They Come Into America Part 2

Ah, the Greeks!!! Is there any other ethnic group who instantly scream a good time?? They drink their drinks, dance their dances, and kiss all those around them. Like the Italians, Greeks are all emotional intensity, be it a fierce fight against a sworn enemy or fierce loving for those they hold so very dear. When Greeks first came to the shores of America, they accounted for a very small percentage of total immigrants. But, they banded together, as was their will, the huddled masses against the cold new world. When they first came here, they were escaping the tyrannical debt of their homeland. The Ottoman Empire left Greece with a huge red ink hole. This made a lack of internal industrialization, therebye, sending many of their people fleeing to the American colonies. There was also the encouragement of the Greek government to send their young men here with the promise of a promising future of riches. Large-scale Greek immigration happened in the late 1880's. In keeping with the proud tradition of the Greek heritage, these men often worked to secure dowries for their women back home. They found jobs in various industries, like textile mills and copper and coal mines. In California, they worked the railroads, throwing down the steel spikes for their future earnings. But, like most immigrants who can barely speak the language and understand the American laws, these men were victimized by the bosses and the corrupt government. After a while of being shafted by local crooks, the Greeks began opening businesses of their own, with shoeshine parlors, candy shops, grocery stores, and, the boon of the Greek community, restaurants. Greek restaurants touched down around the country, as a hungry population sought out the Greek way to eat. While counterman would serve, the cooks in the back would get grease marks all up and down their arms, the medal of hard labor. But, they never complained because the Greek heritage is not to complain but to dig deeper and get your just rewards. These early Greek restaurant owners were helped enormously by local cities passing ordinances banning food sold on the streets. So, the food would move indoors, where lunchtime business became their bread and butter industry. It is not far-fetched to say that the Greeks showed the country how to properly enjoy a restaurant. And, after a hard week was done [they worked seven days a week so there was little down time] the Greek families would go pray to their houses of worship. Always deeply religious, the Greeks built their Trinity houses in order to talk to God. And, the Greek Gods must have approved of them because the Greeks only grew bigger, assimilating into the American way of life better than any other ethnic group that came here. Opa!!!!.......... Jewish Americans fought the battles in life ever since time began, it seems. Rampant Anti-Semitism around the world has driven them from continent to continent, in the endless pursuit to be free of prejudice. Coming to America a couple of hundred years ago was the prime example. Persecution from foreign countries was enough to have many Jews try the new land of the free with the hope that all of the hatred against their ''people'' would stop. And, in some ways it did. Tolerance found them in America. But, also, blind hatred was a shadow that descended on them in this country, as it did from whence they came. Sensing this, the Jews did what they had done for centuries: they fought the oppression as One. Us against Them. And, in fighting this battle, Jews cemented a feeling of pride and dignity that must be admired. In  coming to America, Jews have created networks of benevolent societies, settlement houses, educational facilities, and charitable organizations that aided new Jewish immigrants. This creation of agencies became models for social work that American society emulated, including the suffrage movement of modern women. Jews blossomed in the work force in the early part of the 20th Century, particularly, the garment industry and the law. The labor union was greatly enhanced by the Jewish community leaders that came up through the ranks and took over the union and its negotiations with management. Jews not only came through the Ellis Island experience but also through Galveston, Texas. Branching out from the Deep South to the High North, Jewish businessmen began a stronghold in capitalism in all of the major cities. But, the fine Jewish heritage does not confine the making of money purely from the boardroom. No, Jews, like all cultures, love the taste of a good meal and sharing the food with strangers. It started on the street, as street vendors fostered the pushcart trade. Also, kosher butcher shops, bakeries, and fine restaurants bear their fingerprints of their success with the human palette. They also had grander plans that ran hat-and-hand with their always astounding creative juices. The entertainment industry, from music to, most notably, Hollywood, were built on the Jewish spirit and hutzpah. The pioneers in the movie business, the moguls like Zanuck and Zukor, were Jewish men who proudly wore the Jewish mantle as they gave us movies that we all adore. Since movies have always shaped the public taste and fashion, then it must be noted that Jewish influence on society cannot be underestimated. They still face prejudice, but, they remain as One, the people who march forward, head held high, honor intact.......... ''Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free....'' So says the words on the Statue Of Liberty [a gift from the French, another proud immigrant group who came to America and helped win the Revolutionary War] urging people from far-away lands to come to America. We will take you all, the saying says. We will wipe away your past and all of its hardships. We will help you achieve your dream of dreams in this new land. Yes, it will be tough and you may falter. But, the rewards of America are glorious. It is the hand of God guiding you as no other country in the history of the world has. Millions of people, including, my forefathers and mothers came here for this reason. Yours did also. In today's world, this feeling seems to have been lost. Why? Well, there are many reasons, the prime one is the conscious effort by many internal and external extremists to degrade the greatness and possibilities in this country. They put America down as the Great Satan intent on punishing its people. The shift of the mood of the people in this world is most disheartening and quite disturbing. America, for all of its flaws, is still the country people from other lands dream about in their hearts. In the time of our ancestors coming here, they were looking for a new life that was for the better........ There is a great moment near the beginning of ''The Godfather Part 2'' Immigrants are coming over from Europe. They have crossed over in a rickety ship, full of danger and disease. The trip across the Atlantic was quite deadly, with many perishing along the way. The scene in the movie expresses this fear on the faces of the new arrivals. But, along with the fear comes a proud determination to survive in this strange land. They have HOPE. They will make themselves and their new adopted country a success with their presence......... At no place in this scene--- or from the real-life similar moments from our ancestors------ is there a plan to bomb buildings and create death........