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by TheCleric 669 days ago
I dispute your assertion. The late 19th and early 20th century USA had a population boom largely from immigration. There was no immense turmoil and violence.
1 comments

But there was violence. Between Protestants and Catholics, between English-Americans and the newcomers from Ireland, Germany, Italy, Poland, etc. Lutheran Churches were firebombed during the First World War. For example, many German-Americans today don't even know this, but there was immense pressure to severe ties with Germany, e.g. to stop speaking German, to Anglicize their names, to adopt a more "American" cuisine, etc. Immigration was more or less halted for the half century between 1924 and 1965 due to a great deal of this turmoil.

And that's just describing inter-ethnic conflicts among White Americans. These groups have histories that intertwine extending back to their homelands in Europe. There was also a great deal a inter-racial violence and tension.

I don't blame you for not knowing about any of this. It's just not something the United States really touts about its own history. And knowledge of the problems it caused 100 years ago raises uncomfortable questions about the current levels of immigration into the US. So it's something that goes largely undiscussed today.

> > inter-ethnic conflicts among White Americans

The context of the Johnson–Reed Act is more complex than you make it and significantly restricted people you would call “white”, not just other “undesirables”.

Most of the violence of the early 20th century was political (especially, but not only, during WWI, which is the example you chose) and seemingly had more to do with age demographics than racial (a similar problem arose a millennium earlier, driving the invention of crusades). The biggest period was after the Johnson-Reed act, as part of a broader increase in crime.

Yes there was an enormous amount of racial violence, but most of it was directed against black citizens, none of whom were recent immigrants.

I have followed this history because without the 1965 Immigration act I would not have been permitted to come to the US and attend school. And I come from a country with twice the immigration rate of the US, but little violence.

> And that's just describing inter-ethnic conflicts among White Americans

They're not white until they're normalized. Ben Franklin would not have considered Germans to be white.

https://qz.com/904933/a-history-of-american-anti-immigrant-b...

Similarly, Hispanic did not exist until the late 20th century. People who used to be white became Hispanic as the group was othered.

I’m not claiming that there was no violence. However there is no evidence that the rate of violence went up during this time. The Dillingham Commission (who weren’t open borders types) even concluded during that there was no substantial evidence for immigrants as a source of increased crime.

However it’s very clear you’ve made your mind up and everyone else is uninformed. Enjoy your enlightenment. Have a nice day.