Blog on Chapter 12 From The New World: Mexicans and Puerto Ricans

            The history of Mexican and Puerto Rican immigration is not something I knew very much about – most of what I understood had ended at with the annexation at the end of the Mexican-American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe–Hildago and with the annexation of Puerto Rico at the end of the Spanish-American War. Immigration from the New World, considered as its own part of overall immigration, gave me a different and important understanding of its unique contributions to immigration history.

            I wonder how it feels to be a second or third generation Mexican American or a descendant of Californios and fully realize the mistreatment of my own people. I feel disappointment and disgust myself, but I cannot imagine the level of their anger and bitterness at such injustice. I don’t know where you put those feelings, how you take that energy and make it positive. Especially at a time when there is still such discrimination and rising anti-immigration sentiments. I don’t know if you can ever make right such a wrong. Like apologizing to Japanese Americans and making reparations – as if that could be enough. Even if the gesture is genuine, can damage be repaired?

            Daniels discussion of the Mexican-American border issues was important and especially relevant to many issues today. The drug cartels and lack of rule of law in some parts of Mexico is very concerning and impacting to people on both sides of the border. Seasonal workers are still an important factor in the agricultural economy, especially in California. There needs to be a different approach to how immigration especially from Mexico and Central America, too, is treated. The bracero program created the massive immigration of Mexican Americans to the United States – you cannot just bring people here and expect them to leave when you don’t want them anymore. It doesn’t seem that anyone ever considered the acculturation of Mexicans Americans to this country when they came as part of this. Many were treated as second class citizens with no rights, experiencing discrimination and harsh and brutal treatment by the authorities. Second and third generation Mexican Americans have an improved situation, but there is still an uncomfortable gap between the Mexican American community and the rest of America.

            I had never considered Puerto Ricans as mixed race before and seeing it as a social and racial problem for them on the mainland gave me a different perspective of their immigration history. I was surprised to learn why many do not want to become independent – the economics of their current state of relationship with the United States is probably not really understood by many Americans. 

Blog on Chapter 11 Migration in Prosperity, Depression, and War, 1921-1945

            The intensification of the new pattern of immigration following the end of the “century of immigration” is interesting to think about. Immigration from Europe dropped while it continued to increase from the New World. While the goals of immigration restriction were considered a qualified success, this same restrictive legislation causing more and more people to enter the United State illegally. It was becoming even harder to “count the uncountable.” People will always seem to find a way –illegal crossings, loopholes in legislation, etc. I think Daniels was correct when he said patterns of immigration would probably not have changed if our prosperity had continued – but it didn’t, and everything changed. It’s also noteworthy that while quotas were discussed relative to immigrants from the New World, they were never brought forward because we needed labor. So often it is about the money.

            I was disappointed that FDR did not take a more proactive role in altering immigration legislation – so frequently using the conservative views of the State Department to shape his actions. Even though he was not a nativist, he held their belief that the country was completed and immigration was a thing of the past. It was particularly irresponsible to be indifferent to the fate of Jewish and other refugees – it was well put by Walter Mondale that we failed the test of civilization by not seeing the need to offer asylum to so many. That the State department made it so difficult and often impossible for most refugees to enter this country is really a tragedy – the cases of Lewkowitz and Spanier were heartbreaking and there were countless others. It is a great testimony to those refugees that did make it here that there contributions would so far exceed their numbers.

            Our treatment of Japanese Americans was inexcusable and I am sure still felt today. Daniels points to race, prejudice, hysteria and a failure of political leadership as the broad historical causes that shaped these decisions. Our own country today in many ways does not seem so far from this point at times. Does history repeat itself?

Blog on Chapter 10 The Triumph of Nativism

            How true that nativism has almost always been linked to general fears or uneasiness in American society.  But that is so often true of “anti” everything. Anti-Semitism anti-gay, anti-illiterate, anti-physically or mentally handicapped. These feelings are so often based in fear and it seems fear in so many cases is closely tied to ignorance…a lack of knowledge, understanding. Even more troubling, a lack of wanting to know or understand. Ignorance is bliss, but ultimately, that never seems to work.

            That Asians were excluded from the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution is really shocking. Constitutional law making Asians “ineligible to citizenship” by federal law. And supported by the opinion of the majority of Americans at the time. The rise of the superior ethnic group and racism against presumed inferior peoples of European origin. Yet, these beliefs were held by the “best and the brightest.” Were they just being self-important and selfish? Narrow and judgmental, certainly, but why? This backlash against immigration is echoed across America today. It could not be felt more keenly than it is right here in California. That is not to say that this is not a complex problem with many impacting economic and social issues. But with the long history of invaluable contributions made to this country by the immigrants who came here and made this country their country as well, there should be a more progressive and inclusive way to approach the issue of immigration.

