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Why?? Many countries around the world have multiple languages, like Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, and so forth... if you've traveled internationally, you'll know they have signs in multiple languages, and tons of people who speak more than one. I've been to many non-English speaking countries, and could always find plenty of people & businesses that offered my language! And in Belgium, they practically had a different language on every block, in ADDITION to English. As long as new citizens/residents try to learn English, I don't have too much of a problem with this. And while we're at it, teaching native speakers to use proper spelling and grammar wouldn't hurt.
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2: Holiday's that has been part of American culture forever.
What holidays are you referring to? Most of your Christian holidays are basically considered "national holidays" as it is, so what more could you be asking for? Last I heard, nobody was trying to outlaw Christmas, Easter, or even Thanksgiving... but also, you have to accept that not everybody will celebrate the same holidays.
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3: Respect for our judicial system.
Sure, can't argue with that... though you'd have to be more specific for me to discuss this fully!
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4: Recognizing and respecting Christianity as part of our founders culture. I know I am going to get slack for this one!!!
Yeah, you will get slack for this, because it's pretty intolerant... I'm an American - born, raised, and proud of it - but also a Jew. So are you implying that I'm not a real American, or just that I should acknowledge Christianity as our "official" religion? Or are you suggesting that I should abandon my religion altogether, and convert? Either way, it's not right... especially considering our founders introduced the idea of "separation of church & state". This is a Christian-dominated country, but that doesn't mean we can't accept & tolerate those of other religions too! Christians already completely run this country, so what else would you like us to do? Paint billboards on the freeway, stating that we accept you as our leaders?? You already get days off for your holidays, services, decorations, music, animal characters, candy, etc. So tell me what else we can do to "respect and recognize" your almighty power! I'm getting silly here, but you get my point hopefully. Btw, I'm spending two nights of Chanukah next week performing in Christmas concerts (I'm a musician) at churches. Now if that isn't respect.... LOL.
That's pretty much how I feel about "multiculturalism" as well... while I agree some of our government leaders go overboard, there is an important basic message. We are a country of diverse people, whether or not anyone likes it, and that is not going to change. So why not embrace other cultures and encorporate them into our society? That doesn't mean we have to abandon basic principles of the US, but it doesn't hurt to have a wider variety of beliefs and people. I'm sure we've already expanded a LOT on the founding father's ideas, and this country will always be evolving & changing... it's just natural progression. Anyway, why would you possibly be annoyed/maddened by having to learn about others? I was an Ethnic studies minor in college, and I found those classes to be fascinating and enlightening.
The real problem is uneducated people. Doctors throughout North America and Europe work in multicultural environments every day and experience few, if any, problems.
Amen. You said what I was thinking, but in much less time... I can't help rambling sometimes, LOL.
The real problem is uneducated people. Doctors throughout North America and Europe work in multicultural environments every day and experience few, if any, problems.
This is not the issue I'm referring to when I say that I believe that multiculturalism has hurt our society. Are we going to be interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds everyday? Of course we are! But, why is it our duty to treat other ethnic/cultural groups differently than we treat everyone else? Aren't we all Americans in this together?
Also, on that same note, if anybody knows what is happening in Britain for example, where they have a high, non-english speaking, muslim immigration rate from countries like Pakistan for example, this 'embrace' of other cultures has in fact backfired on them. By 'embracing' their unique culture and being very 'tolerant' towards them, these immigrants have not integrated properly into British society. Can a PC politician tell these new immigrants that they need to treat women with more respect as fellow citizens and not feel the wrath of the multicultural police? I think I can best sum up my feelings from a quote from Tony Blair:
“But when it comes to our essential values—belief in democracy, the rule of law, tolerance, equal treatment for all, respect for this country and its shared heritage—then that is where we come together, it is what we hold in common; it is what gives us the right to call ourselves British. At that point no distinctive culture or religion supercedes our duty to be part of an integrated United Kingdom.â€
Irony is exhibited in the posts by thecuban. Need an explanation of what I mean? Bah!
As for the rest of this discussion, remember that there is no such thing as a perpetual culture identified with a specific location. For all our howling about who owns what language in which part of the world, let's not forget that there isn't an inch of land on the face of the earth that hasn't been stolen countless times by one culture from another. Everyone is entitled to their preferences but do not confuse what you prefer with "what is RIGHT". There is no such thing as "right."
There are winners and losers. The winners tend to use "Right and Wrong" or "Good and Evil" as ideological means to maintain their tenuous grasp on the transitory power they hold. Eventually it all crumbles and things change. In the long run there is no trace of our self-righteous claim to being right. Just as the Himalayas will one day be part of the bottom of the ocean, so will new mountain ranges rise where none now exist. So it is with human societies and cultures.
Did you say that with the intention of hinting at how many errors were present in the words you quoted? If so, I gotta give ya a holla, cuz you done good by ya language!
That was hilarious, howling at us all to learn English while demonstrating its improper usage. But I should be more compassionate, and IRL I am, I just like to enjoy these moments of "gotcha" on a chat forum. Nothing serious, just some entertainment for these winter days when we sit staring at our computer monitors.....
