The Importance of Getting History Right

It is important to completely understand the situation of Chinese immigration in the early twentieth century, because this led America to almost completely close its borders to fleeing European refugees during the second World War. Americans blamed the Chinese for their crime, the unsanitary conditions of their city, and their lack of available jobs. Since the Chinese worked for less money, they were offered jobs instead of Americans and Americans felt that the Chinese were only in the country to steal their money. This led to a portrayal of immigrants as gross, inhumane groups that came to benefit themselves and destroy Americans. Because of the anti-Chinese propaganda, immigrants as a whole began to look dangerous, and therefore a limited amount were allowed in the country. Immigration dropped by 8,000,000 from the beginning of the century to the 1930s and fleeing Europeans failed to find a safe home during World War II. Many of the deaths that took place in the second world war could have been avoided if the victims were given access to America. We are in the same situation today. We have anti-Islamic propaganda going around the world and country. We are in fear of the Syrian refugees terrorizing our country, as the Americans in the twentieth century feared the Chinese would take all of their money. We cannot be the cause of the tragedies that may happen to these Syrian refugees because of fear. We must close our eyes to propaganda and see the bigger picture. The refugees need our help, much like they did only a few decades ago.