E Pluribus Community Make America E pluribus Again

Due east Pluribus Unum.  Out of Many, Ane.

These words are on the Great Seal of the United states. They are on every piece of currency and coin we use. Information technology is a motto every bit one-time equally the Democracy, dating back to 1776.

They define America and make us a buoy and case for the world. Or do they? Are we at present—or have nosotros ever been—a welcoming nation to immigrants? Does our history embrace the melting pot and rejoice in our diversity? Practice nosotros alive up to the inscription chiseled on the base of operations of the Statue of Liberty?

From her beacon-manus
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Requite me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched reject of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I elevator my lamp abreast the golden door!"

The respond, it seems, is that it is complicated. Let us examine a brief history, particularly our ain political history, then consider where nosotros are in 2017.

Every bit much as we refer to America every bit a nation of immigrants, this is only technically true. From the importation of slaves, to the treatment of Native Americans, to the influx of Irish, Italian, High german, Asian and other immigrants, to the rejection of Jews fleeing the Nazis, to the current fears directed confronting Hispanic immigrants, America has non always laid out the welcome mat.

As Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Director of the Hutchins Center at Harvard University, points out, over 12 million slaves were sent to the New World between 1525 and 1866. Virtually went to the Caribbean and South America, only about 388,000 were sent to North America. Past the 1860 census, withal, due to a growing population, the number of slaves in the United States stood at 4 1000000 (out of a total population of 31.5 million). Political and economical calculations up until the Civil War led our leaders to embrace the lamentable and immoral practice of slavery. This was inappreciably a shining example of "all men are created equal."

Now those who hold the power are those who used to be persecuted. While 32 million Americans, near 10% of our population, celebrate their Irish roots on St Patrick'due south Day, they were non always treated as equal citizens. Get-go in 1845 with the potato famine, until the late 1850s, about two million Irish immigrants came to the United States. The response was strong and immediate by the anti-Cosmic, anti-immigrant Know-Nothing Political party. They elected eight governors, 100 members of Congress and large city mayors in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. Abraham Lincoln took them head-on in a letter of the alphabet written in 1855: "Every bit a nation, we began by declaring that 'all men are created equal.' We now practically read information technology 'all men are created equal, except negroes.' When the Know-Nothings become command, information technology will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes and foreigners and Catholics.'" Everywhere, the Irish were confronted with "No Irish Demand Apply" signs and newspaper advertisements.

The Irish were far from the simply victims. For Italians, prejudice and bigotry, even lynchings and Catholic Church burnings, confronted them upon arrival. America initially welcomed Germans equally teachers of the language in the late 1800s, but as Globe War I approached that changed radically. The land used Chinese labor to build our railroads and mine our gilt, but prejudice arrived with the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 that lasted until its repeal in 1943. Finally, the Japanese internment camps during World State of war 2 are a distressing reminder of our treatment of American citizens of Japanese descent.

Politics mitigated anti-immigrant fervor and brought modify by electing new officeholders at all levels. New York and Boston elected Irish mayors starting in the 1880s, which paved the mode for the Kennedys and Fitzgeralds afterwards on. Italian politicians rose to prominence in New York Metropolis (Mayor Fiorello La Guardia), New York State (Governor Al Smith – of the Ferraro family), and San Francisco (Mayor Angelo Rossi). As America elected more leaders of colour and diversity, they began to push button back against unacceptable rhetoric. Through political power and influence came change and greater acceptance of diverse, multicultural viewpoints.

Where are we now in America? Unfortunately, non in a very expert place.

Due partly to Donald Trump, people are more aware than ever of the role and presence of immigrants, refugees, religion, race and ethnicity. From Trump's very first announcement, where he railed confronting immigrants, chosen them rapists and demanded a wall that Mexico would pay for, Trump put the effect of America'southward variety forepart and heart. He called for a ban on people from six bulk-Muslim countries. He has made it clear that his campaign and his presidency will be heavily defined past his hardline policies on immigration. His appeal to disaffected, less educated white voters, living in rural areas carried him to the presidency and form a cadre function of his base of operations.

