editorial written by an American citizen

[belgareth]

This is an editorial written by an
American citizen, published in

a
Tampa newspaper. He did quite a job; didn't he? Read on, please!

IMMIGRANTS,
NOT AMERICANS,
MUST

ADAPT.
[c

olor=navy]I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we
are offending some individual or their culture.

Since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11,
we have experienced a surge
in patriotism by the majority
of Americans.

However...... the dust from the attacks had
barely settled when the "politically correct!" crowd began complaining

about
the possibility that our patriotism was offending others.

I am not against LEGAL immigration, nor do I

hold a grudge against anyone who is LEGALLY seeking a better life by coming to

America.[/color]
[siz

e=4]Our population is almost entirely made up of descendants of LEGAL

immigrants.[/size]
[

size=4]However, there
are a few things that those
who have recently come to
our

country, and apparently some born here, need to

understand.[/size]
[

size=4]This idea of America being a
multicultural community
has served only to

dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As

Americans...[/size]


we have our own culture, our
own society, our own language and our own lifestyle.

This culture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who

have sought

freedom.

[/si

ze]We speak ENGLISH, not Spanish, Portuguese,

Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language.
Therefore, if you wish to become part
of our society,

learn the ENGLISH language!

"In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some Christian, right wing,

political slogan.. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women.......on Christian

principles.............
[color=

navy]founded this nation..... and this is clearly

documented.[/color]


It is certainly appropriate to display it
on the walls of our

schools.
[siz

e=4]If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as
your

new

home.........because
[/siz

e]God is part of our

culture.





If Stars and Stripes offend you, or
you don't like Uncle Sam, then you
should seriously consider a

move
to another part of this

planet.


We
are happy with our culture and have
no desire to change, and we really
don't care how you

did things where
you came from. This is OUR COUNTRY,
our land, and our

lifestyle.
[s

ize=4]Our First Amendment gives every LEGAL citizen the
right to express his opinion

and we
will allow you every opportunity to do so!
But once you are done complaining....... whining...... and

griping....... about our flag.......
our pledge...... our national motto........or our
way of life....I highly

encourage you to
take advantage of one other Great American

Freedom.......



THE RIGHT TO

LEAVE.

[Mtnjim]

Sort of reminds me of

this!

[DrSmellThis]

Just my initial impressions,

thoughts, and personal opinions:

- I don't get that person's point, and they use too many caps. It's almost

as if we have to be very afraid of someone from another country trying to impose their culture on "us real

Amerycuns".

- Something about the underlying attitude also sounds pretty negative and closed minded. The person

also seems to be saying "look how tough I am." There might also be some subtle bigotry in there, and a simple-minded

attitude about right and wrong.

- He or she pretends to speak for "we" Americans, but really doesn't. The

person has a right to his or her opinion.

- Sounds a bit xenophobic.

- I agree that people who move here are

served best by learning more English. Immigrants generally know that. But why make such a big deal about it? Is that

their only point? Is this about having trouble ordering at their Chinese restaurant? Why is this person so enraged

by someone who can't speak English well?

- I don't think that the problem is our patriotism offends others.

Healthy patriotism is endearing, as is a love of one's culture. The whole world was flying the stars and stripes

after 9/11. Rather, some people have a very black and white, ignorant, or nationalistic notion of what patriotism

is. The ignorance and black/white thinking offends others. Being offensive offends others. Killing people offends

others. Hiding behind a thin, phony cloak of "patriotism" offends others. "Freedom fries", anyone? This whole

"America: Love it or leave it!"/"you're either with us or against us"/"we don't care what the rest of the world

feels" notion of patriotism needs to be re-examined.

- I don't agree that this country is about God or religion,

or that it has to be for everyone. I believe all this fear that liberals/atheists/pagans are trying to take God

away from us is BS. Most everyone in this country is fine with whatever you do when you pray. The whole issue is

mostly something the right wing worries about. Religion shouldn't be legislated, and particular religions

Americans practice should not be made state religions. This person apparently wants America to be a Christian

country and government. I disagree, and I'm just as American as he or she is. America currently represents an

infinite variety of approaches to spirituality, cosmology, faith and ultimate beliefs.

- this person is no expert

on American culture, which is enriched by its many influences and colors. Sounds like this person has a very

particular notion of American culture they might want to impose on others. America can't be crammed into the box

that some might want to cram it into. American culture is still new and evolving.

[tim929]

A large chunk of my family was

born overseas,and a large chunk of the people my parents grew up with came from places all over the world looking

for a better life...and found it here.Years ago,it wasnt uncommon for immigrants to forsake some of thier cultural

elements out of respect for thier adopted home.My grandparents wouldnt allow thier children to speak Norwegian at

the dinner table...because thier new country spoke english.My dads nieghbors were Polish and another family not far

up the road was Latvian.In thier homes,everyone went to great lengths out of respect for thier new home to learn and

speak english as well.Nobody told them they had to.They did it because it was the right thing to do.

