Question

Can someone help me figure out who the two people in this cartoon represent? I'll give medals! http://assets.openstudy.com/updates/attachments/50f478c9e4b0694eaccfe0a4-bryannych-1358199527447-pic2.png

Answer 1

I'm pretty sure the man on the right is Teddy Roosevelt. He was known to have viewed the Asians flooding into the Western states with disdain, and the US government passed laws limiting the number of Asian immigrants that could enter the US. The man on the left appears to be just a generic Irishman, and the cartoon overall is concerned that politicians like Roosevelt could turn on them next. It is no secret that the Irish were considered 'non-white' second class citizens by many at this time, that is the early 20th century (1900s).

Answer 2

Forget that, look at the names at the bottom: Fritz and Pat. Its a German on the right and an Irishman on the left. Both faced ill will in early 20th century America.

Answer 3

I didnt even bother to read that lol, I just thought it was a definition of something. So in the picture it seems like the german is trying to come to an agreement on which immigrants should be allowed to come into the US, but the irish man doesn't want to trust the guy because he's turned away. And at the bottom it says if the yankee congress can keep the yellow out, what is to hinder them from calling us green and keeping us out too? That would be my guess

Answer 4

Well we probably don't want to read too much into their body language, but the Irishman is letting the German man lay his hand on his arm, so they are presumably at least somewhat friendly. I would guess it was made by either a German or Irish artist proposing political alliance between the groups to look out for each other in the face of discrimination elsewhere. Note that it was a favorite tactic in those times to try and pit the minorities and immigrants against each other to keep them blind to their real problems, so this could be a reflection of them trying to come to an understanding to rise above that.

You know the saying, "They came for X and I did nothing, they came for Y I did nothing, they came for me and there was no one left to stand up for me"? I think that's sort of the idea here.

Answer 5

That makes much more sense then what I was thinking, lol. I've never heard of that saying, but it's a good one. Thank you so much!

Answer 6

No problem :)