Diverse group fought for America, not just whites

On a recent TV cable show, a civilian border anti-immigrationist in Arizona stated that this country was founded by white people with guns.

This is only partially true. At the Boston Massacre a person of mixed race may have been the first patriot to be killed by the British. At Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill three black men fought with the white revolutionaries beginning the Revolutionary War. It is estimated that about 5,000 black soldiers fought against the British Redcoats, although as many as 20,000 battled with the British soldiers. The main source of arms for the Continental Army were Jewish merchants from the Dutch Caribbean islands. The anti-immigrationist was also wrong because beside guns, the American Revolutionaries needed money to pay the soldiers and to feed them. For the final battle of the Revolutionary War, credit was impossible to get. A Jewish financier, Hayim Solomon, raised the funds needed to win the Battle of Yorktown. Also, the Cuban women of Havana raised funds for Washington's army to win at Yorktown as well. Our country was founded by people of all kinds of diverse backgrounds, from white to black and Hispanic and not just through guns, but also through patriotism and, yes, even money and the ideal of freedom for all.

Stewart Brekke

Downers Grove