I’m confused. Of course at my age, that’s not surprising anymore. Nevertheless, would someone please explain to me how we can be an America that is “united”—you know, as in “United States” of America? Have you looked around lately? Doesn’t everyone who comes here from another country seem to simply want to start their own country on their little share of American soil? No other country in the world allows immigrants the audacity of establishing themselves without assimilation.
Please do not take this as a discriminatory or inflammatory or racist or hate speech. I have some valid points to make regardless of your ethnicity. And I don’t give a whit what color you are—you’re human (right?)—that’s my criteria for initial judgment. Whether you’re a good human or not is left for judgment of your actions. Are you a “good” American?
I’m a child of the ‘60s. Oh no, I wasn’t born then. That’s when I became socially aware of my world and spent my teenage years in relative confusion—and here I am, confused again.
I agreed with our demands for race equality in that turbulent decade. (And of course, if it hadn’t been anatomically uncomfortable, I’d have burned my bra with Gloria Steinem. But that’s another article for another day.) And I’m no ostrich—I know that discrimination still exists. I’m just not convinced now, that 1) it will ever go away, and 2) that all immigrants want it to disappear completely. We’ve offered our country up on a silver platter because we are ashamed of the misery our ancestors wrought on incoming immigrants; and we originally wanted to be the “land of opportunity.”
Unfortunately, we didn’t know when to quit giving, and now and it’s being regurgitated back to us in a foreign language and jigsaw pieces of “the company,” once known as America.
Yes, I’m a native American—not to be misread as Native American (though they are truly the only real Americans, another issue, another topic). Practically a stereotype, I was raised in a rural, “white” lower-middle-class area during a couple of decades that shook our country to its foundation. If you were “White” you were alternately proud and ashamed, to “be American.” I was 17 years old when I learned that the color of one’s skin makes us all different, in more than appearance. But then, as now, I don’t think diversity is a bad thing … if we could “all just get along.” (Look it up—we had not learned anything even by 1992.)
Because of the Sixties though, today more than ever, born in America has its privileges for everyone. I became acutely aware of this after visiting abroad. I am ever-so-thankful to ancestors who had the foresight to allow me to be born on American soil. Not only because we have amenities here that are still not prevalent in many countries, but because we are “free” to “rule ourselves” (another later subject of discussion) and thus, have freedoms other world citizens may never experience or enjoy.
However, I’m beginning to feel as demoralized as any inhabitant of an oppressed country!
The minority laws of the 1960s and for at least another decade, were certainly needed at the time. And discrimination laws should likely never be repealed. But it is time for a change in our laws for new immigrants; and repeal or revision of many of the minority standards and regulations that measure minority assistance in the United States of America.
These laws have allowed immigrants to establish what amounts to their own little countries within our country. And I can say “our country,” because my family has been here long enough that we don’t know how we got here. Although I can trace my Irish ancestry back further than my Austrian/German heritage, there’s likely a little of a few other countries thrown into the mix, too. Who cares?! I’m American, now.
Back in the ‘60s, the idea of minorities’ laws was not to help immigrants build their own country, but to allow them to assimilate more comfortably into this one. That includes Blacks; though the laws for them should have materialized centuries earlier—in fact, they should never been brought here involuntarily in the first place. Same with Chinese slaves, etc. (You guessed it, another issue/day.)
But those migrants who came of their own free will during the 1960s-1980s or so, felt blessed to have survived the trek, and were grateful. They showed their gratitude—then—by humbly accepting the gratuities of special programs and funding—not available to those born on this soil. They became bilingual and for most, though they spoke their own language at home, they made a concentrated effort to learn English. They were the people the laws were made to protect and assist. That was then, this is now.
Things have changed. Immigrants have changed. Our laws have not. The “United States” of America is in imminent danger of losing its identity and as such, its sovereignty.
