2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1 discussion

Mrs. Ellsworth expressed disdain about Italian immigrants, even though at one time she was one. Why do you think the same attitudes prevail today?

The only thing I can imagine is that, once someone fits into their new culture, they would fear the prejudice they once felt returning again.

I have learned that I was blissfully unaware of prejudices against even the Irish (my maiden name is McAfee) in this country. Can you tell that history is not my strong suite? I did not hear this from my father's family, either, so they didn't know or didn't care to repeat any such stories to the next generations.

When I lived in New York many years ago, it was so clear to me how it wasn’t a “melting pot” as it was often referenced. It was culturally segregated and each ethnicity stereotyped. Those that had once lived in the ghettos and moved out now looked down on the new residents of poverty. It’s a fascinating sociology study where you’d think there’d be more empathy but what you find is a struggle to not be the one on the bottom.

Charlene wrote: "I have learned that I was blissfully unaware of prejudices against even the Irish (my maiden name is McAfee) in this country. Can you tell that history is not my strong suite? I did not hear this from my father's family, either, so they didn't know or didn't care to repeat any such stories to the next generations. "

Oh, the Irish were once considered on the same level as Blacks in America at the turn of the century, often depicted as apes in political cartoons. I wasn't aware of this at all either until I read another historical mystery book, The Gods of Gotham.

You can get a bit of the historical prejudice here: https://www.history.com/news/when-ame...

Many of the fears about the Irish immigrants are echoed today about other immigrant groups. Some things never change.

Prejudices have and unfortunately always will exist. As much as society today wants to believe it is enlightened, it isn't. This is clear from the way immigrants and refugees are treated all over the world to this day.

What troubled me the most is the fact that the Irish, who were treated so badly, could turn around and discriminate against the Italians. The point is made that they too wanted to feel superior over someone.