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I just got back from NYC with my immigrant wife from Ireland. We met a friend of hers her 2 kids and husband who were visiting from France. We went to Ellis island and Liberty and then over to Ground Zero to see the memorial there.
I was touched by the History at Ellis island and realized that our country hasn't changed much with its attitudes towards immigrants were many are fearful of what those immigrants may bring in the form of disease and the threat to our economy and loss of jobs to the migrants. Back in the day when millions came through Ellis island seeking a better life they were scrutinized from health, to literacy and above all that they could either support themselves or if they had a sponsor family to help them. If they failed any of these requirements they were sent back.
It all made sense and it seemed very noble that America was willing to take in so many millions from the world and those immigrants helped to make America great but that was then and this is now.
We then took the ferry to Battery park and walked to Ground Zero and that was very humbling. My wifes French friend thought it was like a graveyard and people were being disrespectful by taking photos etc..
I had many feelings from sadness to anger, to questions of why to reflection from the events of that tragic day to today and the current ongoing, ever growing threats we face. I was left with the thought that the ground zero memorial is much like the memorial at Pearl Harbor and should serve as a reminder to us all to be vigilant and careful. The flowers that were placed into the names here and there were real people who still have living loved ones that miss them. They were not just names forgotten to history.
On the memorial we found and paused at the name of a neighbors brother who was a fire fighter and we moved on.
Security at the site was clear as it was in many parts of the city. My wife had a question so she walked over to a group of 7-8 police officers 2 of which were in tactical gear with machine guns. As she approached the group I noticed that one of the geared up officers took a step back and clutched his gun a bit tighter. The threat is real and can come in any form including a 5'2" Irish woman.
Today is so different than when those huddled masses streamed through Ellis island. The immigrants then wanted to become Americans but today many just want the handouts and some want to kill us.
What a crazy world we live in. I just hope that our Government can keep us safe so we can avoid another hole in our hearts that is the Ground Zero memorial.
I just got back from NYC with my immigrant wife from Ireland.
I know you touched on much more than this question, but briefly, is your wife straight off the boat from Eire, and did she just come to America, or has she been here with you somewhere else in America for a period of time?
A response will be coming once I get a little more info and have more time to post.
Back in the day when millions came through Ellis island seeking a better life they were scrutinized from health, to literacy and above all that they could either support themselves or if they had a sponsor family to help them. If they failed any of these requirements they were sent back.
It all made sense and it seemed very noble that America was willing to take in so many millions from the world and those immigrants helped to make America great but that was then and this is now.
I agree that it is incredibly disrespectful how some people behave at the Memorial. Some just don't get it. It bothers me every time, to see people posing for pictures and being idiots right at a beautiful memorial for nearly 3000 people who died at that site, many of them never recovered and quite possibly literally immersed within the very ground they are standing on.
Back in the day when millions came through Ellis island seeking a better life they were scrutinized from health, to literacy and above all that they could either support themselves or if they had a sponsor family to help them. If they failed any of these requirements they were sent back.
They were required to provide the name of a sponsor and the address where they would reside, they also had to declare how much money they had with them. The required amount of money changed over time and varied according to inspector, at the beginning of the 20th century the amount was usually $25-$30. It was not until 1921 that Immigrants were required to demonstrate literacy- the test consisted of reading 40 words in their native language. Basically only steerage passengers were detained a Ellis Island, 1st and 2nd class passengers were briefly screened on board the ship they arrived in the US on and never set foot on Ellis Island.
They were required to provide the name of a sponsor and the address where they would reside, they also had to declare how much money they had with them. The required amount of money changed over time and varied according to inspector, at the beginning of the 20th century the amount was usually $25-$30. It was not until 1921 that Immigrants were required to demonstrate literacy- the test consisted of reading 40 words in their native language. Basically only steerage passengers were detained a Ellis Island, 1st and 2nd class passengers were briefly screened on board the ship they arrived in the US on and never set foot on Ellis Island.
That is true. It goes to show that money talked even back then.
I put this discussion in the Current events because immigration is a hot topic and I wanted to share my thoughts from my experience on Ellis island and ground zero. As an American with an appreciation for History and a Irish wife (she had immigrated many years before I met her) along with a family visiting from France I thought it was a unique experience to see it through their eyes.
I took photos at the memorial but the overall feeling from the crowds was somber.
That is true. It goes to show that money talked even back then.
I put this discussion in the Current events because immigration is a hot topic and I wanted to share my thoughts from my experience on Ellis island and ground zero. As an American with an appreciation for History and a Irish wife (she had immigrated many years before I met her) along with a family visiting from France I thought it was a unique experience to see it through their eyes. I took photos at the memorial but the overall feeling from the crowds was somber.
Yep, money talked- that's for sure. Three of my 4 grandparents went through Ellis Island, they all traveled steerage and were kept there for several weeks. The 4th grandparent was a Norwegian sailor who never got back on the boat when it stopped in New York, the funny thing is that in spite of that he was able to become a US citizen about 20 years later, I'm not sure why they allowed him to become a citizen when he couldn't prove he was in the US legally, maybe they didn't care as much then as we do now.
Today is so different than when those huddled masses streamed through Ellis island. The immigrants then wanted to become Americans but today many just want the handouts and some want to kill us.
Actually today is fightingly just like it was yesterday when Know Nothings and xenophobes of varying sorts demanded an end to... well take your pick the list is long and changed all the time, Irish Catholics, Germans, Italians, Jews, Chinese, Poles. Hungarians, some of whom even committed acts of terror. From my historical view point, the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same.
Actually today is fightingly just like it was yesterday when Know Nothings and xenophobes of varying sorts demanded an end to... well take your pick the list is long and changed all the time, Irish Catholics, Germans, Italians, Jews, Chinese, Poles. Hungarians, some of whom even committed acts of terror. From my historical view point, the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same.
There has always been fear that the immigrants will take American jobs and bring with them crime and poverty. There was a real fear that people who could not support themselves would turn to crime and prostitution. The immigrants would be a burden on society.
Today not much has changed just the faces. The fears are the same except today there is a reality that some of those immigrants do actually want to kill us, not to take what is ours but just because we are different.
I asked the friend from France that we met in NYC what she thought of the Syrians and other groups that are flooding her country and she cited the same things that we Americans are concerned with. She said they get better health and dental care than she does and theirs is free. She thinks that they are making a mess of the country.
Times have changed since the huddled masses came to Ellis island and we need to be more careful of who we admit.
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