1 "Trust!" What a powerful word that is. The (mostly) Europeans who migrated to America in the late 19th and first half of the 20th centuries could tell you a lot about that. They were very much mistrusted, probably the more as their native languages differed from English and made it hard for them to learn and speak relatively fluent English.

But considering that they had come here to become Americans, they persevered, worked hard (hard like most of us can't comprehend anymore) and eventually won the natives' (i.e. our) trust. All they wanted was a chance to prove themselves. And we did not make it easy for them, even with the fact that our schools indoctrinated our kids. Yep, they did. I remember reading a lot of stories that, while very well-written -- by authors such as William Saroyan -- were out-and-out propaganda for immigrants. Fine. Whatever it took.

And the new citizens loved this country and earned their place in it. They became shopkeepers, shoemakers, mechanics, musicians, fishermen, soldiers, farmers, plumbers, butchers, whatever. And they went to church and thanked God for their good fortune for being here and not where they had come from.

The one thing they did not become was sponges. Unlike today. In those days an Ilhan Omar would have been ostracized by her community. 'Nuff said. Although there's a lot more to be said -- I have just gotten the call to go to supper.