Trump continues to demonize journalists as enemies of the people and paint immigrants as invaders. He should be careful.
History shows that such tactics can backfire. bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
History shows that such tactics can backfire. bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
In the 1790s, President John Adams mounted an assault on immigration and the freedom of the press as a way to maintain his supremacy. Sound familiar? bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
The Federalist Party’s attacks focused on French and Irish migrants. Why?
These newcomers gravitated toward the political opposition: Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans Party bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
These newcomers gravitated toward the political opposition: Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans Party bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
🗓️ 1790s: For every reputable immigrant, “we receive three or four discontented, factious men … the convicts, fugitives of justice, hirelings of France" -- Noah Webster
🗓️ 2018: Haiti and African nations are "shithole countries" -- Donald J. Trump bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
🗓️ 2018: Haiti and African nations are "shithole countries" -- Donald J. Trump bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
How did Federalists make life more difficult for immigrants?
- Amended the Naturalization Act
- Forced new arrivals to wait 14 years to apply for citizenship
- Passed the Alien Acts, which allowed the president to imprison and deport foreigners bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
- Amended the Naturalization Act
- Forced new arrivals to wait 14 years to apply for citizenship
- Passed the Alien Acts, which allowed the president to imprison and deport foreigners bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
Federalists, like today’s Republicans, had little faith in their ability to maintain their grip on power. That's why they attacked newspapers.
It was a strange target: Three-quarters of the nation’s publications in 1795 had a Federalist bias bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
It was a strange target: Three-quarters of the nation’s publications in 1795 had a Federalist bias bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
The more vocal Federalist papers rivaled Fox News, describing the Democratic Republicans as “frog-eating, man-eating, blood-drinking cannibals.”
That insult makes Sean Hannity look like a measured and respectable journalist. bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
That insult makes Sean Hannity look like a measured and respectable journalist. bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
In 1798, the Federalists passed the Sedition Act, which made uttering "false scandalous and malicious writing" about the government a crime:
- Publishers were arrested
- 30 people were prosecuted
- The number of opposition papers soared bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
- Publishers were arrested
- 30 people were prosecuted
- The number of opposition papers soared bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
At the height of its power, when the Federalist Party controlled virtually everything in the country, they unnecessarily and viciously targeted both immigrants and the press.
The disastrous outcome should give today’s Republicans food for thought bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
The disastrous outcome should give today’s Republicans food for thought bloom.bg/2DCW6tf
