[eaglecall]

Originally Posted by OoAnd1

My first point will be that millions of the first to come to the United States came looking for a better life. From the Italians to the Irish to the Germans, Jews, etc. And still today, millions of the immigrants, from the Middle East, Europe or Latin America come for a better life. You don't fall in love with the U.S.A then decide to come here...you decide to come here and then, hopefully...ideally, you fall in love with the U.S.A..

I don't live in Miami and I haven't even spent more than a day there in over a decade. So I can't comment on how things are there.

But I do want to add one more thing to want you said. I believe there should be a balance to assimilating. I'm not sure what 100% assimilation means to you...but the American culture should not be a "replacement culture" but instead an addition to your culture. I was born in the U.S.A., I love my country. But if I move to Japan for my career, I can't be expected to leave my American culture and love for my country at the airport. It will forever be with me. Now, I'd make an absolute effort to learn Japanese and their country. And perhaps, with time, I'd love Japan as well. Only through that example am I even close to seeing this situation through the eyes of a Hispanic immigrant.

You should always love the country you were born in no matter the reasons you had to/or chose to come to the United States. But I do agree that eventually you should "fall in love" with the United States. The U.S.A should be like their "second child". You could love both countries and both cultures. You can learn to speak English for work and then watch Spanish tv at home. You can eat American food for lunch and then Spanish food for dinner. That to me...is assimilation, but it's assimilating without losing your identity as a Hispanic. I'm not sure what you thought proper assimilation should be, perhaps we both agree, perhaps not.

The key is balance. It is wrong for a Hispanic to be in this country for 10+ years with zero acceptance of the American culture and language. But it is also wrong for an American to expect a Hispanic to give up his culture and language completely.

I agree that everyone should speak-up about those that choose not to accept the American culture, but when we argue with them and when we make our points, let's make clear we want them ONLY TO ADD the American culture to their lives, NOT substitute it in.

I agree with you in all what you say, but there is one problem. That critical thinking, that use of logic, reason, is from an American. We are facing here people with 180 degrees opposite way of thinking. A complete different way of feeling, a different way of using logic and reason. You cannot expect what you say or what you think from actual immigrants. And is not only with Hispanics. Like Nirvana says, is from several cultures coming here. They are in this country only because they can get benefits and the opportunity to work in something and survive day after day. But about America? THEY DO NOT LIKE IT. They do not tolerate American people. And worst than that, what causes me pain in my heart, is that so many immigrants really HATE this country; however, they live here, they get benefits here.

We are facing today a degenerated concept of migration. With globalization, we know pretty much exactly how is each country and each culture. That makes today's migrations as a "smart act to relocate and take advanatge of that place in the best possible way". And the problem? Immigration laws and systems are the same from 100 years ago. Americans must realize that "good faith" and "trust" do not exist anymore around the world. If you give somebody a hand, he will take your elbow and eventually your arm when you're not watching. We must reform our laws focused to preserve what we know as America.

[eaglecall]

Originally Posted by vpcats

Weird how all these other immigrants have been assimilating for 400 years (Nirvana Guy's recent post) when the USA is only what 300 years old?

This is article is on today's MSN homepage.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17954186/

That link pretty much prove what we talk about here day after day. LOL. Every single big city in The United States is turning slowly but steady into Third World cities. Eventually, they will be only sustained by immigrants. Americans will leave big cities. Those big cities will be worst than today, in terms of wages, cost of living, opportunities. Poor class will grow, middle class will dissapear, a small highclass will be in charge in those cities, just exactly the same way South America is today.

Meanwhile, Americans who move out, will get together in different towns who eventually will grow in prosperity, equal opportunities for everybody, trust and good faith. What was before a small town, will be a nice big city in 50 years. And guess what. Immigrants will start relocating from the caothic big cities to the "new" big cities because "we are looking for an opportunity" or "we are here to do what gringos do not want to do". And the same crappy circle repeats again. And I'm affraid, that's how this empire will die some day.

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

I think some of these posts are just sad. I hope the guy that opened this threat is not in South florida for his good, or anybody elses.

If you are againts immigration, it's fine, it's your opinion, you might be right, you might be wrong. A lot of people here have expressed this in a very polite way. You don't have to dehumanize a group of people and insult them. Little things like that can lead to more anger, hate and even genocide. I know this sounds drastric, but believe it or not things can eventually escalate to that.

Of course it also depends on you, some people are just selfish, cruel, egocentric and they could care less about treating other humans like inferior species. But if you think you have some values and principles, believe in God, think twice about the way you express yourself and the way your treating like or not your brothers.

Yes and I do hate, hate regeton also. But just the music.

[summergal]

Originally Posted by lolitazz

If you are againts immigration, it's fine, it's your opinion, you might be right, you might be wrong.

You mean ILLEGAL immigration? Let's not sugar-coat it. No it's not an opinion... we are absolutely correct in being against illegal foreign insurents breaking into OUR country, taking OUR jobs and OUR tax money to pay for their babies and school their non-english speaking children, and have the utter ODACITY to go into OUR streets waving their FOREIGN FLAG and DEMANDING we give them even more than what they have already taken!! We are not wrong... we are right PERIOD.

