It seems that the times change our perspective of immigrants. We are all here because someone immigrated (whether by abduction or willingly), but how many of us in this class are 1st or 2nd generation immigrants? I think that our views and opinions are tainted by how close we are to our heritage. Whether we realize it or not, most all immigrants were minorities somewhere, that is usually the predominate criteria that dictates if one immigrates. So what is the criterion that makes us state that anyone who is non-white is a minority? When we study history and read about entire families indenturing themselves for the opportunity to have a passage to this “Promised Landâ€

Stephanie, as my Grandmother would say, you said a "mouth full". Two movies two watch The Gangs of New York and Rosewood. Not for anyone under 18, but will add understanding to the mindset of people regarding immigrants and racism.

I think the mindset of people were made clear with all the election controversies of whether to fence up the emtire border with Mexico, and who was hiring illegal immigrants, and "they're taking jobs away from us", and ....... the list goes on.

You're right, everyone who came to America was an immigrant and we are now merely generations of immigrants. So why is it that people have such a hard time accepting new immigrants?

I wish I knew the answer to that question. Maybe "What the world needs now is Love Sweet Love." I wish it was that easy.

Stephanie,
I was thinking the same-technically, we are all immigrants at some level. We get comfortable and the "longevity" idea sets in...I have been here longer than you, so...
Unfortunately there will always be people that believe if someone doesn't look like them or speak the same language, then they shouldn't be here. This will take years/generations to undo-if that?

I will be hearing that song in my head all day! Thanks!

In another strand, you mentioned moving here when you were a teenager. If you don't mind sharing, what brought you and your family here? Where is your native land?

Imagine living in the time of Thomas Jefferson. Jeffeson and others saw the American dream stretching across the Western borders, enough land to settle thousands of generations of farmers. Frederick Jackson Turner stated that want made America classless and democratic was the avialbility of open land in the West. Land for anyone! Tell your friends to come to America where even a poor man has a chance at acres of land.

Flashforward 230 years or 10 generations (not 100 or 1000) and see that we have expanded across this country. We have opened our doors and people came chasing that dream that Jefferson spoke of. The ideas that this country were built on are slowing coming to a hault. When does it stop? I wish that every person had the freedom that we experience in America, but is that a possible dream?

The white man came to America and claimed it as their own, even though there were already people existing on the land. Time may help, a little, but for some reason, skin color really does appear to the determining factor between those "in charge" and those who are not. The Groton effect again????