Soon the Germans had torpedoed five ships within sight of Nantucket Island! And Kaiser Wilhelm promised that "such atrocities would never by repeated." (He didn't keep that promise.)
After the sinking of the Lusitania, the New York Herald called it "wholesale murder," and the New York Times, claimed that the Germans were "savages drunk with blood."
The sinking of the Lusitania, eventually lead to the United States entering the war, in 1917. U-boat attacks were an important part of the German strategy for winning the war! The sinking of ships also became a real problem in World War II, it was a serious part of Hitler's German strategy for winning. It got so bad that the government had asked for ideas from the public!
A well known comedian at that time, Will Rogers, had an idea. He said, "You have to get the Atlantic Ocean to boil, then the U-boats will all pop to the top, and the U-boats will be exposed, so the Navy can shoot at them." When asked, "How they could get the ocean to boil?" Rogers replied, "I'm just the 'idea man,' you'll have to ask someone also that qauestion!" Rogers made fun of the question but to the United States it was real!
Today, there is hardly a trace of the U-boats or the millions of tons of shipping that happened in World War I and an unknown number in World War II. It seems that it is not so outrageous to believe the currents of the Atlantic will take care of that oil spill.
While I believe the U.S. should do all it can do to contain the effects of the oil spill, until nature takes its course! Perhaps one good hurricane, Heaven forbid, might do it!
Jean Last
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