What is twice as pitiful as a Palestinian? A Nicaraguan Palestinian. (enemy, illegal immigrants)
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Thank you. I hate to tell you this, but I would not have fought in WWII. My father and uncles did, and I will not condemn them for that. But I would not have.
Hard to say: had Sunil's Dad actually been alive through the Great Depression as well as the Pearl Harbor attack--------he may have thought and done differently.
Hard to say: had Sunil's Dad actually been alive through the Great Depression as well as the Pearl Harbor attack--------he may have thought and done differently.
Who knows? I did feel angry after Sept. 11 and tried to volunteer....but knowing the little I know about life then (considering I was not around), but listening to my native-born father's family and immigrant (maternal) grandparents amd studying American history, I find it hard to believe that I would have been willing to endure the racist military. I think actual combat might have been easier in some ways.
This is a subject I've done a bit of research on. You have to remember that during these "old times" (pre-World War II America) assimilation was not an option, but a survival tactic.
The United States of the 19th century was a drastically different place than today. The government and its citizens openly discriminated against nearly every group beside those of Anglo-Saxon heritage. Racial science was in vogue, which held those of Anglo-Saxon descent at the "pinnacle" of human development, and described those of mixed or African heritage as mongrel-like beings doomed to extinction (these are indirect quotes of U.S. politicians no less!). This line of thought is the driving force behind the development of Manifest Destiny, which was a openly racialized theory which proposed that white Americans were destined to dominate and extinguish "lesser races" who were inherently weaker.
Just some food for thought to think about what 'assimilation' meant 150+ years ago. The U.S. we live in today is a much more embracing and open culture, so naturally immigrants feel less pressure to adapt to the dominant culture so forcefully.
This is all certainly true. My only point is, given the sensitivity we have today, and our 'inclusiveness', and our determination to be mindful of the special requirements of each others' cultures, and our general attitude of "I won't tell YOU what to do, and you can't tell ME what to do", would the United States have ever even BEGUN, as a nation? And if it had, would it ever have risen to greatness? I don't think it COULD have, not in today's atmosphere.
Today, we're ALREADY 'great', and we now have the 'luxury' of indulging in PC and 'examining our motives'. This is OK, but if we'd all have been like that 'Back then', today the USA would not exist. I'm sure MY ancestors, as an example, would never have 'lost their foreignness', and today, I wouldn't think of myself as an American, but as a member of a 'clique', who just happened to LIVE in America. In fact, I really can't imagine what an 'American' today would BE, if we'd all spent the past 200 years 'doing our own thing'. Luckily (IMHO) we DIDN'T start all 'doing our own thing' until recently...AFTER we'd achieved the status of a 'World Power'.
This is all certainly true. My only point is, given the sensitivity we have today, and our 'inclusiveness', and our determination to be mindful of the special requirements of each others' cultures, and our general attitude of "I won't tell YOU what to do, and you can't tell ME what to do", would the United States have ever even BEGUN, as a nation? And if it had, would it ever have risen to greatness? I don't think it COULD have, not in today's atmosphere.
Today, we're ALREADY 'great', and we now have the 'luxury' of indulging in PC and 'examining our motives'. This is OK, but if we'd all have been like that 'Back then', today the USA would not exist. I'm sure MY ancestors, as an example, would never have 'lost their foreignness', and today, I wouldn't think of myself as an American, but as a member of a 'clique', who just happened to LIVE in America.
Sadly, an accurate description of many immigrants currently residing in this country. They will never truly embrace America -- only what America provides.
Who knows? I did feel angry after Sept. 11 and tried to volunteer....but knowing the little I know about life then (considering I was not around), but listening to my native-born father's family and immigrant (maternal) grandparents amd studying American history, I find it hard to believe that I would have been willing to endure the racist military. I think actual combat might have been easier in some ways.
Coming from your experience in today's world, you probably WOULDN'T have 'endured' the deprivations and rigors of society back then, including the racist military. But the people back then didn't have your perspective; they endured as best they could, and made the best of what life dealt them, and they eventually prospered.
MOST of us would be unwilling to 'go through' what our ancestors did...but if they had NOT 'done what had to be done', maybe we wouldn't be here today, criticizing them.
You may not consider it an “injustice” for men who fought for this country to be treated with less dignity than captured enemies, but I do.
I do, too. And it's something that can never be defended, only acknowledged, 'held up for examination', and resolved to never be permitted to happen again...but it CERTAINLY shouldn't be 'hijacked' into a defense of other causes, either...some of which are just silly. You can't make up for an injustice like the one you're referring to, by embracing causes that have nothing to do with it.
I do, too. And it's something that can never be defended, only acknowledged, 'held up for examination', and resolved to never be permitted to happen again...but it CERTAINLY shouldn't be 'hijacked' into a defense of other causes, either...some of which are just silly. You can't make up for an injustice like the one you're referring to, by embracing causes that have nothing to do with it.
Absolutely! This is precisely why it's so infuriating when pro-illegals try to exploit these injustices to lend credence to their baseless claims of racism.
What is twice as pitiful as a Palestinian? Two palestinians?
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