1883: Emma Lazarus publishes “The New Colossus”
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
MOTHER OF EXILES. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
1886: Statue of Liberty National Monument opens.
Since the 1850’s and continuing to today, approximately 10% of the U.S. Population has been foreign born.
1903: Lazarus’ “New Colossus” is affixed to Statue of Liberty’s pedestal.
Friday, January 27, 2017:
President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 13769 immediately banning foreign nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries from visiting the country for 90 days, immediately suspending entry to the country of all Syrian refugees indefinitely, and immediately prohibiting any other refugees from coming into the country for 120 days.
February 2017: Matthew Fleming writes “The New B’hemoth”
Oh, Mother of Exiles, how we have strayed from the path of Liberty your enlightened high hand has shown these many years! If now we turn our back the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free your beacon-hand, once a light to the world and worthy of devotion, will forever be seen with righteous revulsion should this humane nation survive these trials.
Oh, Liberty Enlightening the World, no longer will the nations speak your name if we fail in our great ambition. Your skin, like our young Republic, is green and frail - just two pennies thick - but lasted this past century and more.
Oh, Lady Liberty, if we give way to Phobos and let Ares reign, when we cross the Styx we shall surely drown in the Acheron or Cocytus! If this comes to pass weep not for me, but for the country we once sought it could be. Once beloved, envied, a light upon the mountain top! Once feared by tyrants, today we seem to have allowed one to lord over us; given a bully the bully pulpit.
Take back, Kallstadt, the young, storied Trump or set him to sail with the ignoble bin Laden! For if Charity and Civility are no longer virtues in my homeland, I know not where I live, and Cape Breton’s call becomes the sweeter!
Resilient and resourceful resistance is needed to rescue us from ourselves. Please let the aureole of your golden torch once again beacon to that wretched refuse which has built this great nation; to that homeless tempest-toss which has been sent to us; send us a sign and keep alive our ideal. For who our we if we no longer believe equality of opportunity is available to all? If we don’t see allowing so is the soil of highest of aspirations and its fruits are true greatness achieved?