Thread: Discussion with a co-worker

I have lived in the US for a little under 9 years.

I find it fascinating the way many groups of people identify themselves even though as individuals they were born in the US and their families have been here for generations.

I am referring to the terms such as 'Irish American', 'Italian American' etc etc.

What on earth does that mean? If you were born here you are American, plain and simple. If you have roots elsewhere of course it is nice to remember them but I honestly feel these titles also serve to undermine the American identity.

I was born in England and am privileged to have come in the front door (although it was really my qualifications that opened it for me) and now call this HOME. Home is where my nuclear family are. I am English by birth, and hope to become American by choice. Assuming I ever get my green card and then live long enough to apply for citizenship.

From my perspective the country that provides you with your living is the one you should be loyal to. I love England, I love America, both have their problems, neither is perfect, but Hey what is?

The question isn't even about assimilation any more. The US can no longer AFFORD TO TAKE IN EVERY PERSON WHO WANTS TO COME HERE. IMMIGRATION SHOULD BE ZERO!!!

Originally Posted by jjmm

So, I'm talking with a hispanic coworker, who is legal and has been in the United States since she was a child. However, in discussing illegal immigration, she quickly started referring to me and all others as "You Americans ... You Americans want this . .you want that, etc.

Their lies the problem. If she doesn't consider herself to be American why doesn't she pack it up and move back to El Salvador?

It might be a good time to review the famous Teddy Roosevelt 'Sole Loyalty' speech:

Snopes link provided below -

http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/troosevelt.asp

A late 'thank you' to lindiloo for large offerings of common sense and humility. Welcome aboard!

Virginiamama,

Yeah. When the photographer has an agenda then of course you can easily skew things. I could, for instance, go out with a camera and choose to snap pictures of all the protesters with upright American flags while at the same time making sure the radicals in the groups don't show up in my picture therefore getting the message across that "100% of these people love America see. Look at all these photos I snapped. These pictures are worth 1000 words guys." Anyone who is anyone should know this.

I know there are radicals in every group, Aztlan and White Supremacist groups come to mind. But that was not my point in my previous post. My point was that you're assuming ALL of these people hate America and don't want to assimilate when that's obviously not true.

Originally Posted by flashman

Virginiamama,

Yeah. When the photographer has an agenda then of course you can easily skew things. I could, for instance, go out with a camera and choose to snap pictures of all the protesters with upright American flags while at the same time making sure the radicals in the groups don't show up in my picture therefore getting the message across that "100% of these people love America see. Look at all these photos I snapped. These pictures are worth 1000 words guys." Anyone who is anyone should know this.

I know there are radicals in every group, Aztlan and White Supremacist groups come to mind. But that was not my point in my previous post. My point was that you're assuming ALL of these people hate America and don't want to assimilate when that's obviously not true.

I could agree with you flashman, had these incidents of blatant disrespect been isolated. However, they were not the exception, they were the norm. We all saw the massive foreign flags (primarily Mexican) waving in OUR streets. It wasn’t until La Raza, et al. instructed their minions to refrain from carrying foreign flags that we began to see American flags. It’s a façade, and Americans are not fooled. According to the old adage – “Home is where the heart is.â€

Originally Posted by Oldglory

Actually, it is many Americans of Hispanic or Mexican descent that want to lump themselves in with the illegals, not us. They do this by defending the illegals rather than standing toe to toe with their fellow American citizens on this issue who are opposed to their presence here because they broke our immigration laws. They think along ethnic lines and constantly refer to themselves as hypenated Americans. They are their own worse enemies, so to speak. Just as the example given in this topic of a Hispanic American who calls others Americans but not herself. She still considers herself to be a part of the country that she left behind or part of an ethnic group rather than an American citizen.

I know many Hispanics that were born in this country and are even second or third generation Americans that have this same mindset. You reap what you sow!

Actually, this denotes her as a racist.

I would confront her next time with that. I'd say "I'm sorry your in a country you don't consider YOURS, yet you have all the privileges of this country. Perhaps you'd be more comfortable going back to "your country. I really consider your statements racist.

I bet you get her thinking at least.

My family came from Ireland, England, & Germany. NONE of us call ourselved hyphenated Americans. Like many others we speak English and are proud to be Americans.

Originally Posted by lindiloo

I have lived in the US for a little under 9 years.

I find it fascinating the way many groups of people identify themselves even though as individuals they were born in the US and their families have been here for generations.

I am referring to the terms such as 'Irish American', 'Italian American' etc etc.

What on earth does that mean? If you were born here you are American, plain and simple. If you have roots elsewhere of course it is nice to remember them but I honestly feel these titles also serve to undermine the American identity.

i think people and how they refer to themselves show you where their heart is. my mom can here as a 6 year old, with her parents. my grandpartents & mom NEVER referred to themselves as Italian- Americans, they were AMERICAN. growing up the only flag we ever had around the house was the Red White & Blue.

I've worked with both illegal and legal hispanics for practically my entire adult life. Here's what I've observed:

Unlike many immigrants who came to this country in the past, most of the recent hispanic immigrants have no loyalty to the U.S. until their families have lived here for three or four generations. I'll never forget talking to a fourth generation hispanic co-worker about a small local hospital that had 100+ anchor baby births and about a dozen legal births over the course of one year. She turned to me and said "These illegals are ruining my town and I'm too afraid to do anything about it". At the time, I was an IA hugger so I was dismayed by her comment.

Originally Posted by Gogo

My family came from Ireland, England, & Germany.

Me too. My paternal great grandmother immigrated to the U.S. from Munich, Germany shortly before the first world war and was a victim of the anti-German sentiment that was commonplace at the time. Despite the fact that her husband had a hard time finding a job and a place to live for his family, she NEVER spoke German outside her home and would literally beat her children whenever she caught them speaking German in public. Those were the days....