I have to shamefully admit that my paternal ancestors were from a S***hole country.

[JoeOtterbein]

They fled a country that in the first half of the 1900's killed at least 6 million people because of their race, religious beliefs or any insane reason they could needlessly come up with.

I'm still often brought to my knees in tears thinking of the pain and suffering they wrought upon our fellow humans.

I will remain ashamed of that horrible "heritage" the rest of my life.

In so many ways, we are the children of evil humans.

[MaryMagdaline]

1. The rest of us want to redeem our ancestors

Trump wants to ratify their racism. My ancestors were the victims of religious and cultural bigotry. In coming to the US, they inherited white supremacy, the anihilation of Native Americans, the enslavement of Africans. As tough as my ancestors had it, they were permitted to step on people who were here for centuries before them.

[mia]

2. My ancestor, too.

My maternal grandmother's grandfather was from the Alsace-Lorraine. He and his brother came here alone as teenagers in the mid 1800s.

[gopiscrap]

3. I was born and lived there part time in the 60's

at least by then the national stance was one of repentence

[Drahthaardogs]

4. My ancestors were brought over by Rockefeller

Where he turned them into indentured servants in his coal mine, paid them in scrip only good at his store, and "rented" houses no bigger than a walk in closet. When they rebelled, he murdered them and had four women and nine children burned alive.

He is considered a "great American entrepreneur", but he made his fortune with the blood and sweat of immigrants he exploited.

From Ellis Island...

“I came to America because I heard the streets were paved with gold. When I got here, found out three things: First, the streets weren’t paved with gold; second, they weren’t paved at all: and third, I was expected to pave them.”

[smirkymonkey]

5. Horrible! I think I have heard of this. Do you have a link on this history?

I am so sorry for your ancestors. It is just unforgivable. I will never understand how people can be so evil in the name of greed.

[Drahthaardogs]

6. This was Ludlow

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludlow_Massacre

The start of the Great Coal Wars and one of the reasons some of us have 40 work weeks. These are the roots of Labor and Unionization.

And this is my problem with so many Democrats today. We FORGOT! We took our eye off the ball. These rights were earned with blood, and we take them for granted.

In my heart I believe we will never be whole and realize our potential until we re-embrace Labor. How many threads on DU are about Labor? Strong unions for EVERYONE is the only way to beat the robber barrons.

[smirkymonkey]

7. Oh god, that was horrible! You are right, until labor is strong again we will never

have our country back. The republicans are hell-bent on destroying the working men and women of this country because they know that once they break the strength of the laboring people they have us all beat. We can't let them win.

[pansypoo53219]

8. i do have 1% 'asian'. maybe a crusades connection. that could have been a shithole.

[Raine]

9. Mine were from Norway