If we are immigrants because someone in our family immigrated here, aren't Native Americans immigrants too?

Question

So, somewhere along the line someone in my family immigrated here...therefore (some) people say that I am an immigrant.

Wouldn't that make Native Americans immigrants too? If you know ANYTHING about anthropology, you would know that (while there are different theories on how they got here) they immigrated here as well.

There is the Clovis Theory stating that they came over the "land bridge" of the Bering Strait....but there are also Pre-Clovis artifacts that date prior to that...(here are some links to get you started)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2002/columbustrans.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clovis_culture

http://www.preclovis.com/

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_701509129_5/First_Americans.html

So, if Native Americans are immigrants too...how are they ANY different than anyone else that is here?

OR...is this just a pick and choose the dates that you would like???

Answer 1

You hit it. It's pick and choose whatever supports your side.
Pro-Illegal supporters use it to deflect from the fact they don't have a valid argument to begin with. All they can "attack" are the side issues with vaporous "facts". It's all smoke and mirrors from that side.

Answer 2

I agree with you. Every single person in the U.S. is an immigrant or a descendant of immigrants.

Quick fact, even in Japan, there are the so called "natives" on the northern islands. Genetically they are of Mongolian/European descent. See the website below. They look like Native Americans. Perhaps there may be a link between the Ainus and the Native Americans? Ainu Language: various theories of the origin and relationship of Ainu with other languages including Native American and Pacific Rim languages.

Answer 3

Whites came to these shores 500 years ago (Spanish)

The Tlapacoya site in central Mexico , With bones , hearth. middens and curved obsidian blade, all dated to over 21,700 years BP.

the Big Eddy Site, in southwestern Missouri ,of pre Clovis artifacts ,had 5 different samples have been AMS dated to between 11,300 PB to 12,675 BP.

The oldest human skull found in America, Luzia was found in Brazil: confirm to be 11,000 years old .

Mitochondrial DNA of the First Nations/Native Americans suggests that the people of the New World May have diverged genetically from Siberians as early as 20,000 years ago.


They Are Natives to this land (20,000) years is a long, long time

Now I guess you want to go back to humanities birthplace in Africa?

Answer 4

Being an immigrant into a country doesn't account for anything before a few generations, I think. If you were to get that picky about the definition of being an imigrant EVERYONE in the entire world would be an immigrant except that one region in Africa where they believe humans first came into being.

Answer 5

If you are born in a certain country you are not an immigrant. Your parents may have been, if they moved from their country of origin and became citizens of another.
All our ancestors came from other places if you go back far enough in time and that would make everyone immigrants which obviously is not the case.

Answer 6

good point.

I hate it when the pro-illegals spout their statements about how we are all immigrants. Sorry, my ANCESTORS were LEGAL immigrants. My mother was a legal immigrant. I am NOT an immigrant because I was born here.

The illegals are just that, ILLEGAL!

EDIT: Hey "snork" based on your statement then many of our ancestors wouldn't be considered immigrants since they were here before America was a country. HUM?! I would still consider my great, great, great .... grandparents immigrants. Some were part of the original Minutemen!

Answer 7

As far as people claiming we all came from Africa they really should study more anthropology. It all depends on when you say modern man started. There are 2 theories the out of Africa theory and the multiregional theory. Early forms of man started in Africa the debate is over if we should count them or only homo sapiens.

Answer 8

Ultimately, this question is irrelevant. Who was here before Anglo-Americans has no bearing whatsoever on contemporary immigration policy. The fact is, the country was founded by our forefathers and we are its rightful inheritors; therefore, we reserve the right to decide immigration policy, not illegal invaders from Mexico.

Answer 9

your right. they to would be immigrants. the mexicans from mexico are only grasping. they try to fit in with the native American. they see it is not working, eventually they will become more violent then what they already are. all i can say is you and i are not immigrants. illegals are illegals. at least our ancestors payed to come here legally and became Americans by working and building this country. illegals don't have any roots to this country.

Answer 10

If you want to go off that definition then the only place any of us are native would be Africa. It's silly to argue this point because ultimately it doesn't matter where they came from originally but that they were here first.

Answer 11

operative word 'THEORY' which is just a fancy word for "I dunno" or "OPINION"

all links written by and FOR euromutts. Where's the Indian link that says anything about this?
and anyone that uses wiki as PROOF, even after all the hooplah is just plain moronic.

Ever notice their theories conveniently NEVER say MAYBE some walked out from HERE and WENT to Asia?? or Russia??

so go ahead and follow blindly, don't question, don't ask. . . don't LEARN