General Discussion

Danmel

(5,778 posts)

81. I am a first generation American..

Wed Dec 27, 2017, 08:45 AM

Dec 2017

My father was a Holocaust survivor, my Jewish mother of Eastern European descent, was born in Mexico City where her parents arrived fleeing pervasive and life threatening anti-Semitism. They could not come to the United States because of immigration quotas.
My father came here in 1949, after living in a DP camp and finding his only surviving family member, his brother.
My mom came as a very young child, with her parents, through the Port of Laredo and eventually moved to the motherland, Brooklyn, where she met my dad.
Both came here legally, though I am quite sure that had my father escaped Nazi Germany and managed to find his way here illegally, he would have been sent back to be slaughtered.
So I have empathy for people who do what they have to to feed their children. And I give no shelter or quarter to racists of any stripe.
I'm glad my dad didn't live to see Trump. It would have killed him. At least he died at peace.

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I Have to Get This Off My Chest, Any Italian Who is a Bigot is More of an Asshole Than Anyone Else [View all] louis c Dec 2017 OP

It's a national tradition... Wounded Bear Dec 2017 #1

Too bad the original settlers weren't really given a chance to be bigoted... erronis Dec 2017 #20

It happens in almost every immigrant group. Caliman73 Dec 2017 #2

On assimilation NewJeffCT Dec 2017 #10

I feel your pain ** Seeing people like Paul Ryan, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity MaryMagdaline Dec 2017 #3

I know, what is it with Irish-Americans? Ryan, McConnell, Mulvaney, O'Reilly, Hannity, Bannon, smirkymonkey Dec 2017 #38

Ugh, I forgot about those. If it weren't for the Kennedys, Patrick Moynihan, where would we be? MaryMagdaline Dec 2017 #47

I wouldn't count Moynihan as a good guy. Ken Burch Dec 2017 #59

Forgot about that MaryMagdaline Dec 2017 #64

Moynihan did not call for "benign neglect" of poverty. Far from it. ucrdem Dec 2017 #73

Good point ! Wash. state Desk Jet Dec 2017 #75

Oh please. It's not "RW conspiracy" to make critical comments about a long-dead Democratic figure. Ken Burch Dec 2017 #90

No, it's not okay to swiftboat dead Dems for sport. ucrdem Dec 2017 #91

It's not swiftboating when he said it and when he knew what it would lead to: Ken Burch Dec 2017 #93

Repeating a distortion doesn't make it true. ucrdem Dec 2017 #96

Moynihan clearly had to have known that Nixon would use his words for that purpose. Ken Burch Dec 2017 #105

1970 was nearly 50 years ago, before Watergate and Nixon's resignation. ucrdem Dec 2017 #109

This doesn't relate to Watergate, however. Ken Burch Dec 2017 #112

If that "older, politically involved African-American person" is Cornel West, ucrdem Dec 2017 #114

I didn't SAY Obama commented on Moynihan or his Report. Ken Burch Dec 2017 #115

As it turns out, Barack defends the Moynihan report in The Audacity of Hope: ucrdem Dec 2017 #116

So many strawmen. I never SAID Obama attacked the Report. Ken Burch Dec 2017 #117

You said you were following in his "tradition." It turns out you're not. ucrdem Dec 2017 #118

Obama did not endorse MOST of the Report's conclusions. Ken Burch Dec 2017 #119

There's no factual basis whatsoever for such a claim. nt ucrdem Dec 2017 #121

Voters care about what we stand for and who we are in the present. Ken Burch Dec 2017 #122

Don't forget Pat Buchanan and Joseph McCarthy. muntrv Dec 2017 #86

My great grandparents also both came from Ireland Rhiannon12866 Dec 2017 #56

3 of my grandparents were born in Ireland and immigrated here. All were staunch Democrats. FSogol Dec 2017 #63

My great grandparents came from Ireland separately, she as a little girl and he as a young man Rhiannon12866 Dec 2017 #65

This Is An Important Observation..... Laxman Dec 2017 #4

Let me tell you a family story louis c Dec 2017 #6

I swear to you... WinstonSmith4740 Dec 2017 #23

Morta was the game louis c Dec 2017 #33

OMG! Yes! WinstonSmith4740 Dec 2017 #61

Beautifully Said! itcfish Dec 2017 #8

Thank you, Laxman - that's a great message for all of us. You have a good heritage! erronis Dec 2017 #18

Praises to your grandfather MaryMagdaline Dec 2017 #30

Good on your Cha Dec 2017 #40

God bless your grandfather. Catherine Vincent Dec 2017 #106

My grandfather slapped one of my aunts when she was a girl for talking to an Italian boy. NNadir Dec 2017 #5

I have 100 Cousins, Aunts and Uncles, and I'd say more than half are bigots louis c Dec 2017 #7

Well, thank you for objecting to it. NNadir Dec 2017 #16

I'm All In, Louis! ProfessorGAC Dec 2017 #9

Well said CanonRay Dec 2017 #11

Anti-italian is cool here on DU. Drahthaardogs Dec 2017 #12

Be glad. That means fewer tourists in Italy. Sophia4 Dec 2017 #24

Scalia was a pig, but attacking him for his ethnicity Drahthaardogs Dec 2017 #28

We don't travel much now. But we spent a summer camping in a tent Sophia4 Dec 2017 #32

I am not Italian, but I find this thread offensive. Substitute any other ethnicity in the title. Tipperary Dec 2017 #50

This shit and the mafia reference are all over the pkace Drahthaardogs Dec 2017 #51

