Immigrants

The passage below surely has a familiar ring and might have been written by a far right wing Republican lamenting the culture and prescence of ethnic Hispanic immigrants:

"Few of their children in the country learn English: they import books from [country]... The signs in our streets have inscriptions in both languages, and on some places only [the other language], which (although I think it ought not to be) are allowed good in our courts, where the [ethnic group] business so increases that there is continual need of interpreters: and I suppose in a few years will also be necessary in the [legislature], to tell one half of the legislators what the other half say."

Rather than using Mexico, Spanish, and Hispanic for 'country', 'language' and 'ethnic group', Benjamin Franklin writing in 1751 (as quoted by H.W. Brands in his excellent biography 'The First American') was referring to German immigrants who, he feared, would overrun and dominate Pennsylvania.

Demonizing immigrant groups has a long and inglorious history in America. In addition to persons of Hispanic origin, the list includes Germans, Portuguese, Irish, Poles and Jews - all of of whom are now considered mainstream rather than despised interlopers. It is very likely that those of Hispanic origin will, too, become ordinary Americans distinguishable, but only sometimes, by nothing more than their names.

Surely it is time for the right to stop obsessing about immigrants and read a little about the successful integration of formerly despised ethnic groups. And why should anything be different this time?