Note, however, that if you hate Donald Trump, and cannot understand how he used immigration as an issue to get elected, read that passage again. But immigration policy also has its mandarins, and Susan Martin is one of the most distinguished. About halfway through, you realize that this is a personal topic to him, as he was descended from Irish-Roman Catholics. Immigration is indeed a founding principle of America—responsibly conducted immigration that encourages assimilation, that is. JFK gives a brief and concise history if immigration in America. The Biden Plan for Securing Our Values as a Nation of Immigrants Take Urgent Action to Undo Trump’s Damage and Reclaim America’s Values. She alludes to the fact that Americans belong to no one ethnic group, and practice no common faith — bonds that tie together many other peoples. After Jack wrote his senior thesis, his father helped him get it published in 1940. He wrote this and published it as a senator in 1958, and just put that into perspective - the 1950s, when racism, prejudice and xenophobia were all commonplace, segregation had only just been struck down and criminalised and tensions were high due to the situations in Vietnam and East Germany (and, still, Japan). In much the same way Heraclitus explained that "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man", thanks to immigration, this is not the same country, and never has been. It contorts our principles using base emotion to undermine our values. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. excerpts from Kennedy '58 pamphlet, A Nation of Immigrants, scoring restrictive policies; illus "The continuous immigration ... was thus central to the whole American faith. In the course of that, I fear, they will destroy our commitment to immigration itself. A very informative history on immigration in this country including a small portion of immigration reform desires written by Kennedy. Which is why recourse to the concept of the United States as a "nation of immigrants" by those who oppose immigration enforcement is so distasteful. Info. The only non-immigrant Americans are Native Americans. This is an interesting short book by JFK (or his writers; I’m not sure how much of this he wrote) which uses cherry picked history to try to justify the upcoming 1965 INA (written before it was law, but definitely from the same pool of thoughts which became the law). Start by marking “A Nation of Immigrants” as Want to Read: Error rating book. The third point? To see what your friends thought of this book, When he was a young man, John F. Kennedy had dreams of being a writer. The usual rejoinder to this is: "But my ancestors came here legally, and they should, too." A Nation of Immigrants - YouTube. It is at this point that I should mention that this also means following our immigration laws to come and remain here to begin with. The book is a loan, but I have permission to fill with stickies, There are so many reasons to love this man and this is just one of them. ", In 1957 Senator Kennedy was part of a committee to revamp immigration laws. The United States of America is, as John F. Kennedy called it, “a nation of immigrants.” Except for those of Native American ancestry, we all can trace our heritage back to somewhere else, whether our ancestors came on the Mayflower or a slave ship, into Ellis Island or Angel Island, into JFK Airport or across the Rio Grande. That's how John Kennedy operated when he pushed for changes to the Immigration and Naturalization Act in 1963. Breaks down immigration by waves, then by nationality. Quick book to read that runs a call-to-attention. But don't take it from me — take it from Barbara Jordan. So, in somewhat of a retaliation, he wrote a book denouncing harsh immigration policies, reaffirming the view th. Research Director for the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy (it provided the blueprint for the landmark Immigration Reform and Control Act in 1986), later executive director of the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform, she is a respected scholar who has had a ringside seat on three decades of behind-the-scenes policymaking. You have heard some variation of the following refrain: "We're a nation of immigrants, and other than Native Americans, we are all immigrants or the ancestors of immigrants to this country, and therefore we have no moral authority to prevent any foreign national from living here, either.". There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Jordan explained it better 26 years ago than any political science professor or pollster did in 2016, or has since. His commitment to immigrant rights seems to have been ahead of his time. A must read. The first point is beyond cavil, and the second is still almost universally accepted. There is a lot of legitimacy in this point, but I note that for much of American history, there were few immigration laws or limitations on entry. There is a reason that the naturalization test includes a civics section, and an English-language one, too. The kaleidoscope that Jordan references is meant to turn at a certain speed — that is what the laws ensure. Not bad for a senior thesis. It was also sad that we are still dealing with so many of the same problems 60 years later. My personal favorite being, "It reminded every American, old and new, that change is the essence of life, and that American society is a process, not a conclusion". But that all requires a lot more discourse than Twitter feeds allow or Facebook users will read, and even then won't satisfy the most dogged of amnesty proponents. This was an interesting read especially since it was written by the man who would eventually cause the end of our national origin quota system. Although more than 50 years old, its amazingly pertinen. But immigration policy also has its mandarins, and Susan Martin is one of the most distinguished. The reality is, the United States is, and will continue to be, a nation of immigrants. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. This is a short book written and updated by John F. Kennedy in preparation for his proposal to comprehensively reform immigration in 1963. If it turns too quickly, it will become a blur. It's only until the end where Kennedy actually adds some analysis/stances on his end, and I will say there are some gems of wisdom. Highly recommended. . That is likely the most important point in the entire piece, and it merits reflection. Welcome back. I'm torn between 3 stars and 3 1/2 stars...unfortunately the majority of the book was just regurgitation of facts, some interesting, and I'm sure during the time this was originally written it was probably a novel idea to even put these ideas out there. You could not call 911 on the prairie, or send your kids to public schools that did not exist. Every white American citizen has ancestors who migrated to America from Europe, while many African Americans are descended from their slaves, who were forcibly taken from Africa. At a time when the issues of refugees and immigration have taken center stage in this country, the message of President John F. Kennedy’s classic essay A Nation of Immigrants is as relevant today as it was when it was published 59 years ago. Buy A Nation of Immigrants Revised ed. The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit research organization founded in 1985. Anyone reading this work cannot help but notice, when they compare it to our contemporary immigration debate, that the more things change the more they stay the same. A nation of immigrants is a group of immigrants to the United States from all over the world. The phrase "nation of immigrants" is surely one of the strangest phrases, and also one of the most ingenious rhetorical dodges, ever invented. He believed that America is a nation of people who value both tradition and the exploration of new frontiers, people who deserve the freedom to build better lives for themselves in their adopted homeland. Kennedy had a mature and balanced perspective of how immigrants have enriched our nation despite our frequent self-defeating prejudices. Even if “nation of immigrants” serves to hide a long history of American restriction and exclusion . 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