Puhleaze! ProfessorGAC Dec 2017 #74

Speak for yourself. And the Sons of Italy Drahthaardogs Dec 2017 #82

The sons of Italy that's tied to the Colombo Crime Family? tenderfoot Dec 2017 #101

I suggest you delete that slur. Drahthaardogs Dec 2017 #120

I loved Italy bdamomma Dec 2017 #31

Thank you for pointing that out MaryMagdaline Dec 2017 #34

A lot of the blame has to go to the media from papers to TV to radio to films. Now it is the same Fred Sanders Dec 2017 #35

I've been on DU for Years itcfish Dec 2017 #44

In the left corner of an op Drahthaardogs Dec 2017 #49

Thank you! itcfish Dec 2017 #123

That's a most creative allegation. I'd use nothing but anecdotal evidence as well LanternWaste Dec 2017 #94

Go back and read all of the mafia references to Scarramucci Drahthaardogs Dec 2017 #95

You must enjoy the Columbus Day posts... tenderfoot Dec 2017 #99

You say we " Forgot where we came from" Drahthaardogs Dec 2017 #100

Italy was part of Spain in Columbus' day tenderfoot Dec 2017 #102

No it wasn't. Drahthaardogs Dec 2017 #103

Bigotry is very durable gratuitous Dec 2017 #13

Growing up in NYC, there was a huge, unfair backlash against Italian immigrants after WWII. George II Dec 2017 #14

I cannot rec this enough!!!! paleotn Dec 2017 #15

I like Italians MFM008 Dec 2017 #17

Actually, I just can't abide bigots. louis c Dec 2017 #66

I feel the same way when I see others of Irish ancestry saying bigoted things. TeamPooka Dec 2017 #19

Yes. Sophia4 Dec 2017 #22

I think of that too dflprincess Dec 2017 #113

Same for anyone of Irish descent. Sophia4 Dec 2017 #21

K&R bdamomma Dec 2017 #25

Hear hear ! Well said! mountain grammy Dec 2017 #26

Scott Baio, Antonio Sabato Jr., Dan Bongino, Dawson Leery Dec 2017 #27

This is why I hate 23 and me Dread Pirate Roberts Dec 2017 #29

It's cool for running through Promethase, provided you aren't a hypochondriac. moriah Dec 2017 #43

I can see that commercial kcr Dec 2017 #69

Thanks for that thought. Dread Pirate Roberts Dec 2017 #97

I love when it ruins the lives of bigots IronLionZion Dec 2017 #88

I worked in political campaigns.... Orange Free State Dec 2017 #36

Give an immigrant group just three generations here and they will have assimilated and forgotten... Hekate Dec 2017 #37

"Wop" has nothing to do with papers. Igel Dec 2017 #39

very interesting Piasladic Dec 2017 #111

Excellent UTUSN Dec 2017 #41

My sister and her husband got my parents one of those geneology kits for Christmas, among smirkymonkey Dec 2017 #42

Eritrea, Ethiopia etc etc JustAnotherGen Dec 2017 #46

It's very possible that we have such heritage considering that they were smirkymonkey Dec 2017 #48

Do you know what town/city she was from? JustAnotherGen Dec 2017 #54

I am not sure of the exact town, but I know it was around Naples. My Grandfather was smirkymonkey Dec 2017 #55

My family was from Cosenza MountCleaners Dec 2017 #98

tutto a posto! JustAnotherGen Dec 2017 #45

You are right, but the worst horror is against the original inhabitants of this land Motley13 Dec 2017 #52

I'm Italian born and raised and an Italian citizen WilmywoodNCparalegal Dec 2017 #53

Just curious flamingdem Dec 2017 #58

Just a guess, and sorry to crash in but off hand I'd say Bologna. The city is home to appalachiablue Dec 2017 #67

I think the term WOP goes back a bit further to about the 1890s bucolic_frolic Dec 2017 #57

Rising up by stepping on the heads of others just baffles me IronLionZion Dec 2017 #60

Not necessarily a thing of the past. cab67 Dec 2017 #62

Or second generation Mexican. Pauldg47 Dec 2017 #68

Tigerr58 Tiger58 Dec 2017 #70

My grandmother Carmen was first generation stopwastingmymoney Dec 2017 #71

Sometimes the oppressed become the oppressors Lady_Chat Dec 2017 #72

I couldn't agree more nightwing1240 Dec 2017 #76

Frank Capra included Italian bigotry in "It's A Wonderful Life". no_hypocrisy Dec 2017 #77

Actually, this was best expressed in a comedy film over 30 years ago DFW Dec 2017 #78

Thank you shenmue Dec 2017 #79

Historically, Italian experiments in republican governments had a huge influence on America Bucky Dec 2017 #80

Yes They Did..... Laxman Dec 2017 #83

Kinda faded with each generation of Italian-Americans louis c Dec 2017 #84

Merely Symptomatic Of The Overall Decline..... Laxman Dec 2017 #85

I agree (NT) louis c Dec 2017 #92

I am a first generation American.. Danmel Dec 2017 #81

My paternal grand father LittleGirl Dec 2017 #87

But when enough different types of immigrants assimilate IronLionZion Dec 2017 #89

Growing up in the Pittsburgh area in the 50s and 60s I remember hearing older people speak doc03 Dec 2017 #104

It broke my father's heart JCinNYC Dec 2017 #107

I'm an Irishman born in the Philly suburbs in 1955, and... MarianJack Dec 2017 #108

Here's a great article on the topic...A Letter To Italian Americans tenderfoot Dec 2017 #110