I got this in an email.

IMMIGRANTS, NOT AMERICANS, MUST ADAPT

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 language!

"In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some right wing, political slogan.

We adopted this motto because men and women, on principles of freedom of choice, 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 is the right to worship how, when and to who you want.

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

I absolutely, positively could not agree more.  Period.

Who the hell is WE? Yeah yeah sound great...You should speak German. Its great Im an American, but I am a human over that therefor I can adapt. Wake up and smell the coffee, because a new brown world has already arrived. I guess you havent noticed yet. Good Luck..
poreso, nosveremos..... not.
GG

I believe but am not certain that City Council meetings in Miami are conducted in Spainish.
[smoke]

Don't turn this into a racial issue, it isn't.  Funny how we in America are so universally accepting of other cultures, yet so universally derided as a people and culture by those VERY SAME cultures in their homelands, isn't it???  Hmmmmm......could it be that ALL peoples are intrinsically ethnocentric, but may not want to admit it?  All he is, WE ARE, saying is: when in Rome, do as the Romans do.  And there's nothing wrong with that at all.  America is NOT one race, either.  Rather, we are, or WERE, a conglomeration of races who accepted a common culture, the American Way!!!  And it was good, and it WORKED!!!  YES!  If you come here, freakin' speak the language, assimilate the culture and shut the fu** up if it's a complaint about our way of life!  What is racist, or wrong, with that?  What?  Or is our culture and way of life no longer worth the debate?????

Both of my parents were  born in other countries, my father in Scotland, my mother in Canada, I am an American!!!

Again, who is WE? Im a TX. born, white male. and beleive me when you say "we" you ARE NOT including me. We are not in Rome, Your a day late and a dollar short for that line. What you say sounds easy on paper, but hey,like I said, wake up and smell the coffee, It arrived over 10 years ago.
GG

GG, perhaps you could explain your position in regards to that e-mail. What bothers you about it? I find nothing offensive about it.

Oh my God, I suppose I just give up then.  It is an issue of culture, not race.  All people who live here, or come here, and adopt themselves to the very wide, very inclusive ideals that are America, are Americans.  When did I not say that?  If you do not like America and wish to badmouth it, as an ideal and not as an instrument, then leave.  Why join or remain in a club you don't like?  Name another country you can go to, and LIVE, and spend your time lambasting it?  Yet, not only CAN you do this in America, Oprah will cry with you when you do.

It isn't racial at all, it simply isn't about that, why is that so hard to see?  Any and all races in America, ARE American, if they believe in America.  But if you don't, I reiterate, feel free to leave and pursue your vision of an overly-placating utopia elsewhere.

I agree, 110%. So did my father, when he came to the USA in 1956, after fighting the soviets in Budapest. (He walked to Germany from Hungary, joining the US Army there- incidentally, his sister, who tried to leave also, was captured & imprisoned by the Soviets for 15 years)

What E-mail???? You lost me there. I didnt email anyone.  Its not going to be that way, Im not offended, I can accept the fact that we have already entered a new brown world. Its now english and spanish are spoken here. Some people cant handle it, cuz my gramps did WW2. Well so did mine. He spoke some cajun quasi french stuff that a team of computers couldnt decifer, but that is another story. My dad is "white" my mom nicaraguan. Im just saying its not going to happen. Cuz Im going to marry a Mex. citizen and make a brand new american citizen that speaks very little english and guess how the kids will be[ god willing]You got it, brown skin and bilingual. What should I do. go against my greatest desires for someone, so he doesnt have to learn spanish, or chinese or whatever. As long as there tons of women doing the citizen change with american men, It is going to be The Brown World Way. Im not pissed or anything. Its here, Ive seen it, experienced it, and its here to stay. Dont deny it, Its right in front of you.
GG

I believe the language of the United States is English.

I further belive that many of our immigrants in the first 50 -60 years of the twentith Century were ashamed of their original language to the point where many would not speak that language at home and/or would not allow their children to speak any language other than English.
Because of the above we lost millions of potentially bi-lingual Americans.  Not good.

I fervently hope that our new immigrants will learn English and also teach their children their native language and customs.  This will be good for America.

However, the language of the United States is English.

That's a new one to me.  Last time I checked, English is a Germanic language.

As for Japanese, you're probably right.  For example, Sony, Kawasaki, Toyota ;)

I think such a demand would be anti-semetic.

