What Immigrants Built

The Transcontinental Railroad

The National Archive tells us, Beginning in 1863, the Union Pacific, employing more than 8,000 Irish, German, and Italian immigrants, built west from Omaha, Nebraska; the Central Pacific, whose workforce included over 10,000 Chinese laborers, built eastward from Sacramento, California.

And why were Chinese workers chosen to build the railroad? They were excellent workers and it was cheaper to bring Chinese workers across the ocean than other workers across the continent. -the Folsom Cordova Unified School District.

They Built This City

When I worked third shift in a machine shop in Milwaukee, I worked side by side with people who were immigrants from Europe, Central and South America, Mexico, Asia and Blacks who were part of the great migration.  Their contributions don't end there. The American Immigration Council recently completed a study that points out, “The United States was built, in part, by immigrants—and the nation has long been the beneficiary of the energy and ingenuity that immigrants bring. Today, 13.6 percent of the nation’s residents are foreign-born, more than half of whom are naturalized citizens. Immigrants support the U.S. economy in many ways, accounting for 22.2 percent of entrepreneurs, 22.8 percent of STEM workers, and 15.2 percent of nurses. As workers, business owners, taxpayers, and neighbors, immigrants are an integral part of the country’s diverse and thriving communities and make extensive contributions that benefit all.”

The Immigration Council has come up with a really cool interactive map. The 2023 Map, showcases the contributions of immigrants in the country, all 50 states, and industry sectors across the economy. It also features hundreds of stories and videos from local leaders talking about why immigration matters to them.

I clicked on the map to find out how immigrants are contributing to Connecticut. There are 551,000 immigrants, They make up 15% of the population. They pay $8,1 billion in taxes, Immigrants have  $19.2 billion in spending power. There are nearly 41,000 immigrant entrepreneurs in Connecticut. And, just over 290,000 eligible voters.

Why do immigrants want to come here? Why do they persist despite long odds, bias and bigotry? According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, The predominant reasons immigrants say they came to the U.S. are for better work and educational opportunities, a better future for their children, and more rights and freedoms. Smaller but still sizeable shares cite other factors such as joining family members or escaping unsafe or violent conditions.

What can I do?

“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”  Leviticus 19:33-34 

Meanwhile, in a cruel twist, 68 percent of white evangelicals say America has no responsibility to house refugees. (Pew Research) I guess they missed that part of the Bible.

Is It Possible to be All Things to All People?

 

Not on the Radio

Bonnie Gillespie Quote: “When you try to be everything to everyone, you accomplish being nothing to anyone.”

It's a lesson learned a long time ago in public radio. The phenomenal growth of the system in the 90's and early 2000's was because we knew our audience and we served them with programming strategies aimed at that specific audience.

If we want to diversify our audience, we have to think about who that audience might be. And it is likely, people from that demographic will be running the show.

Thinking in terms of programming for one big diverse audience is foolishness. There are many audiences left unserved, and to serve them will take consistency in appeal of the programming.

Remember Afropop Worldwide? The original effort was to seek a more diverse audience for public radio. Did it work? Not really. Afropop brings African pop music to a mostly white audience. The idea that a one hour program is going to serve an African American audience is wishful thinking. It can't even come close to covering the cultural diversity of Africa. One hour a week is not going to make difference.

John Sutton's recent essay in Current has it right. Choose your demographic, and serve that demographic with consistent appeal and programs that resonates with your targeted core audience. (Why Public Radio's Efforts to Reach New Audiences Aren't Moving the Needle)

Public radio's audience is driven by two programs, Morning Edition and All Things Considered. To reach another audience means another programming stream.

This does not have to be a one or the other proposition. Stations have found work arounds before by finding different streams for different formats. The same could be done in this instance. Would something like the differing formats of the streaming services be a viable option?

So, why are we learning this again?

Land of the Free

Constitutional Freedoms

The First Amendment guarantees the freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and the press.

FDR'S Four Freedoms 

His "four essential human freedoms" included some phrases already familiar to Americans from the Bill of Rights, as well as some new phrases: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

God Given Freedoms

The three “God-given” rights are in the Declaration of Independence - the right to ““life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” That was written in 1776, a year after the war had started.

Trump's Take

White Christian Nationalism, Truth Social and conspiracy theories, the January Sixth insurrection, and the press is the enemy of the people. 

So, what's happening? Revenge and Retribution. Demonizing opponents. The dismantling of our democracy.