Let me ask you—seriously—if I were to migrate to France, Turkey, Russia, Japan, Kenya … it doesn’t matter where … should I expect their government to print legal documents in my language? They would laugh me right back across the border! Granted, many other countries require their citizens to learn English as a second language. But the language of their country is … well … the language of their country! They’re not going to mollycoddle me, just because “I arrived”! Whoop-de-doo!
Please explain to me (and the world) why this or ANY American should accept:
- losing a job to “minorities;” are we not now “one of them”?
- a low-income lifestyle without “assistance;” with the only barrier color/ethnicity
- legal documents in two or more languages
- street signs in two or more languages
- bank documents in two or more languages
- grocery signs in two or more languages
- schools mandated to teach another language, not as an auxiliary language, but side-by-side with English
- and the most heinous of all …
o foreign landowners and major business investors—those still residing in their homeland!
Don’t get me wrong—especially in legal issues, I believe in providing interpreters—if the foreigner has been living in America for less than say, 5-8 years. Isn’t that long enough to learn what you’re doing wrong in English? Or how to avoid American scammers in a language you don’t know? You live here—learn it! (Of course, I know that if you live in America, originated from another country and reading this, you did—congratulations and thank you!) If I moved even for a short while, to another country, I would welcome the adventure of learning a new language.
And haven’t you noticed the escalating—no, skyrocketing—numbers of foreign-owned companies that also own the “piece of America” on which that company sits? What were we thinking??!! Why is our government allowing this to happen? OK, I know our government and big businesses have investments in other countries, too, but when it gets right down to—or up to—the top rung of the “owner”—is it really “American-owned”?
We may be heading toward a World Government … yeah that too, is another issue, another day … but we’re not there yet and it isn’t likely in our lifetime. In the meantime, “we, the people of the United States of America,” who are true Americans—not in color, but in heart, soul, and patriotism—are fighting for our lives and we don’t even acknowledge the war. We’re allowing our country to be involved in a “hostile takeover” without a fight.
My question to immigrants is: You fought so hard and may have risked much to buy, rent, or even steal your little piece of this country, because you wanted the American Dream—so why are you so hell-bent on shaping it into the same nightmare from which you escaped? English-speaking or not?
Minority laws now discriminate against “Whites.”
I am NOT discriminating, nor advocating hate, here! I have the utmost respect for all people—I don’t care who they are, or the color of their skin. THEY are not the problem. THEY have merely taken advantage of opportunities offered to them. Wouldn’t you? Believe me, I would if I could, but I can’t. And if hate crimes seem to be escalating, perhaps the government should take a long, hard look at what it’s doing to provoke them.
Especially when it comes to financial and educational opportunities, the minority laws should be abolished, leaving only low-income status as the sole measure of assistance, regardless of race. I don’t blame those “of color” or auspicious ethnicity for exploiting the system. Humans are inherently acquisitive.
I do blame MANY of the immigrants of the past two decades, however, who are maliciously taking advantage of the United States’ minority programs, and have been trained to take advantage. Yet our government cannot see it.
And beyond my frustration with our archaic minority laws, I believe there is a much more diabolical scheme being wrought on this country. What will it take to wake up our leaders? Or is it already too late?
So what prompted this diatribe today?
A Mexican festival. An Armenian festival. A Chinese festival. An African-American festival. Can I have a Caucasian-American festival???!!!
We have Hispanic, African-American, and Chinese Chambers-of-Commerce. Isn’t just a “Chamber of Commerce” good enough for everyone? It used to be! Wouldn't it be healthier to address equality issues together? There are many other ethnic-related differences established in this country in events and beyond. So don’t vilify me for naming the ones that came quickly to mind. This is my soapbox, thank you.
Actually, now that I think about it even more, I believe the festivals are a great idea—as long as attendance isn’t limited to that ethnic group and allows everyone to revel in the celebration of their neighbor's heritage and ancestral culture. But again—can we offer a Caucasian-American festival without being labeled as discriminatory?! Go ahead, try it.
Wake up, America—before it’s too late and English is no longer the language of the United States of America—because there will be no “united states.”
