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Entry: Race, Nationalism, and Patriotism, Part I: Race Link: http://www.takimag.com/blogs/article/race_nationalism_and_patriotism_part_i_race#15521 Post contents: Mr. Richert writes, "The idea of a “white racial consciousness” that encompasses all white Europeans is alien to their [Founding Fathers'] thought." Yet we see that a 1790 act of Congress specified: "That any alien, being a free white person, who shall have resided within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the United States for the term of two years, may be admitted to become a citizen thereof..." That's not to say that differences among Europeans didn't count, but only to note that citizenship in this country was originally to be limited to whites. Evidently our Founding Fathers DID attach considerable weight to that category (although many would have liked to restrict citizenship further to WASPs, as you note). Sent at: 2008 10 07