This archive report was first published on 6 July 2019.
On July 3, 1790, George Washington wrote a letter to a Jewish congregation in New York, celebrating the country's commitment to religious tolerance and diversity. He praised the American people for setting an example of 'an enlarged and liberal policy' that welcomed people of all faiths.
Thomas Jefferson shared similar sentiments, envisioning a country where 'the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and the Mahometan, the Hindoo, and infidel of every denomination' could live together in harmony.
Fast forward to today, and it's clear that the Republican Party has abandoned these founding principles. They would likely support a government that restricts free speech and merges church and state.
Another founder, Alexander Hamilton, would also be out of place in today's Republican Party. He believed in the importance of due process and the rule of law, values that are now often disregarded by the party's 'lock her up' crowd.
Hamilton also believed that immigrants were a source of greatness and renewal, a view shared by a majority of Americans. However, the modern-day Republican Party has turned its back on this sentiment, with less than 40% of Republicans believing that immigrants are a benefit to the country.
Ignorance may be a factor, as a plurality of Republicans believe that most immigrants are in the country illegally, despite the fact that 77% of immigrants are actually legal residents.
Donald Trump's comparison of himself to Abraham Lincoln is laughable, given the latter's strong stance against anti-immigrant groups like the Know Nothings. Lincoln famously said, 'I am not a Know-Nothing. That is certain. How could I be?' He also warned that if the Know Nothings took control, the country would read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and catholics.'
Today's Know-Nothings, however, are the pink-faced mobs calling for a wall at Trump rallies. They are the architects of a government policy that puts children in filthy cages and forces them to drink fetid water, all while laughing at the cruelty.
