Washington on Tolerance

Okay, all of you fright wingers out there - you "strict constructionists" who would have us honor and obey the intentions of the "Founding Fathers" (even though we know that's a load of crap - you're just as willing to ditch the Founding Fathers when it serves your bigoted, self-serving interests.) Here's what the Father of Our Country would have said about the current immigration buzz:

The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for giving to Mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support…

May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid. May the father of all mercies scatter light and not darkness in our paths, and make us all in our several vocations useful here, and in his own due time and way everlastingly happy.

–George Washington, Letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, Aug. 18, 1790 in: The Writings of George Washington, p. 766-67.

Thanks to the "Harper's Index" online for this quote today. Harper's seems to trust that anyone reading this piece should be able to understand the nuance. However, I don't believe that people can get a refined and elegant point such as this without having it slammed into their cranium, so I gave you a little more detail.