Monday, March 15, 2010

Hmmm

"Should the immigrants adopt the values of their adoptive land -- or, to the contrary, should society change to accommodate the newcomers who now form part of it?" A question posed by Michael Weissenstein, for the AP, March 14th.

He's talking about Europe in this article, but this question should be asked by every country that has immigrants.

When people immigrated to this country years ago, they would first gather in groups in different cities - but they would learn English, and acclimate. They would not require others that were here to learn their language, live by their culture and norms, and demand that they would be accommodated.

Not so today. Signs are in Spanish and English, and other languages in various areas. Legislation to make English the official language of the US, fails.

We should be encouraging people who come to this country to learn English, and be fluent in it. Our grandparents/great grandparents did.

Here in south Texas, you almost HAVE to be able to speak Spanish, as there are many who can't or just plain don't use English. There exists a subculture in this country, and as long as they remain with their own language, there will be one.

2 comments:

  1. Diane:

    I was talking to the misssu today about how immigrants USED to assimilate into OUR cuklture (while still preserving their own).

    If you think the TX problem is unique, check out our (Indiana) local BURMESE population, and the stink that's being raised with some from that group.

    Check out WANE , News-Sentinel, and Journal-Gazette sites.

    It will get you scratching your head.

    Damn good post.

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  2. Will check out those sites - but tomorrow - we have preachers fellowship this S-W at church, and I have to leave in like 10 minutes to help in the kitchen. And bring a dessert (grocery store, don't fail me now!)

    ReplyDelete