Mormon Discrimination
The Missouri Mormons had settled in a town called Far West in the northern part of the state, following their expulsion from Independence in 1834. 
Mobs assaulted the Mormons at several of their communities in the fall of 1838. Twenty Mormons, including several children, were slain in the "Massacre at Haun's Mill." Smith and some of his associates were apprehended on accusations Mormons to this day maintain were groundless. [1]
Mobs assaulted the Mormons at several of their communities in the fall of 1838. Twenty Mormons, including several children, were slain in the "Massacre at Haun's Mill." Smith and some of his associates were apprehended on accusations Mormons to this day maintain were groundless. [1]“Missouri’s Governor Lilburn W. Boggs, dated 27 October 1838, which stated: “Your orders are, therefore, to hasten your operations with all possible speed. The Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the state if necessary for the public peace.” [2]
In the early 19th century, following a wave of immigration to the United States, there were only a limited number of unskilled jobs available. Intense rivalry quickly developed between the Irish and working class Bostonians over these jobs. 
In Ireland, a working man might earn eight cents a day. In America, he could earn up to a dollar a day, a tremendous improvement. Bostonians feared being undercut by hungry Irish willing to work for less than the going rate. Their resentment, combined with growing anti-Irish and anti-Catholic sentiment among all classes in Boston led to 'No Irish Need Apply' signs being posted in shop windows, factory gates and workshop doors throughout the city. [3]
[4]In Ireland, a working man might earn eight cents a day. In America, he could earn up to a dollar a day, a tremendous improvement. Bostonians feared being undercut by hungry Irish willing to work for less than the going rate. Their resentment, combined with growing anti-Irish and anti-Catholic sentiment among all classes in Boston led to 'No Irish Need Apply' signs being posted in shop windows, factory gates and workshop doors throughout the city. [3]
“'The Roman Catholic Church...She is the natural ally of tyrants and the irreconcilable enemy of freedom. Individual Catholics in America as elsewhere, are inconsistent, and favor the progress of mankind. Alas! Such are exceptional; the Catholic Church has an ironic logic, and consistently hates liberty in all its forms--free thought, free speech,'" Theodore Parker (minister of the Unitarian church, 1840’s) said.
The Supreme Court ruling in 1896 in Plessy v. Ferguson that separate facilities for whites and blacks were constitutional encouraged the passage of discriminatory laws that wiped out the gains made by blacks during Reconstruction. 
Railways and streetcars, public waiting rooms, restaurants, boardinghouses, theaters, and public parks were segregated; separate schools, hospitals, and other public institutions, generally of inferior quality, were designated for blacks.[5]
Railways and streetcars, public waiting rooms, restaurants, boardinghouses, theaters, and public parks were segregated; separate schools, hospitals, and other public institutions, generally of inferior quality, were designated for blacks.[5]“The territorial legislature of Illinois followed suit in 1813 by enacting an outright prohibition against free black settlers within its borders: Be it enacted by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the Illinois Territory that it shall not be lawful for any free Negro or mulatto to migrate in this territory, and every free Negro or mulatto who shall come into this Territory contrary to this act shall and may be apprehended and carried by an citizen before some justice of the peace of the county where he shall be taken; which Justice is hereby authorized to examine, and order to leave the Territory every such free Negro or mulatto," read Black Codes of the time [6]
States like New Hampshire discriminated against believers of Judaism; believers of this faith were allowed to worship freely but nothold political office until late 1800’s; and were not allowed to stay in any Grand Hotels of New Hampshire except in Bethlehem. Southeast Asians, 1978
Like the Chinese, the Japanese had been welcomed at first as a source of cheap labor, but shortly thereafter, became targets of anti-Asian campaigns, maligned as the "yellow peril."
They inherited much of the new prejudice directed previously against the Chinese, especially as the Japanese moved from itinerant farm laborers to become owners of farms and small businesses.Discriminatory laws passed during the early l900s denied the Japanese the right to become citizens, to own land, and to marry outside of their race. In addition, they could not buy homes in certain areas and were barred from jobs in certain industries. Some could only send their children to segregated schools, and in 1924, immigration from Japan was halted altogether.
[10] They inherited much of the new prejudice directed previously against the Chinese, especially as the Japanese moved from itinerant farm laborers to become owners of farms and small businesses.Discriminatory laws passed during the early l900s denied the Japanese the right to become citizens, to own land, and to marry outside of their race. In addition, they could not buy homes in certain areas and were barred from jobs in certain industries. Some could only send their children to segregated schools, and in 1924, immigration from Japan was halted altogether. “You needn't worry about the Italians at all except in certain cases. Also, the same for the Germans except in individual cases. But we must worry about the Japanese all the time until he is wiped off the map...” John Dewitt, General in the US army. [11]
"‘Dennis Kearney, an Irish-born worker in California, spoke out against Chinese workers. ‘A bloated aristocracy has sent to China … for a cheap working slave…. The father of a family is met by them at every turn. Would he get work for himself? Ah! A stout Chinaman does it cheaper….'"[12]
Discrimination in the United States has been around since it’s birth, and in fact, the United States could arguably have been conceived on the basis of discrimination and genocide of the Native Americans, now a very sparse minority. Through two centuries of unethical treatment to anyone that is different in religion, race, color or sexual orientation, one is bound to question...when will it finally end? From a “massacre” of about 20 Mormons in 1838 to the containment of hundreds of thousands of Japanese during World War II in internment camps, this is a serious question that needs serious response from behalf of the United States government and it’s people. Today, Arab Americans and Muslim Americans are under fire and have been for years, but after us, what will come next? History shows Mormon, Eastern European, Black, Southeast Asian, and now Middle Eastern and/or Muslim discrimination, one can only guess which group is in line next for unfair and illegal violation of constitutional rights to be treated equal.
Aseel Machi, Communication Pre-Law Junior at Michigan State University, East Lansing, CAIR-MI Intern
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