So recently I found myself arguing over my opinion regarding immigrants in the work force in this country. It turned ugly, not my doing, and so I stepped out. I will argue with the best of them, but if the participating parties want to make personal attacks towards me, I don't have time to grace them with my thoughts.
I have an issue when I go into Target or Wal-mart and can't find a sales clerk that speaks enough English to understand me well enough to tell me where to go to find an item; is too busy speaking about, presumably, personal subjects in their native tongue with a fellow employee to pay attention to the fact that a customer is standing there waiting to ask a question; or worse yet, that won't practically push a customer out of the way to restock an item. All of the above, has personally happened to me many, many times.
It was said that I shouldn't blame the employee, but the employer. And to as certain extend, I can certainly understand this. Afterall, it is the employeer who knowingly hires someone who may beable to pass that written English exam but face-to-face obviously can't hold a conversation, much less help a customer in passing. And, around here atleast, it is the employeer who is of a foreign decent him/herself and hires, at best, 98% of the same decent; despite the fact that I know for a fact native-born, English-proficient people who want a job just as badly who would appreciate the job and not mix personal with business at work applies for the same job and never gets hired.
But I do blame the employee as well. I get that there are humble, conscientious and hard working immigrants out there. And to them, my hat is off to them for enduring so much to try to make their life and the lives of their family better. That IS what this country is about. But what I've described above are not the actions of humble, conscientious and hard working people. If you have time to text on your phone or hold a twenty minute conversation in your native tongue with your friend while at work, then you have time to better yourself and practice the language, pick up a dictionary, improve yourself.
And no, I am not wrong for thinking this. When I go to a foreign country, I am expected to try to speak in that language. And I happily oblige. I will most likely be very inadequate. But frankly, if I'm going for two weeks of vacation, then I shouldn't be expected to be fluent. However, if I were to relocate to another country, seek employment and all the benefits of that country, then I should be expected to learn the language adequately enough to do the job as well as the natives and to understand and at least respect the culture. But those coming to this country are not expected to do so, and many of them know they aren't expected and take full advantage of it.
I mentioned respecting the culture, above. Now just because I respect the culture doesn't mean I must take part in the traditions of the culture. But I have no right to go to another country and tell the natives that they are wrong for doing something a certain way. But yet, somehow, it is not only acceptable for immigrants to come here and tell me that my pledge to my country is offensive or my tradition of praying for the safety of the children on the playing field is offensive, but this has become so common place that there are actual American-born people telling me the same thing!?! What the blazes is wrong with this picture?!
My country's entire existance seems to be melting away around me. You better bet your patootie I'm upset. The same people who preach that our suppression of the Native Americans and their culture was wrong, is condoning the suppression of my culture and way of life by "outsiders". The same people that cry for the rights of the minority, are taking my rights away. Our opinions are being squashed to not offend others, with no regard to what may offend us. And afterall, I saying being offended by having the rights given to me by the Constitution takes precidence over someone's offense for my exercise of my rights, which consequently is their right too.
Stop the double standards, the hypocracy and the discrimination. Completely turning the table is not going to do away with the problem, it is only going to prolong it. In this case, resentment occurs and only helps to breed the very problems that we are all trying to do away with. Wake up America!
Sadly, this is so very true, and you have described it perfectly. My friend's grandmother is a very sweet German born lady and considers it a disgrace to be considered among the same definition as some of today's immigrants. She worked hard to pass the cultural tests to become an American citizen. And though she is unmistakably of German decent with a lovely German accent she clearly speaks English. And though she embraces her heritage (as do I even though my German heritage dates back a few generations) you won't see her flying a German flag or having one in her window. Why? Because she's an American citizen now! Practicing your heritage is one thing, but showing loyalty to your native country while living in another country is something else! I find it rather disrespectful to fly another country's flag all the time. I've seen it on a US Army post in the big flag holders where OUR flag should be! It makes you wonder if things got sticky with their native country who would they actually sport? If they don't like our country and our flag enough to respect it they obviously don't feel blessed and privileged to be here. That, to me, i's a terrible shame. Ok, sorry, that was a LONG comment!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, Em. And yes, I agree with you completely! My husband has a Scottish flag, but does he fly it outside of the house? No! We have the flag of the United States of America flying on our front porch. Always have and ALWAYS WILL! Afterall, we both have very VERY strong Scottish and Irish ancestory, that we are proud of and do practice certain traditions. But when push comes to shove, we were fortunate enough to be born in the US of A! And are grateful for that everyday!
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