Chapter 23
Ellis Island
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Many years ago, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty became images
in peoples' minds all over the world and represented freedom, opportunity and the American spirit -
referred to by many, then and now, as the American dream. It all began in
1808 when the state of New York sold 27 acres of land located on upper New York
Bay to the federal government. Years later in 1886, Ellis Island became
the site of the Statue of Liberty, sculpted by Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi as a
gift to the United States to commemorate the friendship between France and the
United States during the American Revolutionary War.
From 1892 - 1943, Ellis Island was the primary immigration
station for those seeking a new life in America. The statue was inscribed
with a sonnet by Emma Lazrus that proclaimed the mood and circumstances of
another time for all those who reached out for the American dream.
"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land,
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch whose flame
Is the imprisoned lighting, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome;
her eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
'Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!' cries she
With silent lips. 'Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!'"
In 1965, Ellis Island became part of the
Statue of Liberty National Monument and an immigration museum was
created.
The inscription refers to tired, poor and huddled masses of
the world but today, the daily news quite clearly portrays a different sentiment
- a case in point is the ordinance passed by the Atlanta City Council the very
day this chapter was being written. It banned the homeless from begging in
the central hotel district of downtown Atlanta. Such a presence was viewed
as bad for business and likely to give business travelers a bad impression of
the city. Now, immigrants no longer enter through Ellis Island, or any
other similar place. Many cross unguarded borders, become illegal
immigrants and offer subject matter for endless, non result-producing debates in
government.
Various acts through the years reflect the changing attitudes
towards immigration brought on by wars, evolving social customs and some of the
changes made in the country by the immigrants themselves.
The Immigration Act of 1917 expanded
previous restrictions on immigration and required literacy tests. Most notably,
it established an Asiatic Zone in Asia and the Pacific Islands from which no
immigrants were permitted. After World War 1, what many described as
increased racism and isolationism produced a quota system of no more than 3% of
those already here in a particular race. Considering no computer data
bases were available at that time, I can't imagine how such a system was
administrated, and such an effort in all likelihood was a political maneuver to
appease some lobby or voting block.
The Immigration Act of 1924, also known
as The National Origin Act, reduced overall quotas and gave western and
northern Europe more favorable allowances. Practically all of Asia was
banned.
The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952
lifted the Asian ban, and people from all nations could enter. Still, most
immigrants were from Europe.
The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
abolished any national quota and within 10 years, major immigration was from
Asia and Latin America. Then, when concern was raised about the flow of
illegal aliens, the Immigration Reform Act of 1986 was passed. The
act placed penalties on employers who hired illegal aliens but at the same time,
gave those here since 1982 the opportunity to apply for citizenship. In
what might appear a contradiction to the act's intent, it gave amnesty to
illegal aliens working in agriculture. It's only my speculation but I
imagine such a provision resulted from some lobby by this industry to hold their
wages to the minimum and increase profits, hardly a driving force as suggested
by the inscription on the Statue of Liberty.
The Immigration Reform and Responsibility Act of 1996 followed
several other efforts to deal with immigration and made it easier to deport
immigrants for certain crimes. A number of court cases declared such
actions unconstitutional. Related cases bounced between district and
appellate courts with varying results as politicians became aware of the growing
political power of immigrants - both legal and illegal. By 1990,
immigrants had taken over much of the agricultural work in Florida and
California and much of the unskilled jobs in the construction and building
service industries. Among immigrants with financial resources, particular
races were drawn to certain types of businesses - many Indians bought motels,
Asians appeared in manicure shops and related businesses and Koreans and other
Asians assumed ownership of grocery stores and dry cleaning businesses.
Especially in larger cities, gangs began to form. In
some cases, such acts as drive-by shootings of innocent people were initiations
into the gangs. Hundreds of illegal immigrants crossed the Mexican border
daily during the 1990s and early 2000s. When asked to comment on this
illegal condition, the president of Mexico could only comment that these
immigrants were assuming jobs that "even the Negroes would not
take." In a sign of the times, various groups ignored the pressing
question of illegal immigration and began attacks on the Mexican president for
making "racist statements." All the while, during all these
years, the country began drifting away from national identity and began to
represent many cultures. The condition became known as
"diversity."
________________
As Restoration Crusades move forward on all fronts, quite suddenly, there appears lead stories in all newspapers and media broadcasts.
