Speech #960288413

And. oh. what those huddled masses did for this country. They built it. Every wave of immigrants was resented by the Americans who were already here. My own ancestors. German and Irish were resented and resisted more than a hundred years ago. But we never seem to learn. This year. we have already had a remarkable immigration from Cuba. And it has been about as deeply resented and denounced as any we have ever had. The irony of this story is that Cubans who fled Cuba for this country less than 20 years ago have already given this country one more stirring example. In all of our long and beautiful history of giving a fighting chance to the downandout immigrant. this Cuban example may be the most dramatic yet. Mr. President. this is a story that ought to be told this year in this country. Our people ought to hear it and know about it. Mr. President. the cry through much of the country this year has been: Keep the refugees out. Anyone in public office who has been talking with the people of this country this spring and summer has heard it in taverns and supermarkets. at baseball games. and wherever Americans gather. Cruel and often thoughtless as this sentiment is. it is not hard to understand. The American people are fed up with welfare and they fear the new arrivals will swell the welfare rolls. Our people are worried about unemployment and they fear the refugees will either increase unemployment or take jobs from American citizens. Crime is a gnawing worry for our people. and they believe that the newcomers may engage in criminal activity. Americans see what has happened to our inner cities and conclude the refugees will create more slums. Many Americans already criticize our public schools and oppose the refugees because they believe that. with their language and literacy problem. they can only make the situation worse. Mr. President. we can understand those fears of many American citizens. and we can understand why they are especially addressed against Cuban refugees. These refugees have fled Communist Cuba. They often speak little or no English. They are. of course. overwhelmingly poverty stricken.