Wednesday, August 31, 2005
We are a nation of settlers....
In previous posts, we have covered the border issue from many different angles. It has generated a lot of comments. I have always felt that the problem with the border was multi-faceted. I will tell you that one of the biggest problems in my opinion, is the ignorance of our history. Most people believe we are a country of immigrants, that is just not so. We are a nation of settlers. In his book "Who Are We" Samuel Huntington crystalizes this point. I encourage everyone to read it. The general theme is this. The U.S. is not “a nation of immigrants.” It is a nation that was founded by settlers—who are very different from immigrants in that they establish a new polity rather than arrive in an existing one—and that has been occupied since by the descendants of those settlers and of immigrants who came later but who assimilated into the American nation. Americans therefore are under no moral obligation to accept anyone who wishes to immigrate on the spurious grounds that everyone is essentially an immigrant. Americans own America, so to speak, and may admit or refuse entry to outsiders on whatever grounds they think fit.
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5 comments:
I think that you are right and wrong...I think most foreigners who have come to America, came as immigrants and have become settlers. For instance, my family was from Ireland as you can tell by my Irish last name - Muldiggiddy. A family diary was found at one point and in it, one of my cousins is telling my great-great grandmother that Lincoln has been shot...her response was as follows, "who the f%&* is Lincoln?". As history past my family worked to make this a good place to live as do a lot of other people who started out as foreigners/immigrants and so they became settlers. But initially they were just people fleeing a tough situation in a place they could no longer tolerate...I think the unfortunate thing that you see today and hear is that a lot of people coming to this country (including people already belonging to it like Puerto Rico & Hawaii) still hold their former place of residence in a higher regard than their current home...If it was so good then why did you leave? Why are you living in the contiguous United States of America? This is the more upsetting thing to me...If they were ready to start anew and embrace the land that carries them, we as American citizens would be more willing to embrace them right back. Instead of building our country, they send all their money home, take advantage of the services put in place for struggling Americans, and complain when any little thing doesn't go there way...It is as frustrating as can be...with no real end in sight. Closing the doors would be a sad fact but continuing to allow the selfish & ignorant free reign would be worse.
nice book report rhino...where are the footnotes?
Two things, first of all donkey, the footnote is Samuel Huntington, "Who Are We". It is a great book. I actually first heard about it from your hero Pat Buchanan. Secondly, Pnutz, your comments are exactly my point. We were founded by settlers, and the immigrants who followed assimilated. The new immigrants do not assimilate, they believe their culture is superior, they don't learn the language etc.etc. That is the problem with modern immigration. Read the book, you'll appreciate the education.
Okay, maybe I will...If you read Bats by Davey Johnson. It's a book about the NY baseball Mets!
Bats? ummm ok, that sounds like a great one, i'll get to it right away....
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