Ellis Island To Be Reopened For Retro-Immigration
Federal officials announced today that the
Ellis Island Immigration Museum has been closed and the entire facility reopened
as the central processing station for citizens applying for visas to return to
their countries of origin. In interviews with those standing in the long
lines to the hastily erected interview booths, some stated a fear that The Zani'
will become too powerful and act to restrict the rights and imprison those who dissent
against its nationalistic platform. Others fear a wave of violence
such as that during and after the recent mercenary attacks and reprisals by the
Zani' that will inflict collateral damage on the innocent. Many successful
business owners and industrialists are among those leaving the country stating
the economy is being taken over by a band of neo-Nazis and placing street people
and those of low achievement in places of responsibility. They predict a
devastating effect on the stock market and investment portfolios further stating
that The Restoration's position that the economy should be build from the
bottom up places corporate America at a considerable disadvantage in that proven
marketing and management principals such as progressive statistics and
right-sizing of work forces through restrictions in processing and service tasks
will only impose unjustified operating costs not sufficiently offset by gains in
the bottom line.
The Restoration has long maintained rebuilding the
economy at the local level better addresses local needs and that the
incorporation of religious reformation in one faith with a strong central
government will ultimately result in what is described as "a national
conscience and concern for all segments of society." Regardless, The
Restoration and the Zani' have gained sufficient power and following that
precludes federal and state governments from taking any action as both levels of
government seem to fear the response from the public, not to mention the outcome
of the next election during which the National Artisans of The
Restoration will offer many local candidates.
________________
Joe and Ralph are 2 homeless men now
staying in the Upper New York Bay Homeless Shelter which is one of many
throughout the city opened to house those who have been given work in The Renaissance
Crusade - an undertaking to rebuild what the mission refers to as
"structures as well as hearts." They look at the volunteers
passing out the evening meal and at those seated at the tables, all with white
clothes and paper settings. There's no longer the vacant and resentful
stare in the faces of the homeless. They're all joking with one another as
they hold their work assignments for the next day. A very attractive
female volunteer brings the serving bowls to their table, and as she walks away,
Joe comments, "That's a good-looking ass."
Without looking at her, Ralph says, "I quit looking at
women a long time ago. All it did was make me want something I knew I
couldn't have. Who in the hell would want to have anything to do with
anyone like me?" He looks at is work assignment and says, "Maybe
someday...." but stops and reaches for one of the serving bowls.
After the meal, they walk from the building and prop up
against the railing overlooking the Upper New York Bay. Joe says, "I
think I'll go to Mass tomorrow."
Ralph seems surprised and asks, "Why?"
"I can't describe it. I feel I need to thank
someone. Some of the other men have been going, and I heard them talking
about how Christ loved the poor. Something in my heart is telling me that
I need to do something with the rest of my life rather than just utter a prayer
every once and a while. I never would have thought such a thing as The
Restoration, or anything else that came up overnight, would have ever put such thoughts in my
mind."
"I'm not sure it came together overnight."
For a moment, Joe looks at the ocean liners around Ellis
Island before staring at Ralph and asking, "What do you mean?"
Ralph shakes his head and says, "It all came together
too well and had to have much more prior planning than a few priests here and
there getting pissed-off because of the last Vatican Councils. The other night, I
was talking to one of the priests in the television room. He left a book
on the table. I don't know what it was, because the cover was torn off but
it was something of a history of the rise of the Nazi party in Germany. I
sat up all night reading it and it got me to thinking. When Germany's
national spirit began its restoration, there had to be many good people in the
Nazi Party that had the interests of the country first in their hearts and never
had any intent of where the movement finally led. I never knew the
deprived economic conditions that existed in Germany due to the harsh conditions of the
Treaty of Versailles stripped Germany of its colonial empire and forced it
to pay heavy reparations for starting the First World War. Because of the
treaty, there was much suffering among the German people. I mean think of
it - the German Workers Party had 6 members when it began and Hitler
joined. Germany had began a slow recovery but The Depression set it back
and drove it into the extremism that followed. There was a constant
political battle between the Communists and National Socialists. Hitler
was a gifted orator. He could inspire people and move their thoughts and
intents. I couldn't put the book down. The Nazis had a 25 point plan
for the unprecedented centralization of all government powers into one body."
