This was sent to me via email: I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Americans. However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the "politically correct" crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to America. Our population is almost entirely comprised of descendants of immigrants. However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand. This idea of America being a multicultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As Americans, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom. We speak ENGLISH, not Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the English language! "In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some Christian, right wing, political slogan. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture. If Stars and Stripes offend you, or you don't like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. This is OUR COUNTRY, our land, and our lifestyle. Our First Amendment gives every citizen the right to express his opinion and we will allow you every opportunity to do so. But, once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly encourage you to take advantage of one other great American freedom, the right to leave. END OF E-MAIL This should be interesting....
How long does it take to become "an American?" I have a friend who is still called a "wetback" even though he is 3rd generation American. He is more American than some white people I know in terms of the time his family has spent in America yet he is still harrassed for his skin color. And beyond that, I don't exactly see all the immigrant workers and bus boys standing up in revolution to overthrow their anglo oppressors. And, by that same token, I don't see any of the white-owned businesses that hire them passing on the cheap labor. I get the flag waving patriotism. I'm glad to be an American. I just don't get the "protect American culture from the evil poor immigrants" thing. Seems like we are giving alot of power to people who don't have much to begin with by suggesting they have power in the first place.
I disagree completely. It'd be paramount to defending slavery a couple of centuries ago. Slave: "I dont like being mistreated" Slaveowner: "This is America gosh darnit, and we have slavery. BTW, we also only speak English" I thought that was everything we are striving not to be?
<B>If Stars and Stripes offend you, or you don't like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. </B> What the hell kinda immigrants is this email referring to? Most immigrants come here because they LIKE America. Maybe it's talking about the 0.0001% who do otherwise and then placing that attitude on the rest. Tim McVeigh hated the US, so all white Americans must have it too. Maybe all the white people need to leave the country!!!
I wish the writer of the e-mail and other people would simply fall off the face of the planet. Funny thing is RichRocket claims he's not a conservative, he's a moderate...yeah, a moderate right wing nut.
I completely agree 100%. But you always have those that bring up the past and the exceptions. slavery?? As a country, we over threw it. We didn't over throw it because the United Nations or the NCAAP told us we had to. You make no valid point with that example.
You people kill me. How much government material is in English and Spanish? There are places in Houston where orientals want street signs in english and chinese or whatever they speak. Why should my tax dollars go to translate everything to whatever language that someone needs. You couldnt go to any other country and have that happen for you. If I am going to move to France, I better learn French first. And this crap about people move to America because they like it isnt quite as predominant as you think, many people move here strictly for the money they can make, not because they think it is so great. Jeff, your arguement about how long it takes to become an American lies strictly in that person. Maybe people should stop labeling themselves as Mexican-American, Vietnamese-American, or whatever else they can think of. My mom is full blooded Czech but I am not a Czech-American, I am an American. I dont care where my family came from, I was born here and this is my home and it is the greatest place on earth. Perhaps if people would just start refering to themselves as Americans a lot of that would go away. I just dont see why people find it to be such a problem for immigrants to learn engish and love our country. If we want to be a melting pot then you have to freaking melt and become apart of everyone else. The masses do not conform to the minority, its the other way around. Politically correctness really irritates the crap out of me. You cant make everybody happy so deal with it and stop crying over it because no matter what you do someone will get offended. You could be doing the best thing on earth that makes billions of people happy and there will always be someone that says it wrong and gets on someones nerves or someone isnt being treated right. Perhaps the moral of this long winded post is that everyone needs to be more tolerant, maybe even me.
"In God We Trust" has nothing to do with our Founding Fathers. They founded America, remember, to ESCAPE religious persecution not to create it. "In God We Trust" was not placed on our currency until the Civil War. This was done in a climate of fear -- most people were afraid that the country would never survive the civil war in one piece. "The slogan "In God We Trust" didn't actually become our country's motto until 1956 -- also a time of fear. Perhaps they thought it would protect us from the godless communists. For whatever reason, the motto really has nothing to do with our founding fathers or their Christian beliefs (which according to historical reports are questionable at best).
This writer really is completely clueless... Let's break it down: <B>Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the English language</B> Why? If they think they can function without English, let them. Why do you really care? I've never had a single immigrant tell me I should speak their language. It doesn't affect me in any way. BTW, it's Americans that have promoted the whole bi-lingual education and stuff for the most part. <B>. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture. </B> This guy is just on a rant. Immigrants aren't really the key group who b****es about "In God We Trust". <B>If Stars and Stripes offend you, or you don't like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. </B> Again, before 9/11, immigrants were probably a hell of a lot more patriotic than your average American. I assume this is because they know what its like outside the US, and we had learned to take it all for granted. <B>But, once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly encourage you to take advantage of one other great American freedom, the right to leave. </B> Maybe he should take his own advice? It seems like he's the one doing all the b****ing, complaining, and whining. I think this guy just has a bunch of things he doesn't like and he's blaming it all on immigrants.
<B> Why should my tax dollars go to translate everything to whatever language that someone needs. You couldnt go to any other country and have that happen for you. If I am going to move to France, I better learn French first. </b> Have you been to France or any part of Western Europe? In areas where there are lots of English-speakers (tourist areas, primarily), they have signs in English. I had no problems getting around, and I don't know a word of French. Every country puts up signs to serve its populace. If the populace in a particular area speak another language (for whatever reason, tourism, culture, etc), the signs will be in that language. Why? Because it benefits the economy! It's all about money.
