To the editor:

My wife and I watched PBS’ “Finding Your Roots” recently. Henry Louis Gates Jr. did a genealogical history for comedian Jim Gaffigan and actor Jane Lynch, both of Irish Catholic ancestry. The show pointed out the extreme hate and persecution suffered by early Irish Catholic immigrants who came to this country to secure better living conditions for their families. They were not welcome. Printed papers portrayed them as criminals, thieves and murderers with cartoons that pictured them as stupid monkeys. Job offers stated “Irish need not apply” and Irish settled for dangerous jobs that Americans would not do, such as coal mining.

We started thinking, that really sounds familiar, doesn’t it? These portrayals are the same that Donald Trump and his racist followers applied to Mexican immigrants also fleeing harsh conditions to get work and support their families. The majority of these immigrants, like the Irish, are peaceful and looking to start a new life. They are, like the Irish, doing jobs Americans don’t want to do, such as roofing, agricultural work, etc. Isn’t it interesting how history repeats itself? People act with ignorance and lack of tolerance and continue to fear newcomers who are different from themselves. It would be nice if people could learn from history and not continue to repeat the same mistakes.

Craig Tucker,

Lawrence