Lots of thoughts, words, and feelings on yesterday’s “Day without Immigrants” (if only…) —
But Blu, commenting over at Annika’s place puts it quite succintly for me:
Personally, I am sick of seeing immigrants who have more alligiance to their country of origin than to the USA.
Yeah. That sums up a lot of the other feelings and objections I have.
And you must have missed the more popular display of Mexican flags, and I didn’t hear any USA, USA chants…but have heard the Spanish bastardization of our National Anthem.
I’ve also heard numerous cries of “Reconquista” and “La Raza”. And more cries for “Open border” than “secure borders”.
Moving to American doesn’t mean denying your hertiage — that is undeniably true.
But moving to America does mean embracing your new adopted culture and values. It does mean not trying to replace the current culture and heritage with the one that you won’t let go of. It does mean learning English. It does mean respecting and abiding by our laws (all of them, not just the ones that don’t cause you an inconvenience).
If you want to be a Mexican American, that’s wonderful. But too many of yesterday’s protestors were Mexican-Mexicans who want to keep it that way.
I don’t usually subscribe to any conspiracy theories, but many years ago I read Taylor Caldwell’s Captains and the Kings (which I need to reread) which espoused the theory that bankers ruled the world, started and ended wars, saw to it that world leaders were appointed and even assassinated all in the name of furthering their cause and money.
I look around me today and see a “globalization” based on money. Based on oil, based on cheap labor, etc. I see politicians who either don’t care what their general public and citizens think or else are helpless to do anything to stop the carnage.
I see the beginning of the end of America as we know it.
It does mean not trying to replace the current culture and heritage with the one that you won’t let go of.
Try to think of the most obviously pro-American immigrants you can- the Polish or the Cubans come to mind. Do you suppose all of them were able to learn English fluently? No, but their children did.
Beyond that I’m not sure what ‘culture and heritage’ you suppose that current immigrants won’t let go of. Afterall, we didn’t make Italians give up pasta in favor of mac and cheese. (Oops, macaroni is an Italian word too.)
by annika, May. 1, 2006 | link | Comments (15) | TrackBack (3) Rubric: annikapunditry Trackback by: Publicola, Too Many Marx Trackback by: Cagey Mind, That About Sums It Up Trackback by: UrbanGrounds,Summary of Day w/o Immigrants
thanks for the “attaboy.” this topic led to a pretty good discussion - with a wide variety of viewpoints - over at annika’s. i look forward to reading more of your opinions in the future. i don’t know how folks like you and Annika can keep these blogs running considering all the time it must take - but thanks a bunch for doing it!
p.s. what name do you post under at Annika’s?
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Maybe you missed reports of immigrants chanting USA USA. Or the American flags everywhere.
Moving to America doesn’t mean denying your heritage, as proud Irish, Italians, and Germans can attest.
Left by Preston on May 2nd, 2006 at 2:19 pm