"The Depression gave the people an eagerness to listen
to anyone who had a plan at all. What the Nazis did was to organize the Schutzaffelin
as a semi-military body for security. The Thyssen and other
industrial bodies contributed large sums of money to the party, and most of the
Nazi recruits came from those who were ruined as a result of World War 1 or The
Depression. There seemed some justice to the acts of brutality that
followed, at least in the minds of those who had lost everything. Within
time, the National Socialists became the strongest political party but not the
majority. One thing led to another, additional acts of brutality followed
and eventually, the National Socialist were declared the only political
party. There was an overpowering sense of nationalism that began to build
that brought out will and determination to save the country from The Depression
and internal strife. As the Nazis power continued to build, they created
the Staatspoliziei, the secret police state, also known as the Gestapo,
that was not subject to legal restrains. The party recognized
overpowering force was needed to defeat the Communists. Eventually, it all
led to a completely centralized government and police state."
For a moment, Joe continues to stare at the ships across the
bay before saying, "That's....that's about the same thing The
Restoration did. I mean that attack on Greenblat Enterprises,
announcement of the Zani' as the military force of the movement and beginning to
place party candidates in elections."
Joe nods his head and says, "That's right, and what
they've done follows the pattern even closer than that. Unemployment was a
tremendous problem in Germany, just as it is here now. When the Nazis
could not completely solve that, they came to the conclusion they must take some
rather bold steps. First, they had to eliminate the restrictions placed on
them by the Treaty of Versailles. They knew that could lead to war,
so the economy was rebuilt as a war time economy with adequate food supplied by
a centrally controlled department of agriculture. They had to eliminate
obstacles such as labor unions, collective bargaining, strikes and
walkouts. With the power they had then gained, they had the power to do
that. The whole labor force was reorganized under the Deatsache
Abreitsfront - the German Labor Front. Wages were not set by
unreasonable demands of labors unions but by a centrally controlled minister of
labor. Through further controls of banks and financial resources,
unemployment was eliminated and the people returned to a reasonable standard of
living. All the while, the revitalized economy was building a powerful war
machine."
"In time, they were powerful enough to begin annexing
territory lost in the first war. Germany was restored but they should have
stopped then in the opinion of the historians in that book. A few of them
even said if Hitler had stopped after the fall of France, he would have been
remembered as one of the greatest statesmen of all time. The German
economy had been rebuilt, territory lost in the first war had been regained and
with the defeat of France, Germany had regained the pride and nationalism it had
lost during the first war."
Joe brings his hand to his chin and thinks for a
moment. "That's not exactly what The Restoration did.
They did break the labor unions at the Majestic plants but much of their work
has been towards trying to help people like us,,,,and oh yes, what about their
medical research?"
"Well, the conditions here were not the same as in
Germany. They just adopted basically the same approach and altered it to
meet the circumstances. You know what I think? For all these years,
the world has thought the Nazi movement stopped after the German defeat in
World War II but just look at the blind loyalty and driving nationalism they had
before and even during the entire war. How could that stop overnight,
especially among the dedicated soldiers who had nothing to do with the war
crimes - I mean look at Erwin Rommel. He was respected as much as any
Allied leader. Hell, even Hitler feared his popularity and didn't do a
damn thing when Rommel began a retreat in Africa and defied Hitler's orders to
fight to the last man. Somewhere in the world through all these
generations, I can't help but feel the pride and what was once worthy intents of
the Nazi movement has endured in men's hearts and minds. That hope and
will has secretly existed all these years until the right moment to come
forward, and I believe that moment is now. Somewhere along the way,
they've enlisted a few in the priesthood and purified the ultimate
direction they took in the past and haven't taught hate against anything or
anyone such as the Jews but have made the driving force the restored Church. Instead of using a uniting hate, there're beginning to teach love
and respect for such people as us, and just look at what they just did over
there at that hospital the other day. They've given hope to the
sick. Maybe this time they can really achieve superiority - not a superior
race but a superior country united in a compelling nationalism, love and respect
for one another under an undivided Church and government."
Joe continues to stare at the ships across the harbor and
reaches in his pocket for a cigarette. He takes a long draw and says,
"Maybe someday the Dodgers will come back to Brooklyn."