Even though the Fourth of July is seen as a holiday of unity for all Americans, there were still some in the political world who chose to use the holiday to send a partisan message.
In particular, Democratic Senator and potential 2020 candidate Kamala Harris tweeted odd political commentary on Wednesday’s holiday, erroneously claiming that “eight immigrants” signed the Declaration of Independence.
A reminder this Fourth of July: it was eight immigrants who signed the Declaration of Independence. Happy Independence Day.
— Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) July 4, 2018
It is a historical fact that of the 56 people signed the document, the vast majority of which were American-born. The point is also strange because America was not an independent nation at the time and therefore had no immigration laws of its own yet. It is safe to say the internet reacted badly to the Democrat Senator’s tweet.
56 people signed it. 48 were born in the American colonies. 2 were born in England, 2 in Ireland, 2 in Scotland, 1 in Wales, 1 in Northern Ireland. https://t.co/JlEyHTxwRd
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) July 4, 2018
— Alexandra DeSanctis (@xan_desanctis) July 5, 2018
this is something michael scott would say https://t.co/lPmpa8u4Nz
— Huda (@_hudahassan) July 5, 2018
This didn’t go well. https://t.co/nWq5XmFKRr
— Caleb Howe (@CalebHowe) July 4, 2018
Since there was no country at the time, they endorsed no immigration laws. Once they founded a country, they instituted immigration laws. https://t.co/WyUI6W1asd
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) July 4, 2018
Forty-eight of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence were born in America. The other 8 were British or Dutch, same as our entire colony/country for about 200 years. https://t.co/tzswX9ovgx
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 4, 2018
As a historian, I feel personally attacked by this tweet. https://t.co/49aJwzrwad
— Brett Banditelli (@banditelli) July 4, 2018
we’re calling them immigrants? what in the historical revisionism is this. https://t.co/VFGBT2XdRG
— Najma Sharif (@overdramatique) July 4, 2018