Does the current immigrant situation bother anyone? I'm freaked out by the number of mexicans that have moved into our country in the past couple of years. My neighborhood is half, my health club today, and even Disney world. And the biggest thing that bothers me about them is that they just won't speak English!
At Disney announcements over the loud speaker are in English, then Spanish, this really bugs me!
I mean I understand they want to come here just like my ancestors and have a better life, but can't they try to learn our language?! My g-grandfather was Russian, my Grandmother Swedish, another was German, and they made an effort to fit in and assimilate into our culture. They stopped speaking their native language so they could get jobs and educate their children.
And let's not even get me started on the ones that are here illegally and won't accept our laws.
I typically choose not to get into these types of conversations, as a product of a family who came to America from Mexico for a better life. My great grandmother got into the country and started her family here. I have no problem with accomodating Mexican people with a few extra comments of something in spanish. I am in favor of immigrants coming here and everything, or I'd likely be living in Mexico right now, but there are some controls needed. I do believe that. The illegal immigrants need to be taken care of, but on the other hand, they don't need to be made to feel like shit like a lot of Americans are intent on doing. Many choose to deem these "wetbacks" as unworthy to live in America. Unacceptable.
I am from Phoenix, so I definitely get annoyed with the whole situation. I think that in Phoenix they actually made Spanish a legal language. I actually understand at Disney that they would have things in English and Spanish. I am only surprised that they didn't also have Japanese and French, or other languages. Since Disney is a huge tourist spot I am not surprised that they cater to what their customers need.
Everytime you look at a phoenix newspaper you can read about the immigrants. Right now they had a question posed about whether you would boycott companies who hired illegals. I think I might, just because it takes jobs away from tax payers...grr
Disney is definately a spot to use more languages. I'm sure when my grandparents came over, no one went out of their way to speak their native language and to make things easier for them. They worked the crappy jobs like coal mining and steel working.
I have a friend Jose, who is from El Salvador, who has lived here most of his life. He's even he also thinks all the people moving here need to learn English as well. And because he did, and got a good education he has a really great job in the computer field.
I can never blame anyone for leaving the hell hole that is Mexico, at least for anyone that isn't one of the rich, and coming here to try and make more money. But a lot of the illegal immigrants take and take from our system and never give back in tax money in anyway. That's where I get annoyed. Again, it's not their fault that we let the loopholes continue to stay open. Close the loopholes, there's the fix. That's all that needs to happen. It will eventually fix itself naturally.
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"If you were looking for something clever or witty or funny here, you've come to the wrong place."
Immigration is such a tough topic. I'm an immigrant. I immigrated to the United States when I was 1-year-old with my parents from Ireland.
We are a nation of immigrants, and one of my most humbling experiences was the day that I visited Elis Island in New York.
I 100% believe that individuals who come to the US should learn English, because I honestly think that one must speak the national language to be able to fully acclimate into the society.
Up here in Massachusetts we do not have alot of Mexican immigrants, mot of our current foreign nationals seem to be from India and Asia.
The great American melting pot. I can honestly say that I thank God that the US accepts immigrants, because otherwise I would not be here.
I don't have a problem with immigrants as a general whole, cause as you said...America is based on people who have come from elsewhere. I just get irritated with people who come over here, use up our resources, like welfare, but they don't pay taxes themselves. I have no problem with people who come here seeking a better life, I just wish they would do it the legal way.
i haven't been to disney in over 8 yrs & they did not make their announcements in english/spanish then. wonder when they started doing that.
i can remember working in a newborn nursery in brooklyn two decades ago. a man came to the door & started speaking spanish to me. i told him i didn't speak the language. he called me stupid. let's just say i went off on him but good.
i fully support an amendment to make english the offical language for our county. i deeply resent how spanish speakers expect us to have everything in spanish.....that everyone should speak their language. yet if any one of us were to move to spain, france, russia we would be expected to have at least a rudimentary understanding & ability to speak the language of that country. i think the florida drivers license test is given in something like 87 different languages. HUH?
i'm all for giving illegal immigrants ways to become citizens. i also believe they need to work harder to assimilate into our society. assimilation does not mean you loose your culture....it means you learn how to get along in the culture in which you live.
kris
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an ABC soap fan since i was a teen. favorte hobby is reading mysteries & legal or medical procedural mysteries
