STOWE – After what officials are calling a “thorough citizenship examination” of the prominent Von Trapp family who emigrated to Vermont after fleeing the Nazis during World War II, the Trump administration has ordered ICE to round up the descendants of Georg and Maria Von Trapp and return them to Austria immediately. Many of the grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren of the beloved couple have never been to Austria and do not speak the language there, but White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that “they should have thought of that before their ancestors came to this country illegally.”
The story of the Von Trapps was famously recorded in the popular musical and film “The Sound of Music,” which won five academy awards, including Best Picture, and many Americans are jumping to the defense of the musical family. “This is horrific,” said Ray Meefa, who works at the Von Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe. “These are white people! They’re almost Norwegian for God’s sake! Why would they come after hardworking white Americans who are not poor? It makes me question this country’s values, but maybe I didn’t know who we were as a nation after all.”
The Trump administration has stated that if the family can come up with signed documentation from the Nazi party that shows the family was legally able to travel to the U.S. back in 1938, they are welcome to reapply for citizenship.
Let’s not forget one of Vermont’s greatest Governor’s, Madelaine Kunin who immigrated as a little girl with her family to the U.S., about the same time as the Von Trapp’s. The Stowe singers likely to be allowed to stay as they came from Austria, home of tRumps 2nd cousin Adolf, where Madelaine was a Swiss immigrant, likely one of donnie boys shithole countries, because of their peaceful neutral stance during WW II.
Really this is getting out of hand. This family has been here this long and Rupert delivered many on my town as well as our family doctor.
You do realize this is satire…
My family were required to return to Europe after their original work visa expired and then had to re-apply and travel back again across the Atlantic Ocean and come through Ellis Island like every other immigrant fleeing Nazi oppression who were not rounded up and killed in the concentration camps. History up folks! Immigration from other countries in the world to the US is not new. What is new is the situation where folks arrive at and cross international borders and expect to be treated like US citizens without going through the current version of Ellis Island. The Statue of Liberty and all she stands for was not intended to be a green light beacon for all those willing to risk their lives and those of their children to attain a better life with their first act of being breaking the immigration laws of the country they desperately want to become a part of. No body blames them for wanting that, who wouldn’t. But even the von Trapp Family had to do it according to the rules. Immigration is not new, they way the existing system has been ignored, unenforced and taken advantage of is. As Americans , we would no more be able to self-immigrate to a foreign country just by showing up at the border and asking to be admitted without due process than others who do ours. Yes, we were all born into this country and way of life and that can be considered a stroke of dumb luck. But the truth is , our for-bearers were just as desperate as the immigrants of today but they just had more respect for what the USA stands for and were willing to go through the process to prove their resolve to be accepted into this country. I suggest others do the same.
Love your explanation. Thanks for explaining it for anyone who wants to read it.
Well said Chris! If you come into the U.S. do it legally!
Good for you. Many of the Jews who journeyed across the ocean to flee Nazi death camps were turned away from our country. We have a history of slavery and internment. Many of those seeking asylum today are fleeing gangs and drug lords who murder anyone anytime. The US helped create this situation in Central America. You read history, Mr.von Trapp.
(Oh and PS, you were a white guy)
“I’m on board, so pull up the ladder.”
How soon we forget, eh Chris?
I don’t know if you’re really Georg’s son, but he would not have appreciated the assumption that so many people are trying to break the law to come here, nor the kneejerk chance to blame someone else without knowing their situation – and many are fleeing oppression and certain death without staying around to get the paperwork, just like many did to flee the Nazis in a hurry. Of course no one wants the laws flouted, but some of what’s being done in this country to immigrants and their children is disgusting, and it gets worse each day. No matter how long it’s been going on, it’s hypocritcal to look away – just like Americans didn’t jump in sooner to fight the Nazis. Surely your grandparents would not have appreciated the current regime and its ability to blame someone new for the country’s problems every single day. Just because your family had to go get a visa, don’t think everyone else has that chance. It’s the Christian way to love and not spread hate like our president is doing. Today he says it’s people on food stamps who are evil, tomorrow he’ll say it’s people flushing the toilet too much. He won’t complain about Austrians, so I guess you’re safe.