Immigrants melting into the pot as usual (Tom Tancredo, Aztlan, born)

[Mach50]

Commentary: Immigrants melting into the pot as usual - CNN.com

And even while Americans complain about how the current crop of immigrants aren't like their predecessors, they miss the irony: At the time, there were people who said the same thing about their ancestors; the Germans were thought to not be like the English, the Irish weren't like the Germans, the Italians weren't like the Irish etc. And the Chinese weren't like anyone who had come before them, and so they were labeled "unassimilable" by the Tom Tancredos of that era.

[crisp444]

I agree. Assimilation is happening as usual with Mexicans/Hispanics.

[davidt1]

I hope you are talking about legal immigrants. Illegal aliens have no business being here.

[El Rhino]

I don't know, dude. The whole "Well, people said the same thing about <insert ethnic group here, usually the Irish and/or Italians> a long time ago too" argument doesn't really do much for me. It doesn't really address the issues caused by illegal immigration, it's kind of a meaningless statement that assumes the root of the problem is xenophobia or something. I also believe that persecution towards the Irish, Italians, etc is a little overstated.

Anyways, certainly there are a lot of Mexicans and other folks from down that way who have assimilated into our culture but as of right now there are more people who were born in Mexico and currently reside in the United States than people who immigrated from Ireland and Germany combined, our two largest ethnic groups. Think about that. Who's going to have to do the assimilation once they're the majority?

[El Rhino]

I just actually read the article and I do agree with the author that there is a double standard as far as people complaining about Mexicans with Mexican flags, celebrating Mexican holidays and so-on while it's perfectly ok for someone to say, have an Irish flag and celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

I'm very proud of my Anglo-Celtic heritage. I'm very into British music, British fashion and British culture. I've even got a Welsh dragon tattoo and Celtic crosses, but no one is ever going to question where my loyalties lie...and if they do, the fact that I've fought for this country should clear it up. Mexican-Americans should have that right as well. If I moved to another country, you can bet that I'll still be out grilling burgers, listening to some American music, drinking Coca-Cola and pulling for US sports teams.

Sometimes I think that those of us who are against illegal immigration need to pick and choose our battles better. Instead of arguing over who has a Mexican flag or prefers to speak Spanish, we need to focus on the issues that really matter like crime, social and economic impact, etc.

[High Springs Gator]

Originally Posted by El Rhino

Sometimes I think that those of us who are against illegal immigration need to pick and choose our battles better. Instead of arguing over who has a Mexican flag or prefers to speak Spanish, we need to focus on the issues that really matter like crime, social and economic impact, etc.

I think you are on to something. Great point.

[Neutre]

Originally Posted by El Rhino

Anyways, certainly there are a lot of Mexicans and other folks from down that way who have assimilated into our culture but as of right now there are more people who were born in Mexico and currently reside in the United States than people who immigrated from Ireland and Germany combined, our two largest ethnic groups. Think about that. Who's going to have to do the assimilation once they're the majority?

Well, mein Freund, the "Germans" are in the majority today.
The Americans of German ancestry far outnumber even those of Irish origins, not to mention those of English ancestry.
Even today, unlike what many people think, the majority of Latinos are more fluent in English than in Spanish or Portuguese.

Originally Posted by El Rhino

I just actually read the article and I do agree with the author that there is a double standard as far as people complaining about Mexicans with Mexican flags, celebrating Mexican holidays and so-on while it's perfectly ok for someone to say, have an Irish flag and celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

I'm very proud of my Anglo-Celtic heritage. I'm very into British music, British fashion and British culture. I've even got a Welsh dragon tattoo and Celtic crosses, but no one is ever going to question where my loyalties lie...and if they do, the fact that I've fought for this country should clear it up. Mexican-Americans should have that right as well. If I moved to another country, you can bet that I'll still be out grilling burgers, listening to some American music, drinking Coca-Cola and pulling for US sports teams.

Sometimes I think that those of us who are against illegal immigration need to pick and choose our battles better. Instead of arguing over who has a Mexican flag or prefers to speak Spanish, we need to focus on the issues that really matter like crime, social and economic impact, etc.

[moderator cut: foreign language] , I agree, (I don't know how to say that in Irish ).

[StopGap]

There's a rudimentary issue here that everybody thus far has missed. It's socially acceptable for every non-European ethnicity to band together into ethnically cohesive groups that protect and/or elevate their social, political, and economic power. The sole identity these groups have is that of ethnicity, and how to do everything possible to improve their particular ethnic group, without any concern for others aside from the occasional alliance to challenge the "White establishment". However, for Europeans to do the same quickly gains the label of Nazis/haters/xenophobes/racists etc.

And given the current rates of immigration, Americans have every right to be concerned, as this "nation" quickly balkanizes into an unmanageable hodge-podge of various tribes divided around un-assimilated ethnic lines.

[malamute]

Then why are we wasting so much tax payer money on Spanish language teachers, the so-called "bilingual" ed, and even voting instructions in Spanish? Why are there so many Mexican radio stations and television channels if they are assimilating? Even politicians speaking in Spanish -- maybe it's the Americans assimilating into Mexican culture?

Why all the Mexican Consulates going up everywhere? The dual citizenships? The Aztlan and Mexica Movement types and the Mexican flags waving everywhere?

[Neutre]

Tío, speaking Spanish doesn't mean you're not assimilated.

The great majority of Americans who claim to speak Spanish speak English as well. Many of them are even more fluent in English than Spanish.
I underscored claim because many Spanish speakers in reality just know Cómo va and basic Spanish conversations to start with. Most of them are more competent in English.

Has any of you thought that some Hispanics go to Spanish courses or are sent by their parents because they are practically Anglophones or speak "bad" Spanish, if they speak Spanish at all?

Even if these people learn Spanish, it'll not change the fact that their main language is English.

It's really interesting how history repeats itself. The same lamentations were there about the Germans (today the largest ancestor group of Americans), the Irish, the Italians, etc.