You are so right- there was recently a program on American PBS about the history of New York. 

It was amazing detailing the arrival of the different ethnic groups and how they became the whipping posts. The Irish, The Italians, The Jews, The Puerto Rico's ... they all were abused upon their arrival. You would think we would learn from this but apparently we can't seem to comprehend that. I remember the outcry about the Vietnamese coming here after the war in Vietnam. There were people moaning and groaning that we shouldn't let them in too. Pathetic when you think about it give the tools we have today to learn.