Friday, September 2, 2016

The Mother of US All

Never forget who we are. We are immigrants all; men, women and children from many lands with disparate histories, backgrounds and beliefs. We are bound together, some by chains, most by choice. However we have come to this land, we are woven into a whole that, when united, is vibrant, vigorous and as near to virtuous as humanly possible. We remain resolute in our determination to realize all that is good, fair and just in this nation and on this earth. We will abide no one who raises a clenched fist to threaten our brothers and sisters. We oppose anyone who tries to make some less than others and all less than the whole. This is US. 9/2/16 HL


With the exceptions of Native Americans, victims of mass genocide, Africans brought here by force, and those expelled from Europe and conscripted to row the early boats to these shores, every single one of our ancestors were willing immigrants who fled to this country in the hope of finding a better way of life, predicated on individual freedom. To those who now seek to exclude others, what divine or natural right do you claim to have that justifies denying that same opportunity to those who seek to join our society today?

The following sonnet, The New Colossus, was composed by the aptly named American poet, Emma Lazarus (1849-1887).It is inscribed on a bronze plaque originally mounted in the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty in 1903.


The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"





2 comments:

Anonymous said...

nice and timely post. Which one of us wouldn't be here if there were a wall to keep us out ?

Chris Marie said...

Once our country was formed,Our ancestors came here legally , just like the legal immigrants do today. Our ancestors were here to assimilate to the laws of the United States. Our ancestors had to prove they were healthy and able bodied to work and provide for their family’s. Those who were sick were turned away. Today illegals do not want to come here legally for what ever the reason. They want everything free from our government and do NOT want to A simile assimilate to our laws,and many don’t want to learn English. Other illegals come here to destroy our great nation and turn it into a 3rd world country. With the help of the liberal Democrats they are well on their way to teach our children how to be a liberal and hate America. The legal immigrants do not agree with the illegals.