Thread: Our local Memorial Day Parade -- more like Mexican Day!

We live in Falls Church, VA. While the beginning of the parade they marched in some veteran's groups and such, the majority of the end of the parade included 6 to 7 different very large Mexican dance groups who danced to mariachi music, drums, etc.

It just saddened me. I come to a Memorial Day parade to see things that honor the troops, the Fallen, our American war heroes and history. I want to hear traditional America military tunes, and marching music -- not Mexican music and mexicans dressed in their cultural costumes. I mean -- that is nice and all for perhaps Cinco De Mayo or something -- but not an American Memorial Day parade.

Of course, it's a very liberal area outside of DC and we live in an area full of illegals from El Salvador and other places. I'm sure half the residents don't even get the true meaning of Memorial Day anyway.

Just made me sick.

That is sad. Memorial day is an American day to honor our fallen troops. Foreigners know nothing of this and as such should not participate unless they understand the true meaning.

Many military officers and the lower ranks are Latino. You can not blame them just for participating. For a non military type band it is a cheap form of advertising, self promotion. I do not know that the one actually justifies the other.

Cheep Advertisement is right.

I would take this up with the parade coordinators and sponsors and explain that the parade participants should be honoring the American military soldiers and to choose music and routines which are appropriate. Some get caught up in the idea of having a big parade and not necessarily a quality one. Controlling the groups who are participating is just wise. I mean, what if Code Pink had shown up to march?

"6 to 7 different very large Mexican dance groups" is excessive in my opinion.

Dixie

It's sickening enough to be bombarded by that Mexican crap being in a border state, but to know that crap is going on in Virginia is doubly sickening! It's inappropriate for an AMERICAN holiday!

San Francisco does not have a Memorial Day Parade -- we have a Parade on Memorial Day that many locals call "The Running of the Patriots." Here is a u-tube of it filmed near Civic Center in front of City Hall a few blocks from Market Street. As you can see The Patriots were Run into a corner this year and the San Francisco Police had to cordon off a section to protect them. PS I never go to this event anymore it is degrading to all veterans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FM_ezyIcAU

Don't some illegals who join the military get a path to citizenship? I thought that a while back there was a program to get non-citizens to join.
Can't remember where I read that. Ah, here it is: http://tinyurl.com/26sxwkw

Legalalien use to be LEGAL RESIDENTS could get citizenship by joining the military, but I do not believe illegal aliens can, or at least it use to be that way. Serving in the United States Military was a way to prove loyalty and acquire citizenship, although they could not become commissioned if not a citizen. May have changed in recent times though I do not keep up.

http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/military.html


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/us/15immig.html?_r=1

Stretched thin in Afghanistan and Iraq, the American military will begin recruiting skilled immigrants who are living in this country with temporary visas, offering them the chance to become United States citizens in as little as six months.

Back Story With The Times's Julia Preston

Mike Groll/Associated Press
Lt. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley heads Army recruitment.

Immigrants who are permanent residents, with documents commonly known as green cards, have long been eligible to enlist. But the new effort, for the first time since the Vietnam War, will open the armed forces to temporary immigrants if they have lived in the United States for a minimum of two years, according to military officials familiar with the plan.

Recruiters expect that the temporary immigrants will have more education, foreign language skills and professional expertise than many Americans who enlist, helping the military to fill shortages in medical care, language interpretation and field intelligence analysis.

“The American Army finds itself in a lot of different countries where cultural awareness is critical,â€

To the best of my knowledge, a non-citizen that wants to be in the U.S. military in order to earn citizenship must first be in the U.S. legally. They can't just jump the border and show up at a recruiting station.

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

To the best of my knowledge, a non-citizen that wants to be in the U.S. military in order to earn citizenship must first be in the U.S. legally. They can't just jump the border and show up at a recruiting station.

ReggieMay,

That is true! As a retired enlisted, there are several things a foreign national must do to enter the military. There must be tracable history, a background check (usually criminal in nature), and as with the Phillipines, some type of agreement must be in place with the host nation. The only time that is waived is if the person has a visa/green card/etc and has been in the country for over either 3 or 5 years (can't remember that part of it...getting old). Anyway, there used to be a situation with most people who volunteered that at a certain time (e.g. 10 years), citizenship was offered through the service, etc. Not sure if that is true anymore since we cut ties with several recruited countries. I'm sure a quick call to the recruiting office will do...