Thread: Common sense, what do you think?

Common sense? I see and hear a silly old man who is shouting about his fears of tainting what he feels is his pure white race. I don't know if his ancestors were on the Mayflower but mine came over here on boats, through Ellis Island and did what the had to do to raise their families. They brought with them cultures and ethics. As far as I know, that is what this country is all about, not keeping people or ideas or cultures out.

When people get all scared because Spanish is offered as a language on a telephone line, I have to laugh. I guess they forget this is a democracy and the vote is very powerful. What's more powerful than the vote is the dollar and who is spending it. If the latino population is on the rise, so be it, learn Spanish. Just be glad it's not the Polish that are becoming the majority. I have been trying to learn Polish since I was a kid. That is a very difficult language and they use funny letters so reading it is impossible.

Originally Posted by icedog

Common sense? I see and hear a silly old man who is shouting about his fears of tainting what he feels is his pure white race. I don't know if his ancestors were on the Mayflower but mine came over here on boats, through Ellis Island and did what the had to do to raise their families. They brought with them cultures and ethics. As far as I know, that is what this country is all about, not keeping people or ideas or cultures out.

When people get all scared because Spanish is offered as a language on a telephone line, I have to laugh. I guess they forget this is a democracy and the vote is very powerful. What's more powerful than the vote is the dollar and who is spending it. If the latino population is on the rise, so be it, learn Spanish. Just be glad it's not the Polish that are becoming the majority. I have been trying to learn Polish since I was a kid. That is a very difficult language and they use funny letters so reading it is impossible.

Very good points, I agree that a multicultural society is what gives us strength, In europe most people know up to five languages. I think thats something to be proud of not afraid of.

Why won't the Pakistani telemarketers learn to speak CLEAR English? Or better yet, APPALACHIAN!
They are wanting MY money. I am under NO obligation to strain to understand them.

Hmm... Good points. Bad points.

Oprime el 1 para leer este mensage en inglés.

Originally Posted by Damon

Very good points, I agree that a multicultural society is what gives us strength, In europe most people know up to five languages. I think thats something to be proud of not afraid of.

The Balkans are a wonderful contemporary example of same, no? Learning languages (or improving our minds through any sort of enhancing study) is, of course, desirable in a polite, improving society. I'd be hesitant, however, to equate that learning with "multi-culturalism" in which the right or ability to excise the clitoris is held up as the moral relative equivalent of King Lear, simply because a group practices it as part of their culture.

Originally Posted by maplemaker

The Balkans are a wonderful contemporary example of same, no? Learning languages (or improving our minds through any sort of enhancing study) is, of course, desirable in a polite, improving society. I'd be hesitant, however, to equate that learning with "multi-culturalism" in which the right or ability to excise the clitoris is held up as the moral relative equivalent of King Lear, simply because a group practices it as part of their culture.

Interesting and valid point.

[quote=icedog;260813]Common sense? I see and hear a silly old man who is shouting about his fears of tainting what he feels is his pure white race. I don't know if his ancestors were on the Mayflower but mine came over here on boats, through Ellis Island and did what the had to do to raise their families. They brought with them cultures and ethics. As far as I know, that is what this country is all about, not keeping people or ideas or cultures out.

When people get all scared because Spanish is offered as a language on a telephone line, I have to laugh. I guess they forget this is a democracy and the vote is very powerful. What's more powerful than the vote is the dollar and who is spending it. If the latino population is on the rise, so be it, learn Spanish. Just be glad it's not the Polish that are becoming the majority. I have been trying to learn Polish since I was a kid. That is a very difficult language and they use funny letters so reading it is impossible.[/quote

What happened to E Pluribus Unum?

Originally Posted by icedog

I guess they forget this is a democracy and the vote is very powerful.

Umm, the United States is a Republic not a Democracy.

Originally Posted by Damon

Very good points, I agree that a multicultural society is what gives us strength, In europe most people know up to five languages. I think thats something to be proud of not afraid of.

I think a multicultural society will only work if everyone assimilates. I don't see how that works when people want to call themselves Irish-American or African-American and so on. I do think it could work if everyone just called themselves Americans. I don't call myself Welsh-American, I am American since 1976. Can anyone here tell me of a multicultural society that has stood the test of time. Just curious, I'll stand back now and duck & cover... Divided we fall.

Originally Posted by denmason

Umm, the United States is a Republic not a Democracy.



I think a multicultural society will only work if everyone assimilates. I don't see how that works when people want to call themselves Irish-American or African-American and so on. I do think it could work if everyone just called themselves Americans. I don't call myself Welsh-American, I am American since 1976. Can anyone here tell me of a multicultural society that has stood the test of time. Just curious, I'll stand back now and duck & cover... Divided we fall.

I think we should call ourselves North Americans or US Citizens the world allready knows we are a melting pot of different ethnicities.

One thing I cant stand is the employers need to know what the nationality you are on an application. Isn't it enough to say Im a citizen of the United States! I think part of what can be done is to remove things like this from documents to get rid of prejudice. I think it's these stupid things we do that segregate us not unify us. In fact I think that a better word unification instead of assimilation.

When we say what key aspects are needed to assimilate? What should be kept and what should be thrown out and who should make these choices? How can this be done with out causing more prejudice. It' a very tricky topic.

Originally Posted by Damon

I think we should call ourselves North Americans or US Citizens the world allready knows we are a melting pot of different elasticities.

One thing I cant stand is the employers need to know what the nationality you are on an application. Isn't it enough to say Im a citizen of the United States! I think part of what can be done is to remove things like this from documents to get rid of prejudice. I think it's these stupid things we do that segregate us not unify us. In fact I think that a better word unification instead of assimilation.

When we say what key aspects are needed to assimilate? What should be kept and what should be thrown out and who should make these choices? How can this be done with out causing more prejudice. It' a very tricky topic.

I agree with you Damon. As far as what is needed for assimilation, I would say: Language = English (my family got no special treatment because we spoke Welsh) lol, though we did speak English.
I think it should be up to the people to figure out how to handle immigrants coming into the USA, not our government. I also don't agree with the hand outs that are given to many people coming into the states. My family came here in 1970, my dad had $600. We received no help at all, it was hard but we made it.
I don't think it's a good idea to give all the benefits to people coming here just because they're here. It seems some of them expect special treatment just because they came here. It should be earned, that way you'll respect it. It's a privilege to live here, I don't see it as a right.
Anyway, enough for now. It's late.