In 1798, Congress passed three “Alien Acts” based mainly on fears of Irish-Catholic, anti-immigrant sentiment. These new laws gave the president the power to stop immigration from any country at war with the U.S. and the right to deport any immigrant, and made it harder for immigrants to vote. Then, again in the late 1840s, a nationalist political group called the Know-Nothings sprang from a populist movement of poor whites who were dissatisfied with the two-party system and started the American Party, intent on preserving America’s culture by restricting immigration, especially from Catholic countries—including by Irish Catholics. They managed to get candidates elected into the highest political offices in America, including a president.
BTW, the 1920s and 1960s still had a strong anti-Catholic sentiment. Al Smith ran as a Democrat, the Republicans smeared him for being a Catholic (sorta like Romney got for being a Mormon). when JFK was running the fear was still that he'd be beholden to the Vatican.
All Americans do is switch from one boogeyman to another. in the 1700s and early 1800s it was the Irish, English and French as well as Africans. in the late 1800s it was the chinese, japanese, true natives, irish and spanish. early and mid 1900s it was the Germans.
1950s it changed to the Communists.
1960s it was the hippies and african americans again along with the "commies"
not much changed in the 80s except to add the lgbt community and independent women. we were best friends with islamic terrorists then too--ask Ronnie Raygun. Oh, Pagans and D&D gamers can be added to the list.
the 90s was still the lgbt community, independent women and it was about then that muslims started to see problems (as did sikhs)
TL;DR? American has a fear mongering problem and it stems from the right wing of America.
Close, try about till 1798-1840s or so.
In 1798, Congress passed three “Alien Acts” based mainly on fears of Irish-Catholic, anti-immigrant sentiment. These new laws gave the president the power to stop immigration from any country at war with the U.S. and the right to deport any immigrant, and made it harder for immigrants to vote. Then, again in the late 1840s, a nationalist political group called the Know-Nothings sprang from a populist movement of poor whites who were dissatisfied with the two-party system and started the American Party, intent on preserving America’s culture by restricting immigration, especially from Catholic countries—including by Irish Catholics. They managed to get candidates elected into the highest political offices in America, including a president.
BTW, the 1920s and 1960s still had a strong anti-Catholic sentiment. Al Smith ran as a Democrat, the Republicans smeared him for being a Catholic (sorta like Romney got for being a Mormon). when JFK was running the fear was still that he'd be beholden to the Vatican.
All Americans do is switch from one boogeyman to another. in the 1700s and early 1800s it was the Irish, English and French as well as Africans. in the late 1800s it was the chinese, japanese, true natives, irish and spanish. early and mid 1900s it was the Germans.
1950s it changed to the Communists.
1960s it was the hippies and african americans again along with the "commies"
not much changed in the 80s except to add the lgbt community and independent women. we were best friends with islamic terrorists then too--ask Ronnie Raygun. Oh, Pagans and D&D gamers can be added to the list.
the 90s was still the lgbt community, independent women and it was about then that muslims started to see problems (as did sikhs)
TL;DR? American has a fear mongering problem and it stems from the right wing of America.