            I agree with Daniels that some sort of limit on immigration is probably desirable, but how to accomplish that in a non-discriminatory and non-racist way is a challenge. The economic issues facing our country right now are not far from those of the Great depression. People are stressed. Families are working hard and losing their jobs, their homes, and health care. Their standard of living has decreased. Jobs are scarce. Many of my friends having graduated from college and are back living at home, under-employed if they are employed at all. Those that are underemployed are working for employers that manage to employ them at 32 hours a week – just under what would be required to qualify for benefits. And if you don’t like it you can quit, because there is an endless line of people willing to take that job – and those aren’t even immigrants. When there are cutbacks in public services and schools, when there are cutbacks in health care, it is hard for the average person to care about the immigrant. People are busy trying to take care of themselves. When there seems to not be enough to take care of the people already here, it creates resentment and intolerance towards the immigrant population. It is unfair for sure. It is based in fear. America needs to do better. Government needs to be united to be for and of the people. Partisanship needs to end. Bitterness seems to be everywhere. Occupy Wall Street is real. I only hope that the leaders of our country are paying attention. It is time to step up. It is really a call for leadership and all citizens need to keep demanding that their government be responsive.  

Blog on Chapter 9 The Century of Immigration: Chinese, Japanese, and French Canadians

            I agree with what Daniel’s definition of immigrant and that it was false and racist to hold the belief that Chinese and other Asians coming to the United States in the nineteenth century were not immigrants. This fundamental and troubling notion that Daniel’s describes has been the foundation for much of the racist and discriminatory attitudes and behavior towards Chinese and Asian immigrants that continues to be seen today.  The immigration of Chinese and Asians to California in particular has given such a rich dimension to our history it is terrible to think about it being denied as valid and positive in its contribution.

            The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1924 was particularly offensive to me and I ad never realized its impact on the demographics and acculturation of the Chinese immigrants here. When you study United States History, even at the college level, these things are covered so minimally, in such a matter-of fact manner, that the human impact and social-political impact of these kinds of restrictive legislative decisions is not really understood. As challenging as it sometimes is to read through Daniel’s text – and by that, I mean there is just SO much information in every chapter to try and take in, I really appreciate the comprehensiveness of what he is attempting to convey.

            The immigration history of Japanese persons is again of particular interest, too, because of their impact and contributions to California history. It was interesting to compare their demographic differences to the Chinese immigrant population, especially how not being subject to the Chinese Exclusion Act affected them.

            The immigration of French Canadians was interesting – particularly their slower acculturation to America. In some ways, I think it was very positive that they maintained their language and were comfortable going back and forth between their homeland and America. To me, it only adds to our own diversity that people are able to identify with more than one culture and I would think that a person comfortable in more than one culture might be more tolerant of the cultures of other people. 

Blog on the readings on The African American Experiences in America

        There were many intense, moving, terrifying, inspiring points in these readings, it is hard to distill the impact into a blog. One of the points made by Angelina Grimke Weld in her speech at Pennsylvania Hall that particularly resonated with me is her questioning of herself and how she became so resolved to become an abolitionist. Wondering how she stepped away from all that she knew – her willingness to be “exiled from her native land.” She knows the human mind “resists as long as it can, all efforts made to reclaim from error.” She knows the challenge of trying to changed the system of slavery because it is a way of life too many are comfortable with and unwilling to examine. Yet, she was able to see the truth of this misery and perhaps that is what motivates her – that because she “could no longer endure to hear the wailing of the slave,” despite being a Southerner from a slave-holding family. She was compelled to have others hear the wail for themselves. It is hard to examine our own truths and she inspires me to do that.

            Ida Well’s writings on Lynch Law were horrifying and there is such power in her words. There were no YouTube clips or media sound bites available. If her message would be heard, it would have to be through the emotion and impact of her message. It is hard to imagine anyone unmoved by this brutality and inhumanity. To think about the power of the mob, that man is capable of inhumanity against one another. That an entire race was considered beneath humanness by color and origin is almost unfathomable. And then you read the articles about present day “Jasper-style lynching” and you realize how much work there is to still be done. Maybe the work is even more challenging now because it is more subtle and yet it is everywhere. Where does one gather courage to act, even in small situations? Gay bias, ethnic bias is seen everyday – maybe not always in such dramatic ways, but in smaller, but no less eroding ways. Comments, slights, non-inclusion. It happens all around us everyday. This is a call to step up – to not be part of any of these actions by our silence. As Angelina Grimke Weld said, “there is no such thing as neutral ground. He that is not for us is against us.” We should never be comfortable on neutral ground – or the ground will never shift towards fairness and justice.