Who the hell is WE?  There's no brown world where I am.

Don't Balkanize my country!!

How about the original motto, E Pluribus Unum?

How about the original motto, E Pluribus Unum?
the above is Latin a dead language, even by the Roman church, except by 'lawyers', Hmmmn will lawyers be demanding Lain as a Second language?

You mean Latin is a dead language that nobody speaks anymore??  GET OUT!!  When did that happen?  [:D] [:D]

The e-mail TrickyVic received, of course. The topic of this thread.

I don't think this topic is about race at all. It's about culture and the dominance of the American culture in this land.

If you desire to create a new American citizen who speaks "very little English", that is your choice, but it only adds to the problem the e-mail addresses.

I couldn't agree with the statements made in the post/e-mail more.

I live in an area that has recently been flooded with Mexican immigrants that love to display a Mexican flag bumper sticker on their cars.

IF IT'S SO F'N GREAT THERE, GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY.

[soapbox]

Ok I'm done [:D]

Whenever I was deployed or stationed overseas one of the first briefings waalways, "You are a guest, act accordingly, blah, blah, blah, yada, yada, yada..."

Let me tell you, I have had some terrible hosts.

I remember having a conversation about Ramadam while in SWA.  I said I thought it was  a litle ridiculous that we couldn't drink water outdoors during daylight hours for fear a muslim would see us. After all, we aren't muslim. Someone said, "If you were in the US you would expect them to respect your religion."  Yes, but I wouldn't expect them to practice it.

Which amendment promises protection from being offended, anyway?

Eddie

Eddie

You know, I've always hated it when people say things like 'Our strength is our diversity'. Bullshit. The strength of america is NOT it's diversity, but it's ability to unify diversity under a common cause!!

Hey, speaking a foreign language is a great thing, as is speaking multiple languages. But everyone forgive me if I get pissed when I'm in AMERICA, and I hear towns LEGISLATING that all business will be done in SPANISH! Of course, when Clifton, NJ tried to do the same but in English, they got sued by the ACLU. Or when I have to run through four or five menus just to get an ATM machine to stop spewing CHINESE at me.

Maybe I take my citizenship too seriously. I have no prob if a guy wants to come to this country to send money home to his family. But when that guy doesn't bother to learn and use passable English, does nothing but badmouth America at every chance, constantly badgers politicians for respect for their FOREIGN culture, and sues American citizens for not respecting his FOREIGN customs, that's called a freeloader and he should be fucking deported!

If these freeloaders really had any RESPECT for America (and I thank goodness that many immigrants do!), they'd learn the language of the country they are LIVING in, make adaptations to work within it's culture, and enjoy the fruits America has to offer. If not....GET THE FUCK OUT!

I'm afraid the fire's gone out from under the great American melting pot. This may come to be a bigger issue than anyone suspects. Without there being an "us" that "one among many" slogan kind of loses it's meaning. "Many among many" is just wrong.

Glad to see that most here are on the right side of this.  And GunGuru, raising a child in America who will "speak very little English" is IMHO doing that child a grave disservice.  Do as you will, but you are not properly equipping someone for life when you insulate them from the language/culture of their surroundings.

A
'!AY! Que jodido. If you went to school, you could read, SHE speaks little english. Kids would be bilingual, that means you speak fluently in two languages. Intendes, understand? You are a LIAR to type something I didnt say. Thanks to your clinton, bilinguals go to the front of the job line. And since Im bilingual, its nice being up front. Whats culture here, nigger, chief,dog,G man gang shit, Thats all I see. The towers are forgotten and that short lived patriotism that came with it is gone out the door. So dont call that american culture, or is it? Only when it convienient. I think that people should speak english also, but I can see its also 10 years too late to do something about it.
GG
GG

"new brown world"??

So I'm supposed to pat them on the back and congratulate them for breeding like rabbits?  Gee - you f*ck very effectively - good job.

Reminder - folks all over the world bust their ass to get to the US - not the other way around (except for John Walker type freaks).  Regardless of how the "white devil" European-American founding fathers did it - they built the greatest nation on earth.
 
As for "cultural diversity makes us stronger"....


Too much "rich cultural diversity" causes neighborhoods to go to shit, property values to decrease, crime to increase.  Facts.  Not warm.  Not fuzzy.  Not PC.  Facts.

