Think it's racist to say...?

[Hon2BMW]

lol, the views you guys have are messed the fuck up.

Assimilation is stupid.

Jay

Please elaborate for the sake of everyone.

[SpasticDwarf]

I believe that if no matter who you are or what country you move to you should make an effort to assimilate into that country's culture and learn their language. At least if you plan to live there for a long period of time. Otherwise it's considered disrespectful.

Furthermore, I don't care if I sound racist but I think the biggest problem we American's have with illegal hispanic immigrants is that they make no effort to assimilate into our culture and a majority of them are just trashy people who leach off everything. At least it's this way in TN. Go to any Walmart on Sunday and how many of you know when you spot a car or truck a mexican owns it?

I guarantee you if hispanics came to America as tasteful, independant, people with lots of integrity to show most of us would be more willing to look the other way.

Seriously. Its absolutly terrible.

If I went to mexico and refused to learn spanish, should I expect their government to adapt THEIR country for ME when im not even LEGALLY there?
fuck no.

[uofom3]

Germany now requires immigrants to be fluent or pass some level of test to ascertain their language skills to be able to become citizens. If people want to legally immigrate that is fine - but they should be expected to learn the language. I wouldn't try and move to another nation and expect them to accomodate my language; it's their country not mine.

[Mystikal]

Please elaborate for the sake of everyone.

Forcing everyone to assimilate has never worked historically. For modern examples, just ask France, the Netherlands, hell even a non-jaded American.

It does not work. You cannot force people to become what is "dominant" culture. You are implying a power relation, one which is based on false pretenses. The EXACT country you are all claiming to be YOURS was just "acquired" a few centuries ago. That is not a long time, and just because you FORCE an existing population to the periphery does not make the damn place yours.

I doubt anyone here will agree with me, you're all brainwashed by your culture. I'll just say that from outside that little box you all reside in, your views look very silly.

Jay

[1991 318is]

What is the "culture" of the US? Is it the one brought here by the English religious fanatics, pardoned debtors prison inmates, etc. Maybe the one of the Native Americans. The "culture" of America is the culture of former African slaves. White kids in the suburbs are listening to rap and hip hop.
Should the Pilgrims have been required to learn the language of the Indians? We've only been here a little over 200 years. What will your position be when Hispanics are the majority? Spain, Belgium, the former Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, China, Canada, India, and others (and that's also the majority of the people on the planet) have more than one language within a nation state.
English as the "official" language is motivated by racism against Hispanics. The arguments always start with, "when they come here...." and they are Hispanic.

[FredK]

Jay, you're just expanding the discussion to stump about your own POV on cultural assimilation. The point of the post was not to say, forget the the ideals, beliefs, and identity of your culture and start thinking you're a regular assed American or Canadian. The point was much closer to what Lee said.

If you are an American, you won't get very far in many countries speaking English and spitting on sidewalks. That might get you caned.

Are you going to drop yourself in Japan or Korea, or another ethnically pure country and start talking about how awesome Canada is, and refuse to speak anything but Canadian? I don't think so.

[Addissimo]

I do love the Canadian language...

[FredK]

Yes. People who live in America should speak American. J/k.

[mtechnik]

You know I had some of the exact same thoughts in my head as 1991 318is & Mystikal but didn't want to get burnt at a stake.
That's why I just hinted the example of the movie: Buried my heart at wounded knee.

It can be nice to discuss such matters, as they apply for many countries & it is good to experience many views on a subject but when it becomes a heated e-war than it's better to refrain.

The Netherlands like was mentioned earlier, is faced with many issues now because some years ago many foreign people were welcomed into the country whole heartly and now the general sentiment is that these groups are not intergrating etc... In some instances a host nation says "Make yourself at home" and the guest does just that! Compare it to something like in You, Me and Dupree.

[RobertK]

Forcing everyone to assimilate has never worked historically. For modern examples, just ask France, the Netherlands, hell even a non-jaded American.

It does not work. You cannot force people to become what is "dominant" culture. You are implying a power relation, one which is based on false pretenses. The EXACT country you are all claiming to be YOURS was just "acquired" a few centuries ago. That is not a long time, and just because you FORCE an existing population to the periphery does not make the damn place yours.

I doubt anyone here will agree with me, you're all brainwashed by your culture. I'll just say that from outside that little box you all reside in, your views look very silly.

Jay

Thousands of immigrant including my grandfather who immigrated from Austria did everything they could to assimilate into American culture. Like I said before tons of other immigrants from all over the world learn our language and follow our immigration laws.