You don't have to dehumanize a group of people and insult them. Little things like that can lead to more anger, hate and even genocide. I know this sounds drastric, but believe it or not things can eventually escalate to that.

Oh dear, we shouldn't insult them?? You've got to be kidding. It may lead to more anger? More than we already have for these leaches on our society?? I'll tell you what, the more they push and demand and force the people of this country to bow to their agenda, the more angry (and rightly so) the American people will become. Be PC and coddle?? FORGET IT!

Of course it also depends on you, some people are just selfish, cruel, egocentric and they could care less about treating other humans like inferior species. But if you think you have some values and principles, believe in God, think twice about the way you express yourself and the way your treating like or not your brothers.

I know the bible teaches to turn the other cheek, but you would not do that if you were looking into the face of strangers who broke into your home, took over your home and demand you to make them comfortable and take care of their every whim, eating your food, sleeping in your childrens beds...

You would NOT turn the other cheek. Let's get real.

As far as LEGAL immigrants, if they don't want to embrace the American way, they can just go back then. Coming to America is about becoming American. If they are not interested in that, they have NO business being here! Being separate and refusing to assimilate is hurting this country.

[bostonbaby]

Everyone in that blog.. your Spanish is terrible!, and all this insults to hispanics and their culture makes me sick...
Please get a life... and a happy one... find the banks in which they only speak English and just be happy...Move to another part of the US with a nice ocean and just be happy..

By the way.. the United States DOESN'T have an official language...!

[summergal]

Originally Posted by bostonbaby

Everyone in that blog.. your Spanish is terrible!, and all this insults to hispanics and their culture makes me sick...
Please get a life... and a happy one... find the banks in which they only speak English and just be happy...Move to another part of the US with a nice ocean and just be happy..

By the way.. the United States DOESN'T have an official language...!

1. Why should we move? It's OUR country not theirs! Just move to the ocean and pretend this isn't happening? lmao Not on your life! It's wrong, plain and simple.

2. Yes the US DOES have an official language... ENGLISH. I know you will try to debate this, but the technicality inyour argument is totally irrelevant. It is THE national language of the US and everything is done and written in English here. Always has been, always will be. There should be NO banks or other businesses speaking spanish or any other language but the language of this great country = ENGLISH.

oh and btw, who cares if our spanish is terrible?! Ha!

[Crew Chief]

I live in Ohio and I sure am tired of sending money and having my homeowner's insurance go up every time a hurricane comes to Florida; if you people want to live in Horrida, you should be responsible enough to build weather-resistent housing and not whine to the rest of us who have housing that's built to withstand local weather events. You guys didn't send money up here when 14" of snow fell in the Dayton area two years ago... OH... and if you Summer in Michigan, quit driving up and down I-75 like idiots! Have a nice day.

[NancyC]

Jolee you are a sad excuse for a human. If you think only cubans know what it's like to be poor and are looking for a better life than your ignorance is amazing. Their are people from all over the world coming to America to look
for a better life. As far as Americans, how dare you say Americans dont know
what it's like to be poor. Some American's are poor and have been for generations and dont have the education or know how to get ahead from years of poverty. Do your research about poverty in America and smarten up!!

[eaglecall]

Originally Posted by bostonbaby

Everyone in that blog.. your Spanish is terrible!, and all this insults to hispanics and their culture makes me sick...
Please get a life... and a happy one... find the banks in which they only speak English and just be happy...Move to another part of the US with a nice ocean and just be happy..

By the way.. the United States DOESN'T have an official language...!

C'mon stop the ignorance....Let's see it this way. If I brake into your house with 2 more people; are you gonna tell me "howdy Sir" an move away to another home?? uh?? Why in the world you have to move out of your own house? aren't you in your full right to defend it with your life??? at all costs??
Americans don't have to get out of anywhere inside The United States. They are already "there" in their great country, outside the rest of the dysfunctional world. "Others" are the ones who must be removed from here. Those who do not accept this nation "as is", respect its laws, traditions and culture. Accepting this nation as is, is one of the things you swear when you become a citizen. Nobody has any right to come here and create the little this and the little that. If you like Spanish, go to Spain. If you like the culture of a specific country, then please get the hell out of here and leave us in peace. This nation is not the world's wellfare.

And about your last cheap comment...No, this nation doesn't have an official language. Why is that? because it was founded by civilized people who based in good faith and trust, created this system. Based on those values, you DO NOT need to "force" people to speak one single language. However, we are having low class immigrants lately who only come here to take advantage of our system, and that advantage includes not respecting ANYTHING related with the American culture; that includes, of course, our language.

[NewYorker18]

Art II. SECTION 9. English is the official language of Florida.--

(a) English is the official language of the State of Florida.

(b) The legislature shall have the power to enforce this section by appropriate legislation.

While English is not directly adopted by the United States Consitution it is indirectly implied. The majority of the United States Constitution is ambigous on many issues. Scholars of this very constitution have declared that English may be interpreted to be the official language of America because it is in fact written in English. Since the U.S.C's adoption by all of the states in the Union, one point has been emphatically clear, through both the 5th and 14th Amendments, the states are granted the rights to create laws through their own legislative process as a soveirgn entity within the limitations of the United States Constitution.

That being said, The Florida Constitution, as indirectly elected by its citizens, has declared English as the official language.