The problem is that some use "cultural diversity" as an excuse for the poor behavior of some of their ethnic members.  That's the way the "_____" (fill in the blank) community does things.  There are good and bad in every race.  Some cultures are interesting and "diverse".  Others are interesting and diverse - and FLOURISH!!!


No women in combat roles.


Screw every muslim who isn't busy waving the shit out of a US flag.

Mine our southern border.


If it's in season, kill it, bathe in it's blood, eat it, and the skins you don't wear you can use to flog your captives to death with.

Don't be ashamed.


"We'll take the n*ggers and the ch*nks - but no Irish!!!"


Tate
The Great White Satan  [+]:D]

Our early immigrants wanted to come here, sacraficed to come here and wanted above all to become Americans.
I also believe most came here legally.

With exceptions of course, seems to me the more recent immigrants have come here with a "not permanent" residency in mind.
They have no burning desire to become Americans and plan to return at some point to their native country - Mexico as an example.

I don't know how we should deal with this new group.  
[smoke]

Mine our southern border.

I assume if someone speaks NO English, they are an illegal from somewhere south of the USA.
It's just a given.
Most Europeans speak at least SOME English when they come here to visit, not even to immigrate.
Hell, when I went to Mexico for vacation, I learned enough Spanish to *get by* within a week.
But, no, the border swimmers REFUSE to learn English here.
So, farg 'em. I won't hire them, and I won't buy from them.
They speak to me in Spanish, I answer them in German.
They give me that RCA Victor Dog look, that "huh?", and IN ENGLISH, I tell them, "We all came from somewhere else, we are in AMERICA now, and by God, this is an ENGLISH speaking country. MY ancestors learned English pretty damned quick, what the hell is YOUR excuse?"
I refuse to speak Spanish in America. That is pure nonsense.

Wie Gehts'!
ditto!!! (Transplant to TN from North Mexico, er, TX)

An apology may be in order.

Above all we do not deal in "facts" in this forum.  Hear-say, rumor, innuendo - quoting the non-existent, the Democrats, the media, Angels, Reverend Jack and UFO occupants are all acceptable.

But not facts.
[smoke]  
[smoke]

Sehr gut, danke, und selbst? :)

Yo, GGsman!  Nomsayin? Shee. Manz gottit goin on.  

No whitemanz world no mo. IzRtime now mofo!  

Tchewlukin at mofo? Yea, swaht I thot! AhphukU up!

No keepinus bak cuz we TAKIN it bak! DamStrate.

[@:D]

Hey, GunGuru, I'm done goin' back and forth with ya, but I am genuinely curious, what was this mysterious event or paradign shift that occurred 10 years ago?  You keep throwing this 10 year figure in, with no explanation as to your cryptic refrences.  And he ain't "my" Clinton, either![argue]

And by the way, my bad on misreading your post as to who speaks little English, but jeesh.....cool your jets guy![flame]

GG, you obviously have issues you need to address. Perhaps something in your past has made you bitter?

I've been overweight most of my life, and add to that a speech problem and a limp caused by bad kness, and, well, I've had my share of abuse.

Yet, to this day I do not hate skinny people fluent in speech who run marathons.

10 years ago, more like 8, is when Dictator "C" and his PC world. entered the White house.

Most, since Im in texas, foreigners are Mexican. Almost all can speak english to shop, eat, get a job,etc. and even talk to you and I. Most people I see in these parts are pissed because the family is together and as a unit, they are speaking spanish. I dont know if its the "theyre talking about me syndrom or what" but the thing I do know is that that family doesnt have jack squat to do with people being pissed or english spoken here.
As for bilingual signs, you can only thank lawyers for that. In Harlingen, Tx, it two tounges and no prob since I was a kid and Im 35 now. Maybe the more north you go, its different.

Im sorry mattja its not my fault you fat and cant walk worth a hoot, But you do envy those skinny marathon runners.[:D]
GG

Only if they get laid more than I, but I'm married with children so the point is moot. he he

GG,
When your kids are waiting tables and washing dishes at my son’s restaurant, let’s talk about diversity and assimilation then.
When they have 5 children out of wedlock and are on welfare and..
You know how it goes from there.
Is that racism, or is that gleaned from examination of the current status of recent immigrants, save for the very few rags to riches anecdotes.