Illegal Hispanics break the law as their first act on US soil, then abuse our social system, abuse our health care system, commit identity fraud, destroy property values, commit crime without any way for local law enforcement to track them, and do it right in front of our face on our tax dollars. After all that they have to nerve to DEMAND amnesty just because they work shitty jobs?!?

How would you feel if I broke into your home just to clean your toilets and take out the trash. When you come home I demand that you let me and my family stay there for free, provide me with free health and social benefits and give every child I have the same benefit all because I'm willing to shit jobs around your house even though I never asked you to?

I have no problem with immigrants from any country coming here to work and live.. but shit.. at least do it legally and pay your dues like everyone else. It's a slap in the face to thousands of legal immigrants that come here after waiting there turn.

[Jscotty]

Should the Pilgrims have been required to learn the language of the Indians? We've only been here a little over 200 years. What will your position be when Hispanics are the majority?

My sentiments exactly. Given the way that we loosely throw around words and phrases from other languages as it is we really have no choice but to embrace other cultures. It is the american way.

Almost every day at work someone will come in and ask if there is anyone there to speak spanish. I could easily help them, but I always tell them that I don't speak spanish and nobody at the stores does either.

If you worked for me I would fire you. Not because I think your actions would be disciminatory but because you would have cost me a sale. And as challenging as it can be sometimes to do business with someone who does not speak the language of the marketplace, that would be money that you would be costing my company. If someone comes to me to do business with me and they don't speak English, I am not going to be so foolish to say, "nah.. I dont want your money" but instead I am going to try to communicate with this guy the best way I can.

Money is the #1 reason why you have to press 1 for english. The border jumping hispanics who refuse to assimilate into our culture make up an important part of our economy. If anyone, mexican or otherwise, comes to me with a pocket full of money and determined to do business with me, I don't care if the guy speaks sign language. I will glady work with the guy.

Also consider that when we as Americans go to foreigh countries, we expect for someone to be able to speak english or demand that they find someone for us who does. In fact you can go to almost any industrialized country in the world and find someone who speaks english for whatever service that you want or need. Even if you call up the Marriot in downtown Paris, the person answering the phone is probably a frenchman who speaks english. Go anywhere in the world and chances are that there is someone who is english speaking enough to accomodate you. And so we should not accomodate mexicans or spanish speaking people?

[CorvallisBMW]

Germany now requires immigrants to be fluent or pass some level of test to ascertain their language skills to be able to become citizens. If people want to legally immigrate that is fine - but they should be expected to learn the language. I wouldn't try and move to another nation and expect them to accomodate my language; it's their country not mine.

Makes sense to me. If you are going to move to a foreign country (legaly or illegaly) in hopes of attaining a better life, then you should be willing to work for it. That includes learning the language. The culture barrier between hispanics and Americans is the whole problem; if they took the time and effort to assimilate, then we wouldn't be havning so many of the issues we do today.

I don't expect any other country to suddenly start speaking english when i show up there as a tourist; why should the US embrace spanish for the benefit of illegal immigrants? If they want to come here so bad, then they need to be willing to put in the effort to learn the lanuage. It's that simple. Considering the huge drain that these people have on the public welfare, education and health systems, and the dismaly small tax contributions they put back in, I dont think it's too much to ask that they at least learn the native language of the country they live in.

[CleanAzzE30z]

if they took the time and effort to assimilate, then we wouldn't be havning so many of the issues we do today.

I bet my balls that there would be another reason to single them out. Dont be naive. Im not getting involved in this conversation. I seriously cannot believe there are still people out there who think some of the things that have been said here. But whatever.


Mariano

[CleanAzzE30z]

Illegal Hispanics break the law as their first act on US soil, then abuse our social system, abuse our health care system, commit identity fraud, destroy property values, commit crime without any way for local law enforcement to track them, and do it right in front of our face on our tax dollars. After all that they have to nerve to DEMAND amnesty just because they work shitty jobs?!?

classic.

[CleanAzzE30z]

Furthermore, I don't care if I sound racist but I think the biggest problem we American's have with illegal hispanic immigrants is that they make no effort to assimilate into our culture and a majority of them are just trashy people who leach off everything. At least it's this way in TN. Go to any Walmart on Sunday and how many of you know when you spot a car or truck a mexican owns it?

I guarantee you if hispanics came to America as tasteful, independant, people with lots of integrity to show most of us would be more willing to look the other way.

You dont care to sound racist/ignorant, huh? How can one respect your views if you admittedly have no regard for choosing to sound uneducated?

Mariano