In a very real sense, Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric kicking-started his campaign for President. It played to many who felt left out, alienated and economically harmed by "the system."  Traditionally, ane of the key measurements of the national mood is whether voters believe the nation is headed in the right direction or is off rail. In most national polls over the final ten years, 60-70 pct of voters consistently feel that the nation is on the wrong track. Fright dominates and voters are looking for someone or some grouping to arraign. Immigrants, one time again, are the preferred target for the new ruling coalition.

With an estimated eleven million people residing in the United States without identity papers, and the inability of our elected officials to pass comprehensive immigration reform, the kindling was ready to exist ignited. When the economic crunch of 2008-2009 striking Americans hard, many of whom had not seen appreciable increases in their salaries over the past fifteen years, their anger and frustration, especially confronting immigrants, trade, and income inequality, ballooned. Soon it became visceral and personal.

There are now more than 65 million people displaced by war and conflict. Over 500,000 new refugees have recently been added to this total with Muslim Rohingya fleeing Myanmar to People's republic of bangladesh. Syria, Sudan, Iraq, and Yemen all are enduring protracted conflicts. The plight of refugees cannot be ignored. All the same, the United States under President Trump wants to admit less than fifty,000 refugees a year. Moreover, Trump would extend these restrictions to legal immigration as well.

Trump's endeavour to single out Muslims throws gasoline on a smoldering fire. Muslims comprise 1.8 billion people and 24 percent of the world's population. It is worth asking a unproblematic question: how can nosotros survive in an increasingly global, interdependent globe if we stoke conflict with one quarter of the globe'due south population?

Fortunately, there is another path.

Here in Idaho, we take seen a positive example with the success of the Chobani plant in Twin Falls. one,000 employees from diverse backgrounds, nations, and religious behavior came together to carry out an investment of over $550 million. Yet, extremist talk evidence host and conspiracy theorist, Alex Jones and his pseudo-media company InfoWars chose to attack Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya anyway. Additionally, Breitbart and other outlets falsely linked Hamdi to extremism, terrorism and even rape. Ulukaya filed a lawsuit and ultimately received a settlement and retraction from Alex Jones. It is not easy overcoming prejudice and taking on false accusations – Twin Falls has been at footing null dealing with anti-Muslim activity, as the New York Times recently reported. Fortunately, local government, concern leaders and Idahoans from all walks of life recognize the importance and the success of what Ulukaya has accomplished.

The success of immigrant entrepreneurs is widespread. CBS News reports that immigrants take started twice as many businesses as those born in the U.S., that one-third of companies that went public (2006 to 2012) had at least one immigrant founder, and that of the 87 private companies worth over $1 billon, 51 percent had immigrant founders. According to an article from the George W. Bush Institute, "when immigrants enter the labor force, they increase the productive capacity of the economy and raise the GDP. Their incomes ascent, but so practice those of natives. It'south a phenomenon dubbed the "immigration surplus."

It may be that E Pluribus Unum remains an aspiration, only it is worth putting at the top of our political agenda once once more. By reaffirming who nosotros are, what nosotros correspond, and the acceptance – indeed embrace – of immigrants, we volition be much stronger as a nation and a truthful case to the world. It takes political courage to resist the demagogues and those who want to close the doors behind them, but we tin accept security and stability too equally openness and liberty.

The "huddled masses" still yearn to "breathe complimentary" and to contribute to an even better America. It is up to all of us to make that dream a reality.

---

Peter Fenn worked as an aide to Senator Frank Church on the Senate Intelligence Committee, in his Senate office and on his political campaigns. He co-founded the Center for Responsive Politics/Open Secrets and has been a political media consultant, working in all 50 states and internationally, for over thirty years.

gaulkeandre1980.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.boisestate.edu/sps-frankchurchinstitute/publications/essays/essays-fenn/

Share this post