I’m holding on to my freedom / Can’t take it from me / I was born into it / It comes naturally

- Jill Scott, “Golden” (2004)

You might not know...

 I Raced Bicycles

Not road races or motocross or mountain bikes. I raced on an oval track. Sprints! I was competitive. Over the course of seven summers I won multiple sprints. I also learned there are certain athletes that are world-class. People like Major Taylor, The Worcester Whirlwind. I never raced against Taylor. He was way before my time at the turn of 19th and early 20th centuries.

According to sources quoted in Wikipedia, "Marshall Walter "Major" Taylor (November 26, 1878 – June 21, 1932) was an American professional cyclist. Even by modern cycling standards, Taylor could be considered the greatest American sprinter of all time." He held several world records. In this country he beat the mostly white racers so soundly, he was banned from track racing in Indiana. He was allowed to race elsewhere, including Madison Square Garden, if "he didn't act all uppity" after his victories. A superlative athlete, he was a draw. His presence filled the seats at the velodrome.

Sad Notes

He died alone and penniless in Chicago in the early 30s. He was put in a pauper's grave, but he wasn't forgotten. He had innumerable fans. Bike racing was a popular sport then, and he was responsible for filling up the Garden every time he raced.

The owner of Schwinn Bicycles stepped forward to change the outcome. Walter became more than a sad footnote. In 1948, Frank Schwinn  had his body exhumed, and then put in a proper grave where his accomplishments could be celebrated. He's remembered in Worcester, too. They have a museum in his honor.

One More Twist

My bike was super light weight. It was manufactured by Frejus. According to the website Vintage-Steel, "Frejus is a rare masterpiece of craftsmanship, a piece of the Italian cycling heritage." The brand was founded in 1896 in Turin by Emmo Ghelfi and then acquired by Emilio Bozzi. The latter was kidnapped and assassinated in the mid-1970s by the Brigate Rosse or BR, an Italian terrorist group. The company then closed.

There's a new documentary about Major Taylor from WTIU, the PBS station in Indianapolis. It airs Monday February 26th. It will also be available on the PBS app.

Radical Thinking

But none of us can be erased if we refuse it. The idea of love, justice, and freedom do not belong to the powerful alone. It also belongs to us.

- Danté Stewart

Radical Love.  Radical Thinking. 

It's in the Bible and it's in the Declaration of Independence.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

- Matthew 5:6

The Declaration of Independence included these three major ideas: People have certain Inalienable Rights including Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness. All Men are created equal. Individuals have a civic duty to defend these rights for themselves and others. ushistory.org

What's so radical about this? The words are meant to apply to everybody. No exceptions. No exclusions. There are no barriers. 

It's the basis of our democracy and it is not about Christian Nationalism, because the invitation is, come as you are, all are welcome. 

Struck by the stark warning.

"I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strays, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice."

- Ezekiel 34:16

Not exactly comforting words for those who currently have a tight grip on power. God is clearly taking the side of those who the powerful endeavor to keep in their place.

So what was Ezekiel talking about?Ezekiel was a prophet who saw the future of the Israelites. He saw the rebuilding of the temple. A sign that they had regained God's favor. There was a catch, a hurdle to overcome. That vision was for a just future based on love, and those who subverted that love would pay the consequences.

In sum, the book of Ezekiel describes God's promise that the people of Israel will maintain their covenant with God when they are purified and receive a "new heart" … Marvin Sweeney (1998)

What's going on? It's seems pretty clear. If the people of Israel wanted to continue to be in God's favor, they needed to make changes. They needed to become fair and just in their dealings with others. They would have to display inclusiveness and generosity. There could no longer be divisiveness, an us against against the other mentality.

For believers today, the commandments go beyond saying I will pray for you. If believers leave it there, they're not listening to what God is telling them. 

Micah 6:8 NLT

No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

NLT: New Living Translation

Those are imperative statements. If you see someone in need, and do nothing, are you ignoring God's imperatives?

Changing the Focus

I listen to the Republicans, and their patter is all trash talk, no goals, no solutions. Words that are aimed to diminish others, to enflame and enrage.

 There's a better way.

What would happen if we focused on 

the event, or the policy, and not the person?

This calls for a measured response. Listening before speaking. 

It might take a change in behavior. Instead of lashing out, developing the ability to skip a beat before responding.

What would happen if we looked toward the solution instead of back at the problem?

We might just find common goals. From there mutual respect. We might just stop aiming our words at each other.