http://digitalbishop.badwolfmedia.com/2009/11/immigration-language-and-respect/ Musings on PHP, Zend Framework, ExtJS, Beekeeping and life in general Tue, 21 Sep 2010 05:18:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://digitalbishop.badwolfmedia.com/2009/11/immigration-language-and-respect/comment-page-1/#comment-18 DigitalBishop Tue, 21 Sep 2010 05:18:15 +0000 http://digitalbishop.badwolfmedia.com/?p=3#comment-18 Sorry I didn't answer right away. You know I will try to learn Spanish. Not because I have to but because I want to. I've lived in Los Angeles all my life and I've seen a change and it's not for the better. before the 80's immigrants made a distinct effort to integrate. After the first amnesty immigrants stopped trying to integrate, they didn't have to and to require them to integrate in to our society became politically incorrect. America became afraid to be politically incorrect for fear of being called one word "<strong>racist</strong>" or one of its closer siblings "<strong>bigot</strong>". America was forced to accommodate new immigrants despite the requirement for citizenship is to learn English. On a side note, the test is a complete and utter joke. Back to the subject. The Constitution has become an unwilling participant in this whole boondoggle. Non citizens now use it against the country. It irks me when someone uses the Constitution to make the point that <strong>they don't have to</strong> and it really irks me when someone says <strong>they were here first</strong>. Yes, California was at one point a part of Mexico, but as you conveniently left out the Treaty of Guadalupe the land that is this State was sold and turned over to the United States. The Mexicans have no one to blame but the Dons and themselves. So the fact that they were here first is of no consequence to this argument. My grandparents immigrated to the United States before the Axis took over Europe. They didn't speak a lick of English. They learned it just fine and they had even less. So the argument that English is hard to learn is a poor one. The difference between my grandparents and the people of today? They worked hard to learn English and integrate because they wanted to become <strong>Americans</strong>. Today's immigrants pool in neighborhoods that are predominately their kind and they work hard to segregate themselves. This country was founded in English, the de facto and unifying language of the U.S. is English. It's been proven that those who don't learn English don't do well here. If I immigrated to Spain, Germany, France or any other country whose primary language is not English I would be expected to learn that language and out of respect I would learn it. Today's immigrant comes here with a chip on their shoulder expecting entitlements and for the citizens to accommodate them. Especially the ones who come here illegally. So I think I have a right to express insult to those who expect <strong>me</strong> to bend over backwards for them when they came here. We have our own culture and traditions here and to try and change this country to meet their needs is downright wrong. Since when did it become ok to come in to a country and expect the locals accommodate you? Integration is the right thing to do. Sorry I didn’t answer right away. You know I will try to learn Spanish. Not because I have to but because I want to. I’ve lived in Los Angeles all my life and I’ve seen a change and it’s not for the better. before the 80′s immigrants made a distinct effort to integrate. After the first amnesty immigrants stopped trying to integrate, they didn’t have to and to require them to integrate in to our society became politically incorrect. America became afraid to be politically incorrect for fear of being called one word “racist” or one of its closer siblings “bigot“. America was forced to accommodate new immigrants despite the requirement for citizenship is to learn English. On a side note, the test is a complete and utter joke. Back to the subject. The Constitution has become an unwilling participant in this whole boondoggle. Non citizens now use it against the country. It irks me when someone uses the Constitution to make the point that they don’t have to and it really irks me when someone says they were here first. Yes, California was at one point a part of Mexico, but as you conveniently left out the Treaty of Guadalupe the land that is this State was sold and turned over to the United States. The Mexicans have no one to blame but the Dons and themselves. So the fact that they were here first is of no consequence to this argument. My grandparents immigrated to the United States before the Axis took over Europe. They didn’t speak a lick of English. They learned it just fine and they had even less. So the argument that English is hard to learn is a poor one. The difference between my grandparents and the people of today? They worked hard to learn English and integrate because they wanted to become Americans. Today’s immigrants pool in neighborhoods that are predominately their kind and they work hard to segregate themselves. This country was founded in English, the de facto and unifying language of the U.S. is English. It’s been proven that those who don’t learn English don’t do well here. If I immigrated to Spain, Germany, France or any other country whose primary language is not English I would be expected to learn that language and out of respect I would learn it. Today’s immigrant comes here with a chip on their shoulder expecting entitlements and for the citizens to accommodate them. Especially the ones who come here illegally. So I think I have a right to express insult to those who expect me to bend over backwards for them when they came here. We have our own culture and traditions here and to try and change this country to meet their needs is downright wrong. Since when did it become ok to come in to a country and expect the locals accommodate you? Integration is the right thing to do.

]]> http://digitalbishop.badwolfmedia.com/2009/11/immigration-language-and-respect/comment-page-1/#comment-17 cyberianexile Mon, 20 Sep 2010 07:02:17 +0000 http://digitalbishop.badwolfmedia.com/?p=3#comment-17 Hmm...I guess I'm wondering whether you speak a second language yourself. I agree with you to an extent, but I know a lot of Americans who've never managed to learn a second language themselves (any second language at all) and get annoyed that not everyone speaks English. I do think if you live in certain areas, you need to be bilingual. I am a white Irish-American woman from New England who realized I should learn Spanish when I moved to Los Angeles, because it's one of the two main languages spoken in the area. Constitutionally we do NOT have an "official" language in this country, and the Spanish speakers were here first, after all. That doesn't mean they can get by just speaking Spanish but it's also a reality for us English-speakers that we should be bilingual too. It's a matter of practicality and courtesy. Also, please recognize that a lot of people who immigrated to this country did so without the resources we have access to. Some would like to learn English (a MUCH more difficult language to learn than Spanish, incidentally) but did not have access to English classes in school and are struggling just to survive here with multiple jobs -- and learning English is time-consuming. Many keep planning to "get to it" but can't find time, or they hope they'll just pick it up somehow. I have found that many immigrants are also just lacking the confidence to speak English, even if they've put a lot of effort into learning the basics. It's intimidating to speak a foreign language, especially a very difficult one -- they're afraid of being laughed at or accidentally saying something offensive. Unfortunately a lot of American English speakers are very arrogant and act superior to people from other countries, which just causes immigrants to isolate themselves even more. It helps when we try to meet them halfway. Hmm…I guess I’m wondering whether you speak a second language yourself. I agree with you to an extent, but I know a lot of Americans who’ve never managed to learn a second language themselves (any second language at all) and get annoyed that not everyone speaks English. I do think if you live in certain areas, you need to be bilingual. I am a white Irish-American woman from New England who realized I should learn Spanish when I moved to Los Angeles, because it’s one of the two main languages spoken in the area. Constitutionally we do NOT have an “official” language in this country, and the Spanish speakers were here first, after all. That doesn’t mean they can get by just speaking Spanish but it’s also a reality for us English-speakers that we should be bilingual too. It’s a matter of practicality and courtesy. Also, please recognize that a lot of people who immigrated to this country did so without the resources we have access to. Some would like to learn English (a MUCH more difficult language to learn than Spanish, incidentally) but did not have access to English classes in school and are struggling just to survive here with multiple jobs — and learning English is time-consuming. Many keep planning to “get to it” but can’t find time, or they hope they’ll just pick it up somehow. I have found that many immigrants are also just lacking the confidence to speak English, even if they’ve put a lot of effort into learning the basics. It’s intimidating to speak a foreign language, especially a very difficult one — they’re afraid of being laughed at or accidentally saying something offensive. Unfortunately a lot of American English speakers are very arrogant and act superior to people from other countries, which just causes immigrants to isolate themselves even more. It helps when we try to meet them halfway.

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