Majority of Americans feel like strangers in their own country (regular, claim)
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Maybe you mentioned this already but what is your idea of american culture?
American culture is defined by the same criteria used for any other country which includes, but is not limited to, music, arts, habits, dress, cuisine, etiquette, folklore, etc. Some uniquely American cultural charasteristics have even spread to other countries.
I don't know why some (many?) Americans are unaware of their own culture, parts of which were formed from other subcultures within the country. Maybe they have never traveled abroad, or never talked with international travelers to hear what they experience as uniquely American culture across the board. Formal education in American culture is an option if everything else fails to get through.
I think you're really starting to see it, especially with regards to suburbs (generally white/Asian, middle class up, and conservative) vs. inner cities (generally black/Hispanic, lower classes, and liberal)
It was the intention of the founding fathers that major differences could occur between
the states and indeed within municipalities and counties, so as to allow for a wide
buffet of preferred variances of opinion. There are many differences possible while
still adhering to the Constitution.
What we've fallen into is the Federal age, with an overbearing Federal government
that was not their intention.
Anyone who says there's no such thing as American culture either lives and works among people so similar to themselves that they don't realize that they ARE practicing a certain culture, or has never gotten to know any non-Americans either here or abroad. Trust me they will let you know there IS such a thing as American culture! Some Brazilian friends joked with me that of course I've eaten in my car I'm an American. We also noticed that when we threw celebrations at the community center, the Brazilians were there to dance while the Americans expected more food.
Language for one is a cultural hallmark. We're all here typing in English and expect English signs on the road, English spoken at work and school, English government forms, and English when we buy goods and services. If anyone tells me that every space in their daily lives could suddenly go from English to a language they don't understand and it wouldn't alienate them just a little bit, I know you're lying.
If you don't think it's scandalous for women to drive, go to school, have a career or wear skirts, you've grown up with an American culture value. If you think a person has a right to join whatever political or religious organization they wish, and speak their mind without fear of going to jail, American cultural values have got to you.
We just celebrated a non-religious, non-ethnic holiday yesterday where most of us sat down with family and friends and ate certain traditional recipes developed in this country. Halloween may have its origins in Celtic paganism, but it's also a great example of an American cultural practice. I don't have to be a rabid sports fan myself to know that baseball, basketball, and football are important parts of American culture, as opposed to cricket or soccer. Even our propensity to debate sensitive topics like religion and politics, whether on C-D, at work, at parties, or at the Thanksgiving table, is an American cultural trait! Our slang terms, hip-hop music, jeans or jeggings or leggings, state fairs with deep-fried candy bars--for better or for worse--are American culture too. Pop culture IS culture.
The blue-blood New England WASP from old money. The Southerner with certain manners and unique colloquialisms. The laid-back, outdoorsy Californian. The Texas rancher whose traditions are both Southern and Mexican...I could go on. These types are all different but they all make up American culture. I don't know how people don't see this.
Economically speaking, a steadily growing population is conducive to our well-being. For example, the failure of Detroit was not only a loss of its manufacturing jobs, but also a sharp exodus of its tax base from the city to the suburbs. This is also why Chicago, which had many of the same challenges as Detroit, has not succumbed to the same fate despite heavy losses of non-service jobs.
This is all to say that those who fear increases in America's population need to study the detrimental effects of stagnant or negative population growth on economic and social systems. Moreover, as Boomers continue to age, a large tax base to support them is extremely important to sustainability.
Maybe I'm wrong, but not many people defend illegal immigration; though seek to come up with a practical plan to integrate them into the nation. Deporting 11 million people is not only a monumental task, but it would economically hit the likes of Texas and California fairly hard.
Yes, you are wrong. Why should we integrate illegal alien law breakers into our country? They had no respect for our immigration laws and it negates our sane "legal" immigration quotas. We have a shortage of jobs and resources. They have taken jobs that Americans need and keep producing anchor babies here which depletes our welfare coffers. Our schools, jails and hospitals are overcrowded with them. Most Americans don't favor physically deporting all 11 million illegal aliens. The solution is to make them leave on their own by making it impossible for them to work here, collect benefits and to gain birthright citizenship for their kids.
They cost us billions a year in social costs and they also send billions out of our country to their homelands that isn't spent in our economy. Now you tell me again how any state would be hit hard economically. Americans would get their jobs back and they in turn would be spending in our economy and contributing to our tax coffers. If we need to increase our population due to the Baby Boomers aging then we can do it when it happens and we can increase our "legal" quotas for immigrants. Illegal immigration is unacceptable for any reason. And they certainly shouldn't be rewarded by allowing them to remain here.
If the "babble" is breaking sound ordinances, then there are things that can be done about it. Otherwise, it's just crowd noise, and your only option is to stay away.
Why do you think that anyone should care about your personal pique?
Why should I as an American English speaker have to avoid public places because of rude foreign language babble? What is irritating is most of them doing it know English also. I couldn't care less if some don't agree with me. I am entitled to my opinion just as anyone else is. If I lived in a foreign country I would speak their language when out in public or at least go off in private to speak English and do it with a reasonable tone of voice so as not to bother the natives with having to hear it.
And again, I am not talking about tourists. I don't expect them to know English. What I am referring to are the citizens of this country.
Take your pick of any you disagree with and smack him down with facts.
Still waiting......
Take my pick of what? Your wild goose chase that doesn't exist? No thanks. Let me know when you wish to back your claim up with factual information. If you do not, then I would be responding to your next empty post.
The blue-blood New England WASP from old money. The Southerner with certain manners and unique colloquialisms. The laid-back, outdoorsy Californian. The Texas rancher whose traditions are both Southern and Mexican...I could go on. These types are all different but they all make up American culture. I don't know how people don't see this.
That is my point, all of those examples are regional, not national. We are a country of multiple cultures, but we are not a country of one culture.
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