In danger of losing our language notwithstanding (did you ever thunk it?!), our land and businesses are being parceled out like stockholder shares in a company … is anyone remembering to keep 51%?!
Always Writing—as a proud American,
Please do not take this as a discriminatory or inflammatory or racist or hate speech. I have some valid points to make regardless of your ethnicity. And I don’t give a whit what color you are—you’re human (right?)—that’s my criteria for initial judgment. Whether you’re a good human or not is left for judgment of your actions. Are you a “good” American?
I’m a child of the ‘60s. Oh no, I wasn’t born then. That’s when I became socially aware of my world and spent my teenage years in relative confusion—and here I am, confused again.
I agreed with our demands for race equality in that turbulent decade. (And of course, if it hadn’t been anatomically uncomfortable, I’d have burned my bra with Gloria Steinem. But that’s another article for another day.) And I’m no ostrich—I know that discrimination still exists. I’m just not convinced now, that 1) it will ever go away, and 2) that all immigrants want it to disappear completely. We’ve offered our country up on a silver platter because we are ashamed of the misery our ancestors wrought on incoming immigrants; and we originally wanted to be the “land of opportunity.”
Unfortunately, we didn’t know when to quit giving, and now and it’s being regurgitated back to us in a foreign language and jigsaw pieces of “the company,” once known as America.
Yes, I’m a native American—not to be misread as Native American (though they are truly the only real Americans, another issue, another topic). Practically a stereotype, I was raised in a rural, “white” lower-middle-class area during a couple of decades that shook our country to its foundation. If you were “White” you were alternately proud and ashamed, to “be American.” I was 17 years old when I learned that the color of one’s skin makes us all different, in more than appearance. But then, as now, I don’t think diversity is a bad thing … if we could “all just get along.” (Look it up—we had not learned anything even by 1992.)
Because of the Sixties though, today more than ever, born in America has its privileges for everyone. I became acutely aware of this after visiting abroad. I am ever-so-thankful to ancestors who had the foresight to allow me to be born on American soil. Not only because we have amenities here that are still not prevalent in many countries, but because we are “free” to “rule ourselves” (another later subject of discussion) and thus, have freedoms other world citizens may never experience or enjoy.
However, I’m beginning to feel as demoralized as any inhabitant of an oppressed country!
The minority laws of the 1960s and for at least another decade, were certainly needed at the time. And discrimination laws should likely never be repealed. But it is time for a change in our laws for new immigrants; and repeal or revision of many of the minority standards and regulations that measure minority assistance in the United States of America.
These laws have allowed immigrants to establish what amounts to their own little countries within our country. And I can say “our country,” because my family has been here long enough that we don’t know how we got here. Although I can trace my Irish ancestry back further than my Austrian/German heritage, there’s likely a little of a few other countries thrown into the mix, too. Who cares?! I’m American, now.
Back in the ‘60s, the idea of minorities’ laws was not to help immigrants build their own country, but to allow them to assimilate more comfortably into this one. That includes Blacks; though the laws for them should have materialized centuries earlier—in fact, they should never been brought here involuntarily in the first place. Same with Chinese slaves, etc. (You guessed it, another issue/day.)
But those migrants who came of their own free will during the 1960s-1980s or so, felt blessed to have survived the trek, and were grateful. They showed their gratitude—then—by humbly accepting the gratuities of special programs and funding—not available to those born on this soil. They became bilingual and for most, though they spoke their own language at home, they made a concentrated effort to learn English. They were the people the laws were made to protect and assist. That was then, this is now.
Things have changed. Immigrants have changed. Our laws have not. The “United States” of America is in imminent danger of losing its identity and as such, its sovereignty.
Let me ask you—seriously—if I were to migrate to France, Turkey, Russia, Japan, Kenya … it doesn’t matter where … should I expect their government to print legal documents in my language? They would laugh me right back across the border! Granted, many other countries require their citizens to learn English as a second language. But the language of their country is … well … the language of their country! They’re not going to mollycoddle me, just because “I arrived”! Whoop-de-doo!
