The Kampf GGF of my children's mother, like the GGF ancestor of my mother - and like Friedrich of my earlier post - was an immigrant from Germany, coming in the 1800's into the US speaking a different language and with different customs. The reception was not squeaky perfect, but they worked through it in an atmosphere more tolerant to "more people".
I loved Tony, a retired UofW professor, who - in retirement, was making violin bows. Tony came as a child with his father from Italy, and spoke of being dirt poor; no socks, hardly any food, woefully inadequate abode.
I asked him how he got to be a professor from that situation.
He said he and those like him were shunned and beat upon a bit by the English speaking kids from families that were already here. (Some would say "they had a stake in the ground already.") So? So he bore down and studied, studied, studied. That's all he could do. No TV... Tony was a very fine man, a friendly but refined air about him, who taught and uplifted a great many people.
He didn't come to our country with the credentials or criteria that Steven Miller is driving his country's government to establish for people to be allowed to immigrant.
I'd add, as noted in a post about Ellis Island in 1909, that in that year, they were allowed in without visas or any paperwork at all. They just had to get here and step off the boat.
Yes, there is a reason for all things. And there is unreasonable, too. We need to be aware of the human elements of history, and of people who did HUGE things for, or in, this country who came from laughable origins. History of most any era of the USA shows that some, without any potential evident up front, have gone on to do HUGE things, leading to giant steps in advancement of technology, health, culture....
It's about stakes in the ground, and our attitude, now that we are here.
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