@Bugzbunny129
You harped on the OP lumping Germans in with groups that arrived (simultaneously and) later than their last waves.
But I think you simplified the dynamics behind the categorizations.
I agree with your point about the legacy Catholic vs Protestant conflicts and atrocities in Europe spilling over to the U.S.
But what role do you think scientific racism played in this?
Was used to justify slavery, then colonialism, and fragmenting ethnic/national origin hierarchies among Europeans.
Promoted widely in mid to late 19th century /early 20th century. Which is roughly the era of mass Irish, Jewish, and Italian migration into the country
At the time, a lot. But look at the countries responsible for that talk. England. Germany. United states. All the main intellectuals of the time that spread that talk are from those countries. wasp nations. England controlled the world when that spread. When the catholics and previous romans controlled the world, the germans and english were the barbarians and lesser peoples and im sure if you look it up theyll have justification as well in their sciences of the time.
A lot of people in here are looking at this as “black vs white” simple terms using american propaganda in the media. Italians and irish were always white.. They were just the “white trash” of their gen to other richer ones. And jm sure they said the same about poorer wasps.
Tell an italian from nyc area he aint white. Let him go down south theyll call him a jew. most of the south was settled by wasp scot/irish n english in 1700s with a bunch of germans french dutch. French and spanish had heavy mix of blood from arabs/moors/etc… but they had actual power snd strongholds on continent. Hence white. The others didnt. Not “white”
The catholic irish were brought over as indentured servants in 1700s. All that was an excuse to use them as slaves. They only freed them because the indentured servants in america teamed up with black slaves and took over settlements in carolinas i believe…
And it was decreed due to that, to stop the slave rebellion to keep the blacks in check, that they will no along allow WHITE indentured servitude. So OF COURSE they knew they were white the entire time… it literally became law. So the whole idea is actually revisionist bullshyt using documents from media and intellectuals/eugenics.
In 1800s the midwest was filled with middle europe that came in giant waves, catholic irish, italians, polish were just seen as lesser because they poor immigrants starting fresh living in squalor who “served their pope”. Poles are considered slavs … (which is what the word slave even comes from) but in germany theyre considered indo german. Poland was conquered several times and others profited and justified the continued abuse so now they slavs and lesser than other western whites because of russian taint. Everythings a matter of degree and opinion. But theyre all “white”.
Today you see white south americans, mexicans, etc. to blacks theyre white. To pure euro whites, not white enough. Until they are.
Pure tribalism. Justification for colonialism. Making it ok by “civilizing the savage”. When they once were the savage themselves.