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I celebrate both quintessential American holidays like Independence Day, Thanksgiving, but the Lunar New Year and the Mid Autumn Festival, as part of my heritage. I am happy to speak Mandarin and Cantonese in public with my family, friends and clients. And I was born and raised in California.
It's not about eavesdropping. How can that be when you can't even understand what they are saying?
It's just irritating when you are within earshot of hearing the foreign babble. Why don't they keep it private so others don't have to hear it?
That sounds like eavesdropping to me, if someone isn't talking to you, why does it matter what language they are speaking in? Even speaking English, I wouldn't want you to be listening in on my conversations because it is rude and weird.
It's not about eavesdropping. How can that be when you can't even understand what they are saying?
It's just irritating when you are within earshot of hearing the foreign babble. Why don't they keep it private so others don't have to hear it?
Are you always irritated when you don't understand a conversation that does not include you?????
It isn't. I just wonder why they feel the need to hide what they say when having a conversation in public and why they do not feel the need to learn/use the language of the country they chose to immigrate to. It seems like more often than not they want to recreate the country they came from instead of assimilate into the country they CHOSE to move to. IMO they are putting up barriers by not speaking the native language. I have to wonder why they choose to do that.
Speaking as a person who has stood in many lines with strangers, and shared more than a few busses and trains with strangers - I am *glad* to not be able to understand discussions of uncle bud's bowel issues, the ugly carpet that ruth just bought, how painful thelma's labor and delivery was, tiffany's dating history, brad's sex prospects for tomorrow night, the gory details of jim's massive hangover, and joe and sally's mutual infidelities.
It isn't. I just wonder why they feel the need to hide what they say when having a conversation in public and why they do not feel the need to learn/use the language of the country they chose to immigrate to. It seems like more often than not they want to recreate the country they came from instead of assimilate into the country they CHOSE to move to. IMO they are putting up barriers by not speaking the native language. I have to wonder why they choose to do that.
When my two Sicilian grandmothers got together they would almost naturally fall into speaking Italian with each other. Not because they couldn't speak English, though it was broken English that was sometimes hard to understand, but because it was familiar and easier for them to communicate without having to struggle for words. None of us ever felt like they were rude for doing that.
I think people naturally gravitate to the language they are most comfortable with when they are with others who also speak it. I don't think it's a reason to take offense or think anything nefarious is being said.
Are you always irritated when you don't understand a conversation that does not include you?????
Again, I said it was about foreign language babble everywhere that is rude, loud and obnoxious out in public. I couldn't care less the jist of the conversation between Jose and Maria.
I am more concerned about retaining our identifying culture than skin color or race. With continued high immigration both legal and illegal it will be impossible to do, unfortunately.
The American culture, migrated in from other countries. Many of our Christmas traditions were celebrated by Germany, interesting enough if one looks it up, and carried over by those who migrated into America centuries ago. Look up Apple Pie, Hot dogs and Baseball, (just a few ideas deemed as American) every tradition that America claims, came here from some other country, brought here by the very folks that arrived on ships at Ellis Isle. American culture is a mutt.
So which identifying culture do you suggest Americans live by or has lived by or had/has adopted as their own? French? German? Italian? uh Spanish? oh ... European? Which incorporates ... and Americans would like to retain what? ... The many different cultures that arrived here 250 years ago and kept coming and that helped to build this great nation.
The only culture that I see that can claim to be American are the Natives that were born here of this soil. (which would bring us to yet another issue)
So now lets see other issue is political ... the old R and D and let us not forget I. So white folks are R, black folks are D and I depicts? When in reality ethnicity does not depict which political party one will affiliate themselves with ... so now where are we with this, retention?
White European the decedents of those from 250 years ago by way of not having babies to multiply and continue the race (any one can look this up) are on their way out of existence. Not having babies is one factor the other is they are aging out, doesn't matter, evolution happens. (the planet is aging, warming and i have a theory, but not to speak of for here)
America, these great U.S. of A. states need to sustain themselves way into the future and if the trend continues that the decedents that came here are aging out and the replacement by birth is fewer than it takes to sustain economic gains (people are just so smart they stopped having babies, because no welfare babies oh my) one can forget about retaining identity culture that didn't exist in the first place.
If not for legal and illegal immigration how will America continue, economically? The foundation may be strong, but the house is old. It will take new carpenters trained ones to continue and the new carpenters, they are going to make some changes. They always do. A light fixture here, a counter top there and some pretty french doors.
Forget about being a stranger in your own country. If not for the new migration of people, there may not be a country in which to be a stranger in. Or we could turn miss lady liberty around, show the world her backside and let the walls fall where they land.
What do you think? To much or not enough?
The people that have been voted in to represent the interests of America, they are not dismissing the (pew reports) survey demographic population numbers but rather they utilize those numbers to make the decisions that are going to blow your hair back, and make people want to spit penny nails.
The only way to change the decisions, is to change our behaviors ... like any one can seriously do that.
No such thing as American culture? LOL! Let's start with the English language just for starters. Why the hell should Americans have to learn several different language when the above is true? Immigrants are supposed to assimilate to their host country not the other way around. If they don't want to then they are welcome to leave. Why come here if they don't want to be a part of our mainstream society but stand out or remain separate instead?
I always learn something interesting, when I look at something and think ... may be not, because I remember something, do I remember it right?
English language came from .... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histor...glish_language
"English is a West Germanic language that originated from Anglo-Frisian dialects brought to Britain in the fifth to seventh centuries by Germanic invaders and settlers from what is now northwest Germany and the Netherlands."
btw, I am blond hair and blue eyed, born in Houston Texas all American blood line from .... ancestry ... German. My birth mother, she was from a little German farm town outside of Houston, Schulenburg TX.
Oldglory the American flag, just may be the only item that could be called American. Even our constitution was adopted from Greeks. hum IDK I equate the word assimilate to the word brainwash ... put that into a little peace pipe and smoke on it awhile, let me know what you think afterwards.
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and Americans would like to retain what? ... The many different cultures that arrived here 250 years ago and kept coming and that helped to build this great nation.
