Immigrants

Immigrants

Susan F. Martin, a historian at Georgetown University, has written a book called A Nation of Immigrants, a phrase coined by John F. Kennedy.  Ms. Martin says there are three models of immigration that have existed in the U.S., though with large overlaps.  One is the Virginia model.  It called for the immigration of laborers and got them from Africa.  They were slaves.  This is the model favored by growers in Texas and CA, where we no longer call them slaves, but “guest workers.”  [That last analysis is mine, not Ms. Martin’s.]

The second model is that of New England. Religious believers were welcomed, but people who dissented from the religion were punished or even executed.  Today think of how we treat Muslims in the U.S.   Think of the hearings earlier this year by Congressman Peter King.  [Those last two sentences are my thoughts, not Ms. Martin’s.]

Finally, there is the Pennsylvania model.  Pennsylvania took everyone and made them into citizens, even though there was some grumbling from people like Ben Franklin who thought the Pennsylvania Dutch were too slow to learn English and objected to bilingual street signs.  

The Pennsylvania model can serve us well today.  Unfortunately we have Pennsylvania congressmen who are failing to follow it, and Pennsylvania residents who don’t seem to understand it.  Billy Penn is rolling over in his grave.

For a review of Dr. Martin’s book, go to <http://www.georgetown.edu/story/nationofimmigrants.html>