WE ALL HAD IT ROUGH IN THE BEGINNING

http://www.italiamerica.org/id104.htm ^

[cyborg]

There's an old adage about Italian immigrants that's not far from the truth. It goes something like this:

They soon discovered that not only were the streets not paved with gold; but, that they were expected to pave them.

I will forever remain in awe and so proud of the courage, determination, sacrifices and just plain old fashioned hard work of our immigrant ancestors. Those courageous, determined heroes who came to a strange world without knowledge of the language and in most cases, with very little money. Not only did they survive, in spite of enormous prejuduce, but they prospered! A testament to their great strength of character

The following are excerpts, in part, from a 1902 edition of "The Worlds Work"

[cyborg]

I was shaking the proverbial family tree online and found this article. You know those stories your parents tell you about how hard they had it? Sometimes I didn't believe them till I read articles like this. When my father told me that my grandpa really did come here with a penny, a piece of bread and a sausage I sometimes wondered. Would you learn that Europeans suffered in school? Probably not. We were all slaves, and servants. I mean EVERYONE.

I hope I don't depress everyone with this article. It's better than reading about Iraq, Elizabeth Smart, etc. I just am making a point about survival in this country.

[Black Agnes]

ping.

[Motherhood IS a career]

Thanks. Nice reminder to us all.

You know those stories your parents tell you about how hard they had it? Sometimes I didn't believe them till I read articles like this.

I believed them. I saw it with my own eyes. My parents were immigrants and I was only 11 at the time we came to this country. I guess that makes me an immigrant too, but my parents are the ones who deserve all the credit.

They came here without knowing the language and without knowing anyone. Just a few posessions -- a few suitcases, a couple of hundred dollars (their life savings), a dream, and the ambition to make it come true. And they did.

And that's why I have little tolerance for those who constantly whine about their lack of opportunity in this country. Opportunity is everywhere. Some people just refuse to see it, because opportunity usually means you'll have to do some work.

[thepizzalady]

Not only was I not depressed, but you brought back some wonderful memories of my Grandparents who immigrated from the most southern (Cicily) and in less than 9 years bought a beautiful Victorian house in the better part of town from a bank v.president. By-the-way they started out as street vendors. :) Thanks

[Coleus]

`

[cyborg]

My father's family was from Catania, Sicily. Hey what is it with being street vendors?! My grandma sold vegetables and drygoods. My grandpa was a stone mason.

Glad I helped bring back some good memories!

[cyborg]

I agree with you, esp. about people not seeing opportunity. Way back when I have to say I didn't love America the way I do now. I think it's because I hung around people who encouraged my bitterness. Now whenever I get cranky about America I just remember 9-11. Didn't that day change everyone's life? Anyway, I think it's good to remember one's life, esp. if you had it hard in the beginning. The key is to remember without bitterness and not attack other people groups.

[thepizzalady]

I recently came across my Grandfathers passport. Unfortunately I can't read Italian and the script is difficult to decipher. Alas, most of my relatives are gone. Worked hard, died young.

[thepizzalady]

I just re-read your reply and realised I had relatives whose last name was Catania. Often upon arrival at Ellis Island, people's village of origin were mistakenly entered as their last name. We might be related. They lived in Utica, NY

[cyborg]

My father's name was Giuseppe Fichera. I looked on the Ellis Island website and there were LOTS of Ficheras coming through. You are right about the last name. I know it's just a movie, but it's how Don Corleone got his name I think..lol How many immigrants have different last names because the immigration official didn't understand them?
I don't believe my mother passed through Ellis Island. She came here in the early sixties.

[nopardons]

Please do NOT paint with such a broad brush. It's like saying that EVERYONE had no job, during the GREAT DEPRESSION. Not EVERYONE'S ancestors were " slaves' or " servants ". Some had extremely difficult lives ; others didn't. Some had to live through terrible bias; some escaped much of it.

Life isn't a " bowl of cherries " for ANYONE ; however, some have it easier than others. That's always been and shall always be the case.

[thepizzalady]

Family name Piazza, hence the Screen name

[cyborg]

That wasn't my intention at all. My father's family worked through the depression, and my mother's mother was never a slave in the West Indies. I posted the article to point out that other people groups had it hard also. Here in New York (early 1900s through the Harlem Revival to the early 60s)lots of black people lived in better conditions than all the ethnic europeans like my father, who were rounded up in slummy ghettos.

[nopardons]

Pssssssssst ... Harlem, prior to the " Harlem Revival ", was a mixed ethnic community, of upper middle class whites , who were " RED LINED " and left. How do I know this for certain ? Because my great grandparents and their children lived there then.By the '40s, much of Harlem had been turned into a slum; not quite as bad as it later became, but still NOT " nice " ! Harlem was a GHETTO, in the true sense of that word and was made so, by its own inhabitants ! That includes SUGAR HILL, where the VERY rich blacks have and still do live . So much for your erronious posts.

You're STILL painting with far to broad a brush, about things, that you don't know very much about.

Have new immigrants , by and large, had it difficult, here, when they first arrived on these shores ? Yes ... as far back as the first colonists !

[cyborg]

Maybe I should have ignored you and the bug up your ass. Thanks for screwing up what could have turned out to be a positive thread. Go away if you don't something more positive say you sermonizing wet blanket.

[Rollee]

For what it's worth, cyborg, I got what you said, and I am sure many others did, too. Everyday I thank the dear Lord that my parents were able to immigrate here.

[cyborg]

I am glad you understand. Seeing as how I hate people stereotyping me for one reason or another, or 'painting with a broad brush', I try not to. You are not alone in thanking your parents. Most of the time I am glad I was born in the right time in the right place. Sometimes I get a little self pity-ish, but I remember that I'm here. My parents came here to America, here in the latter half of the last century, and had me. Right time too. I am not sure how I would have managed at any other time. I'm happy God put me here now.

[nopardons]

tsk, tsk, tsk ... dear. Calm down. You can't keep posting erronious drivel, not on FR, and expect it to NOT be called on. I'm no " wet blanket " at all; I just refuse to allow YOU to get away with posting such silly, inacurate detrious. If you can't do better, then just post the article and don't add anything to it. You and YOU alone, are the one who " spoiled " this thread. Oh, and YOU have absolutely NO power to tell anyone who may and may not post to a thread. Got that ?

[nopardons]

And, newbie, be careful what you post to FR. It is NOT acceptable to act as though YOU run the show here, kiddo. :-)

[cyborg]

Okay you win... what ever you say. I will just let your words speak for itself against what I posted okay?