Please explain to me (and the world) why this or ANY American should accept:
- losing a job to “minorities;” are we not now “one of them”?
- a low-income lifestyle without “assistance;” with the only barrier color/ethnicity
- legal documents in two or more languages
- street signs in two or more languages
- bank documents in two or more languages
- grocery signs in two or more languages
- schools mandated to teach another language, not as an auxiliary language, but side-by-side with English
- and the most heinous of all …
o foreign landowners and major business investors—those still residing in their homeland!
Don’t get me wrong—especially in legal issues, I believe in providing interpreters—if the foreigner has been living in America for less than say, 5-8 years. Isn’t that long enough to learn what you’re doing wrong in English? Or how to avoid American scammers in a language you don’t know? You live here—learn it! (Of course, I know that if you live in America, originated from another country and reading this, you did—congratulations and thank you!) If I moved even for a short while, to another country, I would welcome the adventure of learning a new language.
And haven’t you noticed the escalating—no, skyrocketing—numbers of foreign-owned companies that also own the “piece of America” on which that company sits? What were we thinking??!! Why is our government allowing this to happen? OK, I know our government and big businesses have investments in other countries, too, but when it gets right down to—or up to—the top rung of the “owner”—is it really “American-owned”?
We may be heading toward a World Government … yeah that too, is another issue, another day … but we’re not there yet and it isn’t likely in our lifetime. In the meantime, “we, the people of the United States of America,” who are true Americans—not in color, but in heart, soul, and patriotism—are fighting for our lives and we don’t even acknowledge the war. We’re allowing our country to be involved in a “hostile takeover” without a fight.
My question to immigrants is: You fought so hard and may have risked much to buy, rent, or even steal your little piece of this country, because you wanted the American Dream—so why are you so hell-bent on shaping it into the same nightmare from which you escaped? English-speaking or not?
Minority laws now discriminate against “Whites.”
I am NOT discriminating, nor advocating hate, here! I have the utmost respect for all people—I don’t care who they are, or the color of their skin. THEY are not the problem. THEY have merely taken advantage of opportunities offered to them. Wouldn’t you? Believe me, I would if I could, but I can’t. And if hate crimes seem to be escalating, perhaps the government should take a long, hard look at what it’s doing to provoke them.
Especially when it comes to financial and educational opportunities, the minority laws should be abolished, leaving only low-income status as the sole measure of assistance, regardless of race. I don’t blame those “of color” or auspicious ethnicity for exploiting the system. Humans are inherently acquisitive.
I do blame MANY of the immigrants of the past two decades, however, who are maliciously taking advantage of the United States’ minority programs, and have been trained to take advantage. Yet our government cannot see it.
And beyond my frustration with our archaic minority laws, I believe there is a much more diabolical scheme being wrought on this country. What will it take to wake up our leaders? Or is it already too late?
So what prompted this diatribe today?
A Mexican festival. An Armenian festival. A Chinese festival. An African-American festival. Can I have a Caucasian-American festival???!!!
We have Hispanic, African-American, and Chinese Chambers-of-Commerce. Isn’t just a “Chamber of Commerce” good enough for everyone? It used to be! Wouldn't it be healthier to address equality issues together? There are many other ethnic-related differences established in this country in events and beyond. So don’t vilify me for naming the ones that came quickly to mind. This is my soapbox, thank you.
Actually, now that I think about it even more, I believe the festivals are a great idea—as long as attendance isn’t limited to that ethnic group and allows everyone to revel in the celebration of their neighbor's heritage and ancestral culture. But again—can we offer a Caucasian-American festival without being labeled as discriminatory?! Go ahead, try it.
Wake up, America—before it’s too late and English is no longer the language of the United States of America—because there will be no “united states.”
In danger of losing our language notwithstanding (did you ever thunk it?!), our land and businesses are being parceled out like stockholder shares in a company … is anyone remembering to keep 51%?!
Always Writing—as a proud American,
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