Remembering When the Mormons Invaded Our Open Borders

I am amazed at the thoughts that come to me about immigration. Today, an electric one -- at least exciting to me.
There was a time when immigration wasn't restricted. The borders were open. It wasn't until 1882, with passage of the Chinese Immigration Act, that America decided some people just shouldn't be allowed in, that we needed to say, "Whoa!" and pull in the reins on how many people were coming.
Did we say, that was 1882? And, did we say that was the first time the right to enter the U.S. had been restricted? And, did we say a string of other laws against immigration followed? And did we say what prompted all this legislation -- that from 1870 to 1900, about 12 million people flowed into America?
Oh, and did we say that in the 1870s and 1880s, the bulk of them came from England, Ireland and Germany? Yes, you might recognized some of them, then. Wouldn't that include those coming to join the saints in Utah? Wouldn't it include all these Mormon immigrants coming to America for religious reasons?
Did I mention that this vast wave of immigrants -- from China and Italy and various other countries -- led America to say, Enough is enough. We've had it already. Stop this mass invasion of people entering our country.
Yes, the Mormons were part of that "invasion." They were part of the vast wave of immigrants pouring into America that led to a backlash that saw us bring down the gates on immigration.
Actions bring reactions. The flood of immigration -- of which LDS immigration was a part -- resulted in a counter reaction: Our borders, which had been open, were restricted.
I don't know that there were any ill feelings toward the Mormon immigrants. And, they probably didn't account for a large part of the total immigration. I don't have figures available, but I would guess the LDS migration did not amount to much against a total of 12 million from 1870 to 1900.
It was the Chinese workers and others, perhaps, who drew the wrath of those who brought down the drawbridge on what had been open borders -- not the Mormons. But, should we not feel some kinship of spirit with them? It just as well could have been us -- the Mormons -- who they despised.
And, when we speak of immigrants pouring into our country these days, and of how they are an invasion, why does that differ from the Mormons coming from Scandinavia, and from Germany and from England, and pouring into America in such large quantities? (They might not have been a large part of the total, but they were still a significant number.) Why wasn't that an invasion?
Why is it okay for us to say the LDS migration was okay, and was not an invasion, while we at the same time we are saying what is happening today is an invasion?

Note: Blog revised a little 4?17/18