Radical Islam right here in the Land of 10,000 lakes (Houston: buy, live)

[Drewcifer]

That is true, but the xenophobic reactions to Muslim immigrants that we see today, are similar to those faced by other immigrant groups in the past. The Irish were drunk, violent papists who were going to destroy Anglo American culture. The Germans were dangerous radical leftists, or had a stronger allegiance to the Kaiser than to America. Italians were a bunch of greasy bomb throwing Anarchists or Mafioso criminals, they were a degraded race that weren't even white, and often snuck into the country when they were denied entrance at Ellis Island (WOP was an acronym for without papers). The Greeks and Lebanese were the same but they weren't here in large enough numbers to have national hate aimed at them. Jews were, well, Jews. And so it goes. Modern xenophobia towards immigrants is just the latest chapter in an old story. The red scare and anarchist witch hunts of the late 19th and early 20th century were animated by the same feelings as the current focus on radical Islam. In both cases, small numbers of bad actors caused entire communities to be painted with a broad, racist, brush. Hopefully Minnesota will have no Somali Saccos and Vanzettis in our era.

There is no real difference between the Somalis of today and the ancestors of the bigots who are posting in this thread. Normally I try to post in a polite, reasoned and level headed manner on the internet but the sort of attitudes you see from some in this thread are despicable, and anti-American and deserve to be called what they are.

[PDXNative2Houston]

Originally Posted by Lodestar

My point being to recognize that all immigrants cannot be lumped into the same category as PDXNative2Houston had done.
The era, the political atmosphere, the culture and habits, and other factors all play a part in how they are received.

". . .EVERY IMMIGRANT GROUP THAT HAS COME HERE has been persecuted and accused of being unloyal criminals, leeching off the system."

It's more complicated than that.

You're missing the big picture and focusing on minute details which still do not detract from the point. I concur with Drewcifer.

[Lodestar]

Originally Posted by PDXNative2Houston

You're missing the big picture and focusing on minute details which still do not detract from the point. I concur with Drewcifer.

That makes two of you. I'm outvoted!

[Old Prospector]

Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3

2nd Minnesota man reportedly killed fighting for ISIS in Syria - KMSP-TV

I think its now time we start saying "stay home" to refugees from the middle east/north africa who want to come here. its pretty scary how these people become radicalized, even more scary knowing these are fellow Minnesotans.

I'd be more worried about coyotes if I was you.

[freezengirl]

Originally Posted by Lodestar

My point being to recognize that all immigrants cannot be lumped into the same category as PDXNative2Houston had done.
The era, the political atmosphere, the culture and habits, and other factors all play a part in how they are received.

". . .EVERY IMMIGRANT GROUP THAT HAS COME HERE has been persecuted and accused of being unloyal criminals, leeching off the system."

It's more complicated than that.

It is more complicated then that and also as simple as that. Every immigrant group of large numbers throughout the history of this country has had challenges to the group and the larger communities that absorbed them. That is just life.

I could not bring myself to read this thread since I first noticed it until tonight. I was truly sickened by the nasty (not MN nice!) commentary of some of the initial comments. I could hear the echo of all the immigrant stories of my grandparents and extended family told throughout my childhood. The settling of the border country up north, the logging, the miners of the Iron Range, the farmers, all of the immigrant groups that came to this country, that struggled, that fought, that suffered for their dreams, their hopes for their families in this new country. It took courage every day-to transplant yourself in a new country, new culture, new language, to adapt, to watch your home countries traditions be lost, changed or absorbed into the new one until the final graft was made. Yet every single one of these groups made us who we are today. They made us stronger. They made us better.


Courtesies of a small and trivial character are the ones which strike deepest in the gratefully and appreciating heart. Henry Clay

[wushuliu]

Some people have dark hearts and simply don't wish other peoples well. Small minds have short memories.

[kbaknife]

I see a bunch of people here living in denial.

[Old Prospector]

Originally Posted by kbaknife

I see a bunch of people here living in denial.

^ Republican.

[my54ford]

Originally Posted by Drewcifer

That is true, but the xenophobic reactions to Muslim immigrants that we see today, are similar to those faced by other immigrant groups in the past. The Irish were drunk, violent papists who were going to destroy Anglo American culture. The Germans were dangerous radical leftists, or had a stronger allegiance to the Kaiser than to America. Italians were a bunch of greasy bomb throwing Anarchists or Mafioso criminals, they were a degraded race that weren't even white, and often snuck into the country when they were denied entrance at Ellis Island (WOP was an acronym for without papers). The Greeks and Lebanese were the same but they weren't here in large enough numbers to have national hate aimed at them. Jews were, well, Jews. And so it goes. Modern xenophobia towards immigrants is just the latest chapter in an old story. The red scare and anarchist witch hunts of the late 19th and early 20th century were animated by the same feelings as the current focus on radical Islam. In both cases, small numbers of bad actors caused entire communities to be painted with a broad, racist, brush. Hopefully Minnesota will have no Somali Saccos and Vanzettis in our era.

There is no real difference between the Somalis of today and the ancestors of the bigots who are posting in this thread. Normally I try to post in a polite, reasoned and level headed manner on the internet but the sort of attitudes you see from some in this thread are despicable, and anti-American and deserve to be called what they are.

Except my ancestors weren't tying bombs to themselves to kill other Americans in the name of Religion.....The worst thing they did was make you lutefisk!

[Thedosius]

Originally Posted by my54ford

Except my ancestors weren't tying bombs to themselves to kill other Americans in the name of Religion.....The worst thing they did was make you lutefisk!

This makes as much sense as blaming all Scandinavians for Anders Breivik.