Why is multi-lingualism so good?  Because some piece of shit liberal demoncrat says it is?  All that we are going to do by not adopting and supporting a single language (English) is "Balkanize" america into little enclaves of English speakers, spanish speakers, etc.  

If my Swedish immigrant ancestors had the same attitude when they immigrated that most immigrants have today they would still be speaking Swedish after being here for 3 generations, demanding government documents be printed and distributed in Swedish, city counsel meeting be conducted in Swedish, their own Swedish awareness day, etc, etc.  THANK GOD they are not.  

Swedish is fine for Swedes and Sweden and for those who choose to learn it as a SECOND language here in America.  Supporting any other language but English as anything but a second language is ludicrous.  If I want to learn about Sweden I don't need a Swedish awareness day, I need an Encyclopedia or the internet.  

Being different can be naturally devisive.  Why do we want to encourage that?  A common language should be a focus of national unification and not something to further divide or fragment a nation.  

I've found most people who support this crap only support it because THEY speak another language, are totally impressed with their ability to do so, and what is good for them should be damn well good for everyone else and the country.  If you attack the concept of multi-lingualism, for whatever reason you attack them and heaven forbid we do that.  

If you are in this country, speak english and live like we do.  If you want to speak native tongue and practice native customs, go back to where you came from

I'd agree with most of that, but I'm sorry, the founding fathers would not agree with the author there. America has no official language. At first, there were thoughts to make the official language German, English, or (as Franklin wanted) Hebrew (since it was seen as the Divine language). However, there is still no official language.

A lot of K12 teachers support bi-lingualism simply because they make more money if they can teach in both English and Spanish. Once that dividend disappears, as I believe is the situation in CA, you can bet you butt the teacher's union will no longer be touting bi-lingual studies as the cure-all to all that ails new immigrants.

The grammar (and much of the most common words, including most of those dirty 4 letter ones :) is from germanic tongues, however, a gigantic chunk of the vocabulary was adopted from French. There are subsets of the vocabulary that come from many of languages, but we have the French, and ultimately the Romans and Greeks to thank for the vocab.

robbyd, it's true there is no official language here, but the fact the Founding Fathers wrote our seminal documents -- The bill of Rights and Constitution -- in English, and the fact all official and legal writings are in English, makes that language the de facto official language. That's enough for me.

Exactly! In several cases, is it really a danger? think about it, how did America get started? What if the THEM is a NEW national identity? I'm sure the first British colonists that came up with this idea were thought to be crazy, but look what we have now. Revolutions happen. However, if this is another valid country (i.e. Mexico, Canada), I can certainly agree.

I'd get a bit annoyed with those Mexicans putting the flag of Mexico in their car, but it's a fact that humans like to be around their own kind. You can desegregate and bullshit all you want, but the fact remains, black kids mostly hang out with other black kids, whites with whites, hispanic with hispanic, asian with asian, etc. Now, the display of that flag might not be advocation of another nation, but instead another ethnic identity. It's worth thinking about at the least, damn I sound like Ted Kennedy now...eughghgh.

Fact is, as much as I'd like a country where everyone respects the freedom our Founding Fathers have given us, and America's identity as a nation, they should PLEASE keep their own languages and customs. I do NOT want a homogenized society like '1984'. Now homogenization of cultures and laugages will not directly lead to "1984", but it's an excellent first step. The beauty of America comes from the variety it holds just as much as the pride that many americans have for their county. Personally, I don't respect our current implementation of the government all that highly, but I've thanked the Founding Fathers countless times for crafting those absolutely beautiful documents known as the Constution and Bill of Rights, and for being so courageous as to lead it through. It is hard NOT to respect this feat, and *THIS* is where I think everyone's patriotism should lie, not in Gee Dubya or our current Congress. Patriotism is a wonderful thing, but if it sprouts from the wrong roots, it can lead to bigotry.

Robby

That's a given, however, all too often others assume that English is the official language. I think majority should rule as far as this goes. In Miami, do things in Spanish. For those that may see language as a tool of the mother country, I ask: why did we break from the British, and why did Mexico break from Spain? People can speak "foreign languages" and still love America, English is not the only language American patriotism can be expressed in.

Edited to add:
However, I think also that English should be taught as the primary language in our schools, and that immigrants should be required to LEARN about this country and its history. I'm saying that we should not deter the use of other languages.