Passing is the Only Way

April 1, 1935

Dear Mama,

It has been difficult since coming to America. It is not what I thought it would be. We are treated like dogs, kicked and chased away from every opportunity. It is hard to find work. So many businesses are hiring with “No Irish” in their window signs. I left home to get us out of poverty and here I find poverty again. We are on American soil but are not American to them. These Anglos are such snobs. There was a peculiar incident that occurred from which I figured out how to make it here. I joined the Association to Protect America. There I am not Irish but American. I am a peer to the Anglos. We plan on how to prevent the hordes of Negros and Asians from ruining the racial purity of the white race. The only way I can be a white American is to join them against their greatest enemies. They say that Negroes and the Chinese threaten our jobs and mixing with them threatens to degrade the character of the white races. I don’t know if this is true but if I am to survive here, I must choose my allies carefully. They embrace us as their darker white brothers and I don’t want to be enemies with them. Mama, they are capable of the most vicious acts towards non-whites. The Negro has it the worst here. I heard once that the worst thing to do to a white man is to put him in black skin and make him live in America. It is clear to me now how to succeed here. If I side with the Anglo causes, I can move up. I can usually pass okay until I have to speak. Often, people treat me as one of their own because I am fair but my accent gives it away. I have met with the worst of hostilities at times which I will spare you the details. I don’t want you to worry. I am working on losing my accent. I practice every day. Once I sound like them, I think I can pass for an Anglo. Then I can get a better job and get a nice house. Then maybe I will have enough friends from my connections with the association to get you here. I will have to change my name too. I must be like them if I am to be an American. Please don’t let all of this upset you. It is our best and only option to make a new life here.

Love,

Patrick