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No, I didn't mean the cream of the crop as in upper class,
etc. but those of any class who had the spirit, the vision to reach out
and grasp the opportunity as so many did from the poorer levels. I
don't equate these qualities with any class. But people don't just get
swept up automatically by events, they still have to make that choice, stay or
go. Of course the kids and wife went automatically...most of the
time. Probably there were some women who wouldn't leave their birth
families, expecially if the husband were a tyrant and now she would be far from
a support group. Lots of things to consider. It was a big
step. But even if they were on the poverty level, they gave us in
the next generation men like Alexander Hamilton, etc. (he is on my mind
because we just saw a PBS show about him) that gave such an impetus to our
nation.
Laurel
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2000 1:46
PM
Subject: Re: A Dance called America
Juli - I agree with you about the
'excess' of Scotland, indeed the whole of Britain and Europe, who got
exported. In most cases it wasn't the 'cream of the crop' who rose to
the top who immigrated, but the dispossessed and lower classes who had
fallen through the cracks and had no other option but to be swept along in the
tide of immigration to the new colonies or the 'new world'.
But aren't we glad that they did and that
some of them survived so we can be here today!
Regards
Judith Harper
New Zealand
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, 23 February, 2000 3:07
AM
Subject: RE: A Dance called
America
Funnily enough
Laurel, many of those that were "left behind" had such deep connections with
the land that they actually believed it was the excess population that
was shoved off and pushed out: Just as any abundance in natural
resources is exported. And I'm not sure it was always the best of the
crop that was bundled up and sent to market.
Juli
Sinclair,
I was just talking to Don about the
phenomena of the Scott's mark on history this morning. I
believe that this can be seen among the Jews that escaped from Germany and
all the other places before that. I read that the descendants of
these Jews became a remarkable race through the selection
process. Those that were smartest and had that spirit of
preservation got out of Germany right away thus preserving very
intelligent people.
Could the same be said for the
Scotts? Those that were smarter and strongest were the ones that
survived the British, etc. by snatching up whatever opportunity came
to leave and make their mark in life. This would have drained much
from the genetic pool of Scotland perhaps.
As ever,
Laurel
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