Intolerance

So, I had this email exchange today with someone that was a little weird.
It was one of those chain mails that got sent through and it just struck me as very bad. Not sure why, just the whole immigration piece was strange. Not because I am an immigrant, but because of the tone of this one. I am leaving the name off obviously to not offend anyone).

THE INITIAL EMAIL

Yep! I passed it on...

I'm sorry, but after hearing they want to sing OUR National Anthem in Spanish - enough is enough!

Nowhere did they sing it in Italian, Japanese, Polish, Irish (Celtic), German, Portuguese, Greek, French, or any other language because of immigration.

It was written by Francis Scott Key and should be sung word for word the way it was written. The news broadcasts even gave the translation - not even close.

Sorry if this offends anyone, but this is MY COUNTRY. IF IT IS YOUR COUNTRY, SPEAK UP!

I am not against immigration -just come through like everyone else.

Get a sponsor; have a place to lay your head; have a job; pay your taxes;live by the rules; and LEARN THE LANGUAGE as all other immigrants have in the past and GOD BLESS AMERICA!

PART OF THE PROBLEM

Think about this:

If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone, YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM! Will we still be the Country of choice and still be America if we continue to make the changes forced on us by people from other countries who came to live in America because it is the Country of Choice?

Think about it!

All we have to say is, when will Someone do something about MY RIGHTS? We've gone so far the other way, bent over backwards to not offend anyone, that I am now being offended. But it seems no one has a problem with that.

It is Time for America to Speak up

If you agree - pass this along; if you don't agree - delete it ... and leave the country.

MY REPLY

what about the people here that don't speak English, who were born here?

THE REPLY BACK

They still should learn English. When I lived in Europe...I had to learn the language of the country I was in; they did not print English menus or have signs, etc. all done with English "subtitles".

We spend so much money in the school system for ESL (English as a Second Language) students that could be spent elsewhere. Millions of dollars are spent teaching children English who should already know it.

Driver's tests shouldn't be written in Spanish...the street signs aren't in Spanish. When you move to a different country, you adapt to that country...not the other way around. The country should not have to adapt to you.

Touchy subject with everyone, I know. Everyone has different opinions. There's that family where the mom, daughter and one of the sons were sent back to Guatemala, despite being in the US for 15 years. The dad and the other son are still here...legally.

The parents had 15 years to work with the system and have the mother and two children become legal immigrants. Instead, they decided not to and hoped they weren't caught.

Immigrants are fine...as long as they are legal and adapt to our country. We should not have to pay for foreigners to learn English.

MY REPLY BACK

wow....that is about the most intolerant thing I have heard in a while.
Wasn't the original language of this country Indian?

THEIR REPLY

I knew you'd take it that way; good point about the Native Americans.

Not against immigrants, Simon. Immigrants are fine...just legally and with minimal spending for their education of the English language.

When WE go to other countries...they typically do not spend money for us to learn their language, do they? No...you are expected to learn it on your own.

After seeing millions of dollars going into these ESL programs year after year...there is a point where the family takes responsibility and has their children learn English on their own dime.

Sorry...not intolerant...just don't want the money being spent.

MY REPLY

Clearly you haven't been abroad much. English is learned as a second language by Italians, Portuguese, French, German, Spanish, and many many other countries so that they can communicate with the world, and yes, there are many, many signs in English all over Europe in non-English speaking countries, in order to make it a nice place to go see and potentially live in.

So you have to spend some money to educate these kids. So what? What is wrong with that? I would encourage and expect a country as great as this one to do that, and do it willingly. You said there is a point that the 'family takes responsibility and has children learn English on their own dime'. How do they learn if they can afford to get a job to learn.

It is a wonder that Americans are viewed as some of the most racially intolerant people on the planet. Seriously, has GW really closed off minds that much? When all the Mexicans move out, who do you try to get rid of next? Ragheads? Niggers? Jews? Come on....

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Not to get on my soapbox about minorities, but why is it that people over here are so closed minds. Maybe it is because I grew up in a country that has lots of different nationalities. Not saying that doesn't come with other issues, but you adapt, you accept and you grow together.

Immigration is a really hot topic in this country right now. If you are Spanish Mexican then you are basically a second class citizen, and I think that is sad. Everyone deserves the right to have an education. If you have people living in your country, even if it is illegally, you have a global responsibility to educate the children and help them out.