Newt's newsletter this week is about Columbus Day (and I touch on the SC news)

The whole thing is worth reading, but here is an excerpt:

Our history is crowded with people who came to America and achieved what was not possible at home. For millions of immigrants, America has meant a life freer and more prosperous than they had before. And individually, they have made historic contributions to this country. Albert Einstein, one of our greatest scientists, immigrated from Nazi Germany. Sergey Brin, a founder of Google, came here from the Soviet Union. I. M. Pei, one of our greatest architects, was born in China. Alexander Graham Bell, Irving Berlin, Cary Grant, Bob Hope, and Madeleine Albright all immigrated to the United States.

From the beginning, being an American has meant striving to form a nation of people from such different origins as these. These immigrants and many others brought with them cultures and ideas that shaped our society profoundly. At times, these interactions have been far from perfect. But starting with the earliest settlers, the trend has been toward greater recognition of individuals' equal rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

(Going back to yesterday's great news out of South Carolina: I just wanted to say that Adam Waldeck, who will be heading up the Newt 2012 effort in the Palmetto State, is a great guy. He's done a terrific job as the campaign's Coalitions Director the last few months, bringing in diverse groups, such as those concerned with the Dodd-Frank bill, those in the Lean Six Sigma field, individuals wanting to enforce the 10th Amendment, and others.)