The more things change, the more they stay the same

"MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s" (mastermario) 09/18/2020 at 08:02 • Filed to: Historylopnik

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This is a letter written by the Mayor of New Orleans over 100 years ago. Swap out Italy/Italians for Mexico/Mexicans and you would guess it was said today.

I wish more people actually studied and learned history. It’s all too frightening how similar our present feels to the run-up to the worst periods of time in our history.

vondon302 > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 09/18/2020 at 08:12

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It's the gilded age round 2.

Just Jeepin' > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 09/18/2020 at 08:16

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Jayvincent > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 09/18/2020 at 08:19

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I’m continually reminded of the speech from the movie, “American President”

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Reference: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_American_President

This movie came out in 1995...

ranwhenparked > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 09/18/2020 at 08:22

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I remember being very surprised to find out the first branch of my family came in through Shreveport in the 1850s, rather than the Northeastern cities. Supposedly, some town in Mississippi has a theater named after us or something. Yet, I still get comments from hotel clerks and the like when I travel south that with my "funny name" I must be from up north. 

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Jayvincent 09/18/2020 at 08:24

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Another thing that comes with studying history, is the realization that “the good ole days”, were not in fact good for most people.

Brickman > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 09/18/2020 at 08:35

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My fathers family ancestry was from Nova Scotia and the British kicked the French out and settled in south central Louisiana. Called the Cajuns.

My mothers side is from Italy. Forgot his name, but migrated from Italy in the late 1800s, fluent English. No records as to why.

The Ghost of Oppo > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 09/18/2020 at 08:35

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The whole “America is an amazing melt pot of cultures” we were taught in school was at best a hopeful fib. 

TheRealBicycleBuck > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 09/18/2020 at 08:42

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My wife’s foray into genealogy led her to New Orleans and the Irish. On my mother’s side, my wife found connections to Irish immigrants who settled in New Orleans. T he Irish were known as “scoundrels and lowlifes. ” Y our quote could just as easily been about them.

My ancestor went on to join the Confederate army as part of the Tiger Battalion whose membership was primarily those same scoundrels and lowlifes. The Tiger Battalion earned a reputation as fierce combatants, so much so that their name was adopted by all regiments coming from Louisiana, eventually becoming the mascot for Louisiana State University.

If we can get past the early prejudice and growing pains, the incoming cultures will be integrated into the region and become part of their celebrated history.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > ranwhenparked 09/18/2020 at 08:48

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That’s cool. My dad’s side of the family are much more recent immigrants and came in through New York. I’m not actually sure when or where my mom’s side came in through. I know my mom’s dad was born here so they had to have come before the 192 0s.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > TheRealBicycleBuck 09/18/2020 at 08:51

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If we can get past the early prejudice and growing pains

I’d rather we just skip this part...I mean is it really that hard? (rhetorical question not directed at you)

ranwhenparked > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 09/18/2020 at 08:56

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Oh, this was just a branch, not the direct line, my great grandfather’s parents came in through Philadelphia in the 1890s. They were in some... interesting... businesses by the 1920s, I do know that

For Sweden > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 09/18/2020 at 09:01

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Tell that to people on Bring a Trailer lol

TheRealBicycleBuck > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 09/18/2020 at 09:20

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Human nature is hard to overcome. It’s a natural tendency to reject that which is different, especially when it’s something moving into your perceived territory .

DipodomysDeserti > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 09/18/2020 at 09:21

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You don’t even really have to “know history”. Just talk to your grandparents (if you’re Italian). My grandma grew up in Brooklyn, and the Irish girls at her Catholic school would demean her for being in Italian.

DipodomysDeserti > TheRealBicycleBuck 09/18/2020 at 09:22

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And in later years, at lest on the East Coast, it was the Irish doling out racial abuse. 

TheRealBicycleBuck > DipodomysDeserti 09/18/2020 at 09:26

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It’s a story as old as time.