Читать книгу Some Immigrant Neighbors онлайн

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“The reasons for disliking the foreigner in early times were that no one traveled much and there were no newspapers, consequently neighboring tribes, or nations, did not get to know each other. Nearby tribes were suspicious of each other and were much at war, continually robbing and killing. Every stranger was a possible enemy.”

Yes, that is a good answer. Now, give a reason for present dislike of the immigrant.

“I have a reason,” one boy says. “My father lost his job because an ‘Eyetalian’ offered to work for less.”

Yes, I am sorry to say that is a very real cause of dislike. That is also war, although it is now called by a different name. To take a man’s position, by which he earns his bread, or to steal a man’s cattle, from which he and his family were fed, amounts to about the same in the end. Give some other reasons for disliking immigrants.

“They talk such funny English.” “They don’t dress like us.” “They don’t eat like us.” “They can’t play ball.”

Yes, undoubtedly all these are reasons for feeling that foreigners differ from Americans, but are they good reasons for disliking the foreigner?