The article is pretty poor. It should have used better examples, like what happened recently at an Elementary School where a parent went and complained to the principal, asking him to take down the words "God Bless America" from in front of the school that were put up after the terrorist attacks. Or people b****ing about schools having pictures of George Washington up in the school. Stupid crap like that is a problem, not most of what the article talks about.
I am not saying for tourist. I said if I was to move to France I would learn French. I guarantee that if you moved to France, you would have a hell of a time living if you didnt know the llanguage. Having government forms in Spanish does nothing for tourism it is a pc way of giving immigrants an excuse to not learn english.
<B>I am not saying for tourist. I said if I was to move to France I would learn French. I guarantee that if you moved to France, you would have a hell of a time living if you didnt know the llanguage. Having government forms in Spanish does nothing for tourism it is a pc way of giving immigrants an excuse to not learn english.</B> You cited things like signs in Chinese and such. Whereever there is a conglomeration of people who speak one language, you'll find any society accomodate them. Why? Because it benefits the economy! If you moved into an area of France where primarily Americans lived, you'd find stuff in English. It happens all over London with Asians. It just so happens that England and the US are two of the more popular immigrant destinations. Other areas, the only real example is tourism, because immigration isn't high enough to warrant stuff in another language. The official language in Quebec is still English, right? Or did they actually go to French? Regardless, lots of French-speakers there, so the area functions in French and English. This is not a US-specific thing.
How many times have you been affected by citizens who don't speak English? I've lived in Texas my entire life (except for Chicago and California, two places with high Mexican populations), and I've maybe had a few frustrating encounters with people who didn't speak English...and they were all in the second grade when a teacher called on a Hispanic kid who was promptly removed to the Spanish First Language class (or whatever it's called). What the hell does it matter? If you made everyone learn English before coming to America, and every government document was printed only in English, your tax rate would still stay the same. Hell, I'm guessing the economy would suffer if you made it impossible for immigrants to come to this country without being fluent in English beforehand. A lot of our cheap labor is done by immigrants, and if they stopped coming, who will do it? TheFreak, I agree that asking for "God Bless America" to be taken down from a school marquee is a bit much, but how often does that really happen? I drive by schools here in Austin all the time, and after 9/11, most of them had the same thing? I don't understand why people freak out about something that happens so rarely. As for the George Washington thing, I never even heard about that, but I bet that 99% of Americans would agree that it was stupid.
I found the first part of this passage to be the most interesting part of the text. When exactly did "American culture" form? When did it cement into something that is no longer malleable? Originally, the dominant culture was completely white Anglo-saxon, Protestant. But over the years, Irish, Polish and Italian Catholics have not simply assimilated... but also influenced our culture as well. Other cultures have done the same. In recent years, parts of California have become heavily Asian. I have trouble believing that that hasn't influenced those regions "culture." Or south Texas... it's extremely hispanic. How is the culture still the same? Or what about the millions of African-Americans here? I often hear conservatives whine and complain about their cultural distinctness. Hell, even regionally... things are very different... the East coast is very different from the South. In a nation of 250 million, that's inevitable. Most European nations have populations under 50 million, and are said to have distinct cultures... The more I look at it... the less I see that America has ever had a single, unified culture. There have always been ethnically distinct groups. Eventually, most of them seem to assimilate somewhat and in turn, change the "predominant" culture. But not entirely. And you know what? People always whine and complain. The Irish were persecuted in Boston for more than a century by those of English descent. The article was badly written, paranoid, and more than a little bigoted. And this opinion is coming from someone who *does* believe that English should be the offiicial language.
My response to the author, wherever he may be. This idea of America being a multicultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As Americans, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom. Um, exactly how has it diluted America's sovereignty? And what exactly is American culture, society and lifestyle? Is it Texas culture? Is it white, middle class, urban and Christian Right? How much of the US fits this demographic? We speak ENGLISH, not Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the English language! I've heard southerners speak "English" and … well, we won't go there. "In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some Christian, right wing, political slogan. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture. As Ms. JB pointed out, my ancestors, who came across on the Mayflower, came to escape religious persecution. Freedom of religion is a founding principle of the US, and Canada, and it should be protected from those who would attempt to rewrite history and take away this basic principle of freedom. If Stars and Stripes offend you, or you don't like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. This is OUR COUNTRY, our land, and our lifestyle. Our First Amendment gives every citizen the right to express his opinion and we will allow you every opportunity to do so. But, once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly encourage you to take advantage of one other great American freedom, the right to leave. Again, what culture are you happy with? I suspect your culture is NOT the real American culture. Major: The official language of Quebec is French. In Montreal you can get away with English with no problem. In other places you may have some trouble. haven I like your sig.
My friend doesn't even speak Spanish. How in the world can he possibly not label himself as Mexican American when a big chunk of the white world is willing to label him that because of his skin color? I had a black friend who recenly passed away. He told me that when he was growing up (he was my age), he heard a white person call him or a friend or a family member a racial slur at least once every couple of days. How exactly can he ignore his African-American-ness if he isn't even the one labelling him? I'm not talking laguage here any longer. I'm talking strictly living. If people assume you are a drag on society because of your skin color, what can YOU do about it? By the way, am I the only one who thinks that there are far more people complaining about a LACK of patriotism than those complaining about too much? I mean, how many cars do you see with "Down with America" bumper stickers as opposed to "God Bless America." Sounds like a lot of hooey over a bunch of nuthin' as my grandmother used to say.
I totally agree with this article. It pisses me off when people dont speak the native language of this country. . . . thats why I learned Sioux
