Speech #940058882

Italians. to name but a few. Once the British colonies attained independence public policy centered on settling the land. Immigration was not only welcomed but actively encouraged. In fact. there were no Federal laws limiting the admission of immigrants until Mr. President. it will indeed be a black day in American history if this great countrythe symbol of compassion. equality of man. and brotherhoodno longer opens its arms and heart to those who have suffered the tragic loss of their homelands. The United Statesnotwithstanding serious domestic problems and setbacks in the international arenastill remains a shining example for the rest of the world. particularly in her treatment of refugees and immigrants. We can and we must reaffirm our proud tradition of offering a haven to those fleeing tyranny by welcoming the refugees from South Vietnam and Cambodiathe "new Americans." We cannotand we dare notturn our backs on those who fought for freedom. without making a mockery of the principles upon which our Nation was founded and by which she served for centuries as a refuge for the oppressed people of all nationalities seeking liberty and a better life. Mr. President. today we are being asked to open our doors to those who have experienced and witnessed the destruction of their hopes and aspirations for freedom and national independence in their former homeland. Many of them have beloved family members who were killed or maimed defending their country against invaders and aggressors. Many of them had to leave beloved family members behind in South Vietnam and Cambodia. where they face an uncertain and possibly hazardous future. These refugees committed and dedicated their own lives and futures to a struggle which the people of the United States supported and made sacrifices for. They had every right to assume that the American people would continue to stand by them. now that their country has fallen into the hands of the Communists. I. for one. firmly believe that the overwhelming majority of Americans will rise to the occasion and give those refugees forced to leave their homeland the support and assistance that they need to start a new life in Americathe country that has always traditionally been a haven for victims of political and social persecution. As the son of immigrant parents and as one who has experienced the opportunities that this great country affords to all who seek refuge on its shores. I am confident that the vast majority of Americans. who are immigrants or descendants of immigrants. will not permit their initial fears to override the tradition of generosity and welcome to refugees that has made this country the beacon of freedom for over 200 years. Should that beacon of freedom be extinguished and should the door to the land of opportunity and freedom be closed. America will have lost her consciencethe foundation upon which this great Nation was built. Mr. President. throughout Americas history. from the earliest colonial days until this very month. our Nation has offered shelter and a new life for political refugees. Since the end of the Second World War. the United States has opened its doors to 1.355.000 political refugees: including 450.000 displaced persons in the aftermath of World War II: nearly 200.000 people who chose to leave Eastern Europe for the United States in the early 1950s. over 30.000 Freedom Fighters. the men and women who fought for freedom in the Hungarian Revolution in 1956. and 675.000 Cubans who fled from Castros Cuba. These "new Americans" have enriched our national spirit and added new vigor to our national character. There is every reason to expect the refugees from South Vietnam and Cambodia to do the same. I firmly believe that the way America responds to this latest challenge can be the beginning of a great renewal of the American spirit. Although the curtain has all but fallen on the war in Indochina. the tragedy is not finishednor is Americas responsibility to those who were so closely associated with our policy there. We have a golden opportunity to open a new chapter in our history as a nation of immigrants. and we should welcome those refugees now arriving in our Nation and help them start anew. As the violence subsides in Vietnam. we. likewise. must stop doing violence to ourselves and begin to heal the wounds at home. Indeed. after many long agonizing years of division among the American people over our Involvement in Indochina. I would hope that the American people could come together and find a unity of purpose in seeking to write a final. humane chapter to the tragic saga of Vietnam. We can do this by coming to the Immediate assistance of our newest immigrants. Mr. President. in order to put the current Vietnamese refugee problem into proper perspective. I would like to briefly discuss how our country responded to the Hungarian and later the Cuban refugee problems.