I think forced 'multiculturalism' is a failure, but I don't feel like we're forced in the USA. We're nowhere near the level of most of Europe. And, what's interesting to me is that in Europe (Britain, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Italy), they don't have an immigrant history but were largely homogenous ethnically. They've in effect made a decision to invite large numbers of people who are uneducated, poor, unskilled, unwilling to adapt to the native European cultures and mores, stuffed them in inner city ghettos, given them a stipend from the governments to support them as few will hire them, and now France is 10% Muslim with most of them living on government handouts as no one will hire them and with French schools predicted to have 30% muslim children by 2030. Mosques are vying for space next to historic cathedrals and not in the local styles, but in clear Arabic architecture. Britain is a hotbed of Islamic radicalism with radical imams calling for the murder of anyone who criticizes Islam and they are now insisting on Sharia Law courts to decide their legal matters in lieu of English courts and law. In fact, the problem in Britain is so severe that it's causing all British travelers to go through tough screening upon entering the U.S. because the American authorities know the British are fast becoming untrustworthy in an open visa program. There was an article in the Telegraph that fewer Britons were traveling to the U.S. because of the intense scrutiny at ports of entry. In The Netherlands where almost 10% of the population is non-native and Muslim, Muslim radicals have killed two prominent politicians in vicious stabbings and refused to assimilate. In Denmark with roughly 5 million native Danes, they have allowed 200,000 foreign Muslims into the country and it was one of those "Danish" muslims who started the whole Muhammed cartoon issue by taking pictures to Egypt and getting the fires started. In France, politicians who speak out against the Hijab and Muslim dress in public schools face assassination from Muslim radicals and go into hiding and 24 hour police protection.
We haven't got anywhere near that in the U.S. We complain about Mexicans streaming over the border, and I agree all illegals should be booted and we need to hold employers accountable and also end automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to illegal aliens, but...even illegal aliens from Mexico don't pose nearly the cultural challenge of the Pakistani and Arabic Muslims who are causing upheaval in Europe. Even Canada is succumbing to these radical Muslims, but.... America has remained free basically except for a few here and there, and that has to do with an exceptionally strong sense of American identity/culture and immigration policies. We demand immigrants (legal ones) be educated. Also, there's little tolerance from the American public, whatever race, creed, or color they are, for outside groups to carve colonies within our country. We expect everyone to become "American". Worship in your mosque, temple, church, but first loyalty is to America. I imagine this is a very uncomfortable country for those who wish to simply come here and impose their prior lives in an American environment. It's ironic that a country based on immigration is far more united and culturally intact than European nations which used to be ethnically homogenous and have voluntarily invited cultural suicide and mayhem.
Picking an official language (or two) saves tax payer's money because official documents and signs aren't required to have translated copies for the 1 in 1000 residents who can't read them.
I think it was by coincidence Canada has two official languages. Before we were a "crown colony" and when we became a country we were "the Dominion of Canada". We weren't Canadian citizens; we were "British Subjects" so it was understood, obviously that we were an English nation that happened to have a few million people with French as their first language. Most French people could and still can understand English, just they don't like it.
It was only some time in the 60's that someone suggested that we adopt 2 official languages and it was an attempt to make the French Canadians feel more included. But we have a lot of history with them. They were here first, maybe 100-200 years before the English. The only reason they're still here was because of a battle where all of a sudden it appeared thousands of French would get slaughtered, so a French officer, captain or whatever (don't remember the history exactly) made a deal to stop fighting if they could stay and speak French.
About "Separation of Church and State", the idea was they wanted to avoid the church controlling the government like in Europe. Instead of having regular courts for crimes, some places only had the church. In some places it was like the Church was also the police too.
I believe it was about allowing people of opposing views or religions the option to ignore what the majority was doing; something you just couldn't do many places in old Europe.
I think forced 'multiculturalism' is a failure, but I don't feel like we're forced in the USA. We're nowhere near the level of most of Europe.
Without even reading your entire post, I was struck by what an astute comment this was! The USA is continually under pressure to be more accepting and multicultural, yet we're in the top 5 nations on earth (easily) in all of history in terms of our ability to embrace diversity and live together peacefully with multiple languages and cultures.
Much of the criticism of racism and intolerance comes from people who live in culturally homogenized locations. It's a bit hypocritical. I certainly notice it now that I'm a "southerner" and used to be a Californian and New England resident. Is there more open racism here than in my former homes? Yes. Is there more diversity here? Yes. Do people get along well here? Yes. I don't think there's anything righteous about the smarmy feel-good multiculturalism that is being foisted on the majority by a small minority of academics who invented a word in order to keep their jobs.
Ooohhh, I think I'm gonna get slammed for this post..... but I likes it, yes I does....... Free S&M action on the verbal level, bring it on, I can take it, and if it would get deleted then just PM it to me, I'll take whatever ya wanna bring!
Picking an official language (or two) saves tax payer's money because official documents and signs aren't required to have translated copies for the 1 in 1000 residents who can't read them.
Having just gone ideological and provocative, I have to prop you for going pragmatic. Yes, no argument with you on your comments. There are a zillion pragmatic reasons for having an official language, or at least a semi-official one. If we had to print all legal documents in the USA in all the native American and immigrant languages, it would eat up half our budget.
Same with Canada, eh?
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Christians already completely run this country, so what else would you like us to do? Paint billboards on the freeway, stating that we accept you as our leaders?? You already get days off for your holidays, services, decorations, music, animal characters, candy, etc. So tell me what else we can do to "respect and recognize" your almighty power! I'm getting silly here, but you get my point hopefully. 
Btw, I'm spending two nights of Chanukah next week performing in Christmas concerts (I'm a musician) at churches. Now if that isn't respect.... LOL.
And then there's this...
