Of The New Colossus and Hollow Words

Posted on September 4, 2015 by toritto

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Emma Lazarus

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Embedded image permalink

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What Doth Lady Liberty Wear ‘Neath Her Titanic Copper Skirts?

https://twitter.com/AfjolUddin/status/639107957750394880/photo/1?ref_src=twsrctfw

About toritto

I was born during year four of the reign of Emperor Tiberius Claudius on the outskirts of the empire in Brooklyn. I married my high school sweetheart, the girl I took to the prom and we were together for forty years until her passing in 2004. We had four kids together and buried two together. I had a successful career in Corporate America (never got rich but made a living) and traveled the world. I am currently retired in the Tampa Bay metro area and live alone. One of my daughters is close by and one within a morning’s drive. They call their pops everyday. I try to write poetry (not very well), and about family. Occasionally I will try a historical piece relating to politics. :-)
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7 Responses to Of The New Colossus and Hollow Words

  1. jfwknifton says:
    September 4, 2015 at 15:00

    Why can’t other countries do their bit to help, though? Russia? China? Japan? Last year they didn’t take a hundred refugees between them. The USA and Western Europe can’t solve all the world’s problems on their own. We need to be a united world and then we will start to make real progress.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • toritto says:
      September 4, 2015 at 15:19

      JFW – Unfortunately I cannot speak for Russia, China or Japan. Let those who live there speak for them. I can only speak for my own country. They have not memorialized the words on a statue of liberty. Regards.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply
    • Norman Pilon says:
      September 6, 2015 at 17:16

      One might also add that the USA and Western Europe are themselves the root cause of the problem, eh. Something about wanting to re-draw the map of the Middle East and knocking ‘rogue’ regimes into line. But the poor old USA and its European vassals can’t solve all the world’s problems, They can, however, cause the greater part of them.

      Like

      Reply
  2. jmsabbagh says:
    September 4, 2015 at 17:04

    Profoundly great portrait of our time..Jalal

    Like

    Reply
  3. ShelbyCourtland says:
    September 4, 2015 at 20:55

    But now, the donations are pouring in, AFTER the fact. Too little, too late, in my opinion.

    Thanks for posting this ‘Wake up’ call, toritto!

    Like

    Reply
  4. sojourner says:
    September 5, 2015 at 10:16

    Reblogged this on An Outsider's Sojourn II and commented:
    Hey, Mr and Ms Exceptional Merica, whatever happened to this?

    “Give me your tired, your poor,
    Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
    The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
    Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
    I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

    Like

    Reply
  5. beetleypete says:
    September 13, 2015 at 13:33

    I hadn’t see this photo until now.
    It is somewhat ironic, given their history, that the Germans are now taking the greatest share of the refugees who make it to Europe. Powerful stuff indeed, Frank.
    Best wishes, Pete.

    Like

    Reply

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