Immigrationists Don’t Really Care About Indians

Believe it or not the United States is made up of many different kind [sic] of people, and if you want only the true Americans to be here than [sic] you need to start packing. Because the only ones that have a right to be here are Native Americans. We took it from them. This is their land. Everyone else is an immigrant, and that includes you. – A communication to AIC Foundation

Fact Check: No one born in America, regardless of background is an immigrant. Nor are American Indians the only true Americans. Indeed the name and concept of America did not come from Indians.

Nor is it clear that they were here first in every part of North America. Increasing evidence indicates that in some areas of what is now the United States settlers from Europe preceded them in prehistoric times.

And the post-Colombian settlement of North America was not always one of “taking” Indian land. In many instances, settlers paid Indians for it, and in other instances they occupied land where Indians lacked sufficient presence to make a claim to own or control it.

This is not to suggest that Indians didn’t suffer genuine injustices. They did. Unfortunately, immigration enthusiasts today try to manipulate guilt for those injustices to advance their agenda. These attempts are highly hypocritical. If these immigration supporters who are non-Indians really believe that this is solely “Indian land,” then what are they doing here? Certainly they should “start packing.” And furthermore, if this is “Indian land” only, how can they be pro-immigration and want more non-Indians to move here?

Immigrationists don’t raise the issue of American Indians because they really care about them. They do it to score cheap rhetorical points for their cause, and avoid dealing with substantial issues related to immigration.

If they really cared about Indians, they would reflect that a high percentage of them live in poverty. Mass immigration particularly harms disadvantaged citizens of all backgrounds by taking jobs and lowering wage levels. Also, as the massive influx of foreigners continues, American Indians will become even more submerged in the general population than they are now. Also, the newly arriving populations will feel less of an affinity and moral obligation to the Indians than native-born Americans.

Turning our country over to multicultural chaos through immigration will do nothing to right historic wrongs against American Indians. If we wish to help Indians, we should undertake reforms to benefit them as fellow citizens. But first and foremost, all Americans benefit when we agree that this is American land.

 

 

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