There was a

time in history when people lived by the old axiom,"when in Rome,do as the Romans do." In this day and age

however,Americans who have been here for generations are being increasingly expected to bend our ways to accomodate

the desire of others not to assimilate themselves into American culture.In my oppinion its offensive to walk into

someone elses home and expect them to change thier lifestyle and habbits to accomodate me.You probably wouldnt like

it too much if I came to your home and left my dirty underwear on your kitchen counter the way I do at home.Or kick

the dog and urinate on the floor in front of the toilet the way I do at home.Or shout obscenities at your house

wenches...whom you childishly refer to as your "wife" and "daughter." You wouldnt much appreciate it if I were to

"borrow" your car and drive it accross your lawn the way I do at home and park it with the windows down in a driving

rain in the neighbors yard...just like home.Oh...you might not like the fact that I find your so-called

"spirituality" rediculous and infantile and made a scene in front of your friends at you local "religious

gathering." You might not realy appreciate the herd of live goats in your living room...as I am only allowed to eat

fresh meat.And I dont plan on cleaning up after I slaughter them in your living room...thats for the house wenches

to handle.I wont even mention the chickens in the master bedroom...ahhhh...just like home!

I could only imagine

what you might think if I demanded that you learn to speak my language rather than blathering on in that nonsensical

babble you call a language while I treat your wenches like crap and kick your dog.Did I mention that I hate all your

favorite colors? So get out the paint brush...or I will sue you for having the audacity to offend me in YOUR home.



All anybody realy expects is that people who come here "looking for a better life" be willing to learn the ways of

thier new home.None of this requires sacraficing your first born on an altar,or gouging out your left eye with a

spoon,or hacking off a limb with a rusty saw,or giving up your religion and swear an oath to satan...just learn the

baisics of fitting in and respecting everyone else.I have friends living in Mexico right now.And,while everyone is

very kind,generous,helpful and friendly...they are EXPECTED to be able to communicate in Spanish...PERIOD.If they

cant,then they can expect not to be heard...only smiled at and generaly ignored.If people can come here and expect

us to bend...whats to keep me from going there and expecting THEM to bend...just alittle?

Lets not forget all

those nice people who HAVE been here for generations who,out of boredom have decided to stir shit and complain about

everything.In God We Trust...GET OVER IT!!!

If thats offensive,stop going to church.They are

words...words that our founding fathers seemed at the time to think were important.Words that have become a national

icon...if you cant handle that,GET THERAPY!But dont waste millions of MY TAX DOLLARS suing ME just

because you woke up one morning and decided you were BORED!!Lawyers who get bored are a dangerous thing.The people

who bring these issues to court need something productive to do,like WORK!! When you sue the "government" in this

country,you are suing YOURSELF!!! dont these dumbasses get that!?

The legal bills that are ammassed are paid for

with TAX DOLLARS!!! All we are seeing is a bunch of handwringing whiners whos daddies didnt

give them enough attention and whos momies didnt breast feed them who are trying to get back all the attention and

love that they didnt get as children.And in the process they are costing the rest of us...who have lives and jobs

alot of money and hastle.Its rediculous and absurd.

okay...Im calming down now...just alittle...but like

the writer of the article said...If you dont like it here...you may excersize your freedom to leave any time you

wish.The sooner,the better...

[tim929]

P.S.

I have never been

accused of having an oppinion...

[Kardz]

I generally agree with you Dr, but

I think you are over analysing.

It's a pretty simple message.

And it's written like that with those

overtones because it's defensive. Defensive toward the biggots, hypocrits, and politically correct.



Unfortunately, those tards know as well as anyone else it's just one person's opinion. Even though it would do

well for them not to realize that.

To the end of someone writing that towards those types of people, I

completely agree with it.

One thing this reminds me of is people being offended by christian america saying

"merry christmas" to them.

Your name might be aghmed or mahamad but it's not always completely obvious your not

american or not christian.

Plus WHAT DOES IT MATTER if some whiteboy says merry christmas to you and get's it

wrong? WHO CARES? It's not like it's HURTING you or they meant it to piss you off. After all, they could say worse

things. And you are living in AMERICA.

I think that message is directed at things like that more than anything

else.

The biggots, the politically correct, and the hypocrits. Those are the people that are going to protest

articles like that and those are the types it's going to offend.

Ryam

[belgareth]

Tim,

There are things I

would have said differently but I can't disagree with you one bit. There is nothing wrong with expecting immigrants

to follow the law to come into this country, remember that my new wife is an immigrant! Nor is there anything wrong

with expecting...no, requiring them to learn the language of their adopted homeland. While we are a nation of

immigrants, we are also a melting pot. For the various elements to blend, they must bend. Expecting to come to a new

country and reorder it to be like your former home, the one you choose to leave or even fled from, is unreasonable.

Go elsewhere if that's what you expect.

This nation was founded on both religious freedom and religious values.

Trying to make it otherwise is trying to undo 200 and some years of history. Those who know me and those who can

read between the lines know I have deep seated mystical beliefs that have nothing to do with christianity. Yet, I

see no harm in a symbol of the christian belief anywhere you want to put it. I don't believe in their god so their

symbols mean absolutely nothing to me. Seeing them in a public or government place has about the same meaning as a

picture of a cow, essentially a null response unless it has some artistic value. I can't understand why some are so

threatened by another's belief. So long as they practice their faith honestly and do no harm to others, there is no

issue.

In particular I find the objection to posting the ten commandments to be idiotic. In all or in part, they

are a good set of values in a nation whose values continue to decline. Perhaps more time should be spent teaching

values and less time objecting to what others are doing when they are doing you no harm.

Tim said it well...



GET OVER IT!!!!