In 1880-1920 some 1,5 million Swedes emigrated to the USA due to extreme poverty in the homeland. My grandfather was one of them. We soon became one of the dominating etnic groups in many american cities. In Chicago I think we were outnumbered only by the italians, poles, germans and the irish. We had our own enclaves. Cabrini Green was 140 years ago Swedetown, before it became Little Sicily and then the housing project which is now demolished.

In 1920 we were well over 120 thousand only in Chicago, first and second generation. We didnt fit well with many etnic groups, for example the italians. We didnt accept the american churches. We built over 40 only in Chicago. When the "dark people" came (the sicilians) we moved further north and established us in Anderssonville and Lakeview and places like that. Swedish enclaves. Many of us worked hard and were legit people. Others were not. Some didnt bother to learn english and at one time in history you could stroll down Chicago Avenue only to hear various Swedish dialects. I know for a fact that the americans at different places in history hated both the irish and the italians and looked upon them as lowlifes. Sure they did the same with us Swedes. We were the immigrants, the ones unwilling to adopt. And now 100 + years later, what is the scary heritage of us Swedes? Maybe some blue and yellow watertowers on the northside and some senile old fucks remminising about something they never quite been: Swedish. The Swedes are now american cause their kids and grandkids were eventually absored by the american culture.

But I guess its another story with "the arabs". Or not.