The Irish Aren't Red-Headed Mexicans

[rangerrebew]

The Irish Aren't Red-Headed Mexicans
Ann Coulter
 
Posted: May 16, 2018 6:10 PM
 

In an interview with NPR last Friday, Trump's chief of staff John Kelly described the illegal aliens pouring across our border in the most gentle manner imaginable.

He said that illegal aliens aren't "bad people," but also "not people that would easily assimilate into the United States into our modern society." They are, he continued, mostly rural, poor, unskilled and illiterate. "They don't speak English," Kelly said. "Obviously, that's a big thing."

https://townhall.com/columnists/anncoulter/2018/05/16/the-irish-arent-redheaded-mexicans-n2481534

[LauraTXNM]

The point of this op-ed seems to be that the Irish were almost as much of an immigrant mess.  But at least they spoke English, and they weren't coddled.  And hey, it only took them 120 years to assimilate!  Bleh.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

The more important point is that the assimilation of large numbers of unskilled labor was much, much easier during a time when there was so much manual/unskilled/low skilled labor required.  But in our modern society, there simply is not nearly as much need.  So you have much larger numbers of people chasing far fewer jobs, which depresses wages for those who need it the most.  It's a terrible situation, and not at all analogous to waves of immigration in the late 19th and early 20th century.

[Sanguine]

The more important point is that the assimilation of large numbers of unskilled labor was much, much easier during a time when there was so much manual/unskilled/low skilled labor required.  But in our modern society, there simply is not nearly as much need.  So you have much larger numbers of people chasing far fewer jobs, which depresses wages for those who need it the most.  It's a terrible situation, and not at all analogous to waves of immigration in the late 19th and early 20th century.

I keep making that point, and people who don't want to see it, just don't see it.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

I keep making that point, and people who don't want to see it, just don't see it.

It's frustrating.  The height of Irish immigration was the mid-19th century, when we still had 20 or so states yet to be even formed.  We needed numbers to fill a country that still was largely empty in many places.

On top of that, prior waves of immigration were during a period without social welfare programs, and without even public education in many places.  All you got was an opportunity, and had to bust your ass if you wanted to survive.  That is simply no longer true.

It's not that Mexicans are different from the Irish.  It's that the United States of 2018 is not the United States of 1918, or 1868.

[WingNot]

 All right, we'll give some land to the other "foreigners", but we don't want the IRISH. 

[LauraTXNM]

The more important point is that the assimilation of large numbers of unskilled labor was much, much easier during a time when there was so much manual/unskilled/low skilled labor required.  But in our modern society, there simply is not nearly as much need.  So you have much larger numbers of people chasing far fewer jobs, which depresses wages for those who need it the most.  It's a terrible situation, and not at all analogous to waves of immigration in the late 19th and early 20th century.

@Maj. Bill Martin  I agree with you.  I think the continuing drive to automation and efficiency will continue to diminish those jobs, as well.  I worry about the citizens and people already legally here -- they need to prepare themselves with more education (?) and training for the changing job market.  I am concerned that many people believe that manufacturing is going to return and employ everyone.

[LauraTXNM]

All right, we'll give some land to the other "foreigners", but we don't want the IRISH.

"The blacks of Europe", a natural fit for soul music.  (With apologies to "The Commitments")

[LauraTXNM]

I keep making that point, and people who don't want to see it, just don't see it.

@Sanguine I'm sorry I don't remember, did you say you were in construction or manufacturing?  Do you think jobs in your industry will become more automated and require fewer workers?

[Sanguine]

@Maj. Bill Martin  I agree with you.  I think the continuing drive to automation and efficiency will continue to diminish those jobs, as well.  I worry about the citizens and people already legally here -- they need to prepare themselves with more education (?) and training for the changing job market.  I am concerned that many people believe that manufacturing is going to return and employ everyone.

Laura, I agree with you.  I think it will become a real problem.

[Sanguine]

@Sanguine I'm sorry I don't remember, did you say you were in construction or manufacturing?  Do you think jobs in your industry will become more automated and require fewer workers?

No, neither, but the trend toward more automation and fewer low-skilled jobs is obvious.