Look Who's Back
By SEAN HANNON

October 21, 2004

150 years ago, a political force rose in America. It was comprised of people extremely fearful of the influx of immigrants. They feared the foreign religion the immigrants practiced and deemed it harmful to America. Their xenophobic platform included “The sending back of all foreign paupers”, “Repeal of all Naturalization Laws”,  and “Death to foreign influences”. To confound their political opponents, these men shrouded themselves in secrecy. Members were advised to answer all questions about their activities with obfuscation by saying they knew nothing. They became known as the Know Nothing movement.

The target in those days were the Irish. The religion that was deemed so dangerous to the republic was Catholicism, and it prompted another plank of the Know Nothings: “War to the hilt, on political Romanism”.

The spirit of the Know Nothings appears to have risen once again, and men of Christian clarity are again forging ahead to purify America. Only this time they are targeting different immigrants and a different religion. They say no one is targeting Islam, or law-abiding muslims, but the hundreds of secret detentions under highly punitive conditions, as well as mass deportations in the middle of the night puts the lie to that empty claim.