Irish were Latinos of their day

The Denver Post ^ | 4/01/2006 | Bob Ewegen

[neverdem]

The Hispanic Challenge (To America) A MUST READ Samuel Huntington (Long But Good)

The Mexicans are unlike previous immigrants. This definitely needs to be read by everyone at least once! It should be linked on pertinent immigration threads. Here's an interesting link about Samuel Huntington:

"Strangely enough, despite the fact that he was buddies with Henry Kissinger at Harvard, he is registered as a member of the Democratic Party, and has written foreign policy speeches for Adlai Stevenson, Hubert Humphrey, and Jimmy Carter."

[HungarianGypsy]

The difference between the Irish and the illegal immigrants, though. The Irish came through Ellis Island and weren't sneaking over the border to get in. There's that whole legal thing again.

[Nachum]

Lying slimes.

The Irish never bilked the country for welfare or formed clandestine organizations to make America part of Ireland.

[Graybeard58]

Today's nativists argue we can't compare today's illegal immigrants to the Irish, because the Irish came here legally. That's technically true

Not "technically" true. Just simply true and it makes all the difference.

[the invisib1e hand]

The difference between the Irish and the illegal immigrants, though. The Irish came through Ellis Island and weren't sneaking over the border to get in. There's that whole legal thing again.

Interesting assumption, this, that because so much was going on at Ellis Island, there was no illegal immigration. I would tend to intuit the opposite conclusion -- so much was going on at Ellis Island, that there was plenty left over to "sneak in."

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong: Did the Irish come over hear waving the flag of their native country, claiming they had a "right" to the territory they were settling in? Did they demand free healthcare, free education for their kids, and services in native Gaelic? My history is a little rusty.

[trubluolyguy]

Nice try Denver Post. As I recall, the Irish were starving to death and the American people welcomed them with open arms. Neither of which can be said for the South Americans sneaking over our border in the dead of night.

[Darkwolf377]

Today's nativists argue we can't compare today's illegal immigrants to the Irish, because the Irish came here legally. That's technically true

A writer with integrity would have phrased that "That's true" and ended the piece right there.

Once again, a lib attempts to turn this into a debate about immigration. It's about ILLEGAL immigration. I would wonder if he was stupid but he's not--this fudging is done intentionally.

[Gondring]

ping

[Cecily]

The Irish also didn't expect to receive a bilingual education, didn't overload social services, and didn't crank up a "reconquista" movement.

[infidel29]

...and they came here to be American, to learn English, to assimilate into American culture and society, not to rebuild Ireland on new soil, not to be Irish in a new land, although they didn't forget from whence they came.

...and there's still that whole legal/illegal thing.

[MOgirl]

Hello,

I am damn near 100% Irish, and this article is crap. My great-grandparents came here legally, fought discrimination against the Irish and built lives as Americans. They did it without breaking the law. To the jerk that is trying to make this straw-argument, GFY.

Glad to be here, but pretty ticked off about this, MOgirl

[HungarianGypsy]

I also don't think the Irish had obnoxious sounding parties every weekend. Sure, the Irish drink a bit, but at least they have good music.

[A.A. Cunningham]

You left out the most important part.

bewegen@denverpost.com

[ansel12]

We faced many of those Irish mercenaries in the War of Northern Aggresion,

the ranks of the invaders were filled with many foreigners, from many lands,

while we were true born Americans.

[trubluolyguy]

The wetbacks wanna stay Mexican.

---

I agree that the Mexicans are not interested in becoming Americans, but can we leave the racism to them?

[Tony O]

The Irish immigrants in America were hated and treated terribly by the landed gentry.

They were tolerated in as much as they were useful to do disgusting, demeaning and back breaking work.

They were considered lower than black slaves, who at least were "property" and had cash value.

[arthurus]

The Irish did not come here intending to cut off part of the US in order to kick out the previous population and attach the territory to Ireland.

[Michael.SF.]

The Irish, God love em, more then paid their fair share to their new homeland, USA or CSA: