Not Fit for Our Society: Immigration and Nativism in America - History Book on US Immigration Policies & Cultural Conflicts - Perfect for Students, Historians & Policy Researchers

Peter Schrag has produced an outstanding book, written for the general public (absent of technical jargon), on the history of immigration and immigration policy throughout American history - from the colonial era to the 21st century. Schrag is a former editor of the Sacramento Bee, and he has a history of covering immigration issues within California and the nation as a whole. The central basis of Schrag's book is that although the United States boasts an ethos as a "nation of immigrants," the basic reality is that the American public has never really liked immigrants - be they the Germans in Pennsylvania, the Irish in Massachusetts, the Jews and Italians in New York, the Chinese in California, or the Mexicans in Texas. Schrag notes that the arguments raised against immigrants have remained the same throughout the entire history of the U.S., regardless of the particular immigrant group in questions. Immigrants have always been accused of 1) not wanting to learn English or acculturate, 2) stealing jobs from U.S.-born workers, 3) preferring handouts and laziness to hard work (ironic, given the nature of the previous point), 4) changing the racial/ethnic composition of the country. Also, it is not until a few generations later, after an ethnic group has been firmly established in the U.S., that that group is viewed nostalgically as a "good" immigrant group [for example, the Irish Catholics were despised upon their initial arrival on U.S. shores in the days just before the Civil War...but today, the Irish are often praised and contrasted with Mexican or Cuban newcomers).Schrag is indeed a progressive/liberal, but this book is not a mere invoking of cliches and emotional appeals. The previous reviewer who made such a claim clearly did NOT read the book. Schrag claims that the country cannot allow uncontrolled immigration, and he criticizes liberals for turning the public further against legal and illegal immigrants by advocating welfare, affirmative action, and other entitlement programs.I had the privilege of meeting Peter Schrag at an immigration conference in San Jose, California in October 2010 shortly after this book was published. He is extremely knowledgeable on the subject and is a very engaging and kind man.This book is definitely a good read, and I would recommend it for teachers/professors of U.S. History or Ethnic/Immigration studies.