9781422281000

But there was also concern that immigrants would not adopt American ways, habits, or language. Too many immigrants might overwhelm America. If so, the dream of the Founding Fathers for United States gov- ernment and society would be destroyed. For this reason, throughout American history some have argued that limiting or ending immigration is our patriotic duty. Benjamin Franklin feared there were so many German immigrants in Pennsylvania the Colonial Legislature would begin speak- ing German. “Progressive” leaders of the early 1900s feared that immi- grants who could not read and understand the English language were not only exploited by “big business,” but also served as the foundation for “machine politics” that undermined the U.S. Constitution. This theme continues today, usually voiced by those who bear no malice toward immigrants but who want to preserve American ideals. Have immigrants changed? In colonial days, when most colonists were of English descent, they considered Germans, Swiss, and French immi- grants as different. They were not “one of us” because they spoke a dif- ferent language. Generations later, Americans of German or French descent viewed Polish, Italian, and Russian immigrants as strange. They were not “like us” because they had a different religion, or because they did not come from a tradition of constitutional government. Recently, Americans of Polish or Italian descent have seen Nicaraguan, Pakistani, or Vietnamese immigrants as too different to be included. It has long been said of American immigration that the latest ones to arrive usually want to close the door behind them. It is important to remember that fear of individual immigrant groups seldom lasted, and always lessened. Benjamin Franklin’s anxiety over German immigrants disappeared after those immigrants’ sons and daugh- ters helped the nation gain independence in the Revolutionary War. The Irish of the mid-1800s were among the most hated immigrants, but today we all wear green on St. Patrick’s Day. While a century ago it was feared that Italian and other Catholic immigrants would vote as directed by the Pope, today that controversy is only a vague memory. Unfortunately, some ethnic groups continue their efforts to earn acceptance. The African

7