Immigration in the 20th and 21 century (England, general, Mexican, 1920s)

[clip314]

Samuel Huntington wrote this several years ago and at the present still might be the ideas which fuel the Tea party and anti-imigrant reform. Is Huntington's view of America still relevant today or did this pass on with the 20th century?


"America was created by 17th- and 18th-century settlers who were overwhelmingly white, British, and Protestant. Their values, institutions, and culture provided the foundation for and shaped the development of the United States in the following centuries. The persistent inflow of Hispanic immigrants threatens to divide the United States into two peoples, two cultures, and two languages. Unlike past immigrant groups, Mexicans and other Latinos have not assimilated into mainstream U.S. culture, forming instead their own political and linguistic enclaves—from Los Angeles to Miami—and rejecting the Anglo-Protestant values that built the American dream. The United States ignores this challenge at its peril".

[PA2UK]

Originally Posted by clip314

Samuel Huntington wrote this several years ago and at the present still might be the ideas which fuel the Tea party and anti-imigrant reform. Is Huntington's view of America still relevant today or did this pass on with the 20th century?


"America was created by 17th- and 18th-century settlers who were overwhelmingly white, British, and Protestant. Their values, institutions, and culture provided the foundation for and shaped the development of the United States in the following centuries. The persistent inflow of Hispanic immigrants threatens to divide the United States into two peoples, two cultures, and two languages. Unlike past immigrant groups, Mexicans and other Latinos have not assimilated into mainstream U.S. culture, forming instead their own political and linguistic enclaves—from Los Angeles to Miami—and rejecting the Anglo-Protestant values that built the American dream. The United States ignores this challenge at its peril".

Well, he clearly doesn't know his history very well. German was a very prominent language in the US from colonial times right up to WWI. Sounds like a bunch of racist, xenophobic BS to me.

[Linda_d]

Originally Posted by PA2UK

Well, he clearly doesn't know his history very well. German was a very prominent language in the US from colonial times right up to WWI. Sounds like a bunch of racist, xenophobic BS to me.

I totally agree.

Substitute "Irish Catholic" or "German" for "Hispanic" and that statement could have easily been made by a Know-Nothing in the 1850s hating on the Irish and German immigrants coming into the US.

Substitute "Pole", "Italian", "Jew" for "Hispanic" and that statement could have easily been made by any of the WASP xenophobes agitating for immigration restriction between the 1890s and 1920s.

[in_newengland]

Anglo-Saxon values may have built this country but there are so many other nationalities that have come here and contributed that only traces of our beginnings are left. That's fine. We've gotten bigger and better. I live in New England where the English settlements took hold and I'd say the majority of the people here are Irish or Italian, not English. Although you'll find more people with English blood in them in the northern parts of New England like Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.

Eventually everyone melts in. If the Hispanics don't melt in we'll have something like two different countries. But it seems that that are assimilating and they are getting some of our values and traditions and we are getting theirs. We sure do like their food!

[ovcatto]

Originally Posted by Linda_d

I totally agree.

Substitute "Irish Catholic" or "German" for "Hispanic" and that statement could have easily been made by a Know-Nothing in the 1850s hating on the Irish and German immigrants coming into the US.

Substitute "Pole", "Italian", "Jew" for "Hispanic" and that statement could have easily been made by any of the WASP xenophobes agitating for immigration restriction between the 1890s and 1920s.

Well here in Philadelphia in 1844 Nativist rioting against the Irish Catholic population that a militia had to be formed to quell the violence.

In 1875 the first in a series of laws was enacted to exclude Chinese and other Asians.

And of course besides Italians, Poles, Jews or anyone else from eastern Europe each was accused by Nativist as being incapable of assimilation and a general threat to American culture.

As for Hispanics, I have a authentic placard printed by the Texas Restaurant Association stating No Colored, No Dogs, and No Mexicans, in that order.

[Linda_d]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

Anglo-Saxon values may have built this country but there are so many other nationalities that have come here and contributed that only traces of our beginnings are left. That's fine. We've gotten bigger and better. I live in New England where the English settlements took hold and I'd say the majority of the people here are Irish or Italian, not English. Although you'll find more people with English blood in them in the northern parts of New England like Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.

Eventually everyone melts in. If the Hispanics don't melt in we'll have something like two different countries. But it seems that that are assimilating and they are getting some of our values and traditions and we are getting theirs. We sure do like their food!

The only "problem" with Hispanics/Latinos assimilating is the fact that so many have come so recently that they haven't had time to assimilate very much. The children and grandchildren of the original Cuban refugees (early 1960s) in South Florida are indistinguishable from other Americans except by their last names. In the Southwest, Mexican Americans whose families have been here for two or more generations also Americanized, and the same with Puerto Ricans in New York and other places. It's the continual flow of newcomers who make it appear that Hispanics/Latinos are not assimilating.

Contrary to bigotic/racist/xenophobic claims, no immigrants came to the US and instantly assimilated, not even the Brits! Almost all non-English immigrants retained their language and many of their customs, especially their religious affiliations. The Dutch in New York's Hudson Valley were supplanted by the British in the 1660s ... and there are still Dutch Reformed churches throughout the area. Find a Lutheran church, and you'll find lots of locals with German and/or Scandanavian roots. A St Patrick's or a St Brigid's Catholic Church says Irish roots while a St Stanislaus says Polish ones.