I was listening to an interview on the morning news. They were doing a piece on revitalizing the city as you often hear. This individual had opened a restaurant serving his native food. I didn't catch what nationality he is but it isn't important to this blog anyway. I listened as he said how he loved being in America. I heard him extolling the benefits of this great nation. He had received assistance in obtaining a loan, interest free, through a government program. He explained how he had gotten free training on how to run the business, and indeed help in obtaining the equipment and the building! He said he had gained legal status and had his application to become an American citizen. Then he told the reporter how there were others, in his country, that dreamed of coming to America. It was a goal of theirs, to come here, and succeed as he had. And all of that was heartening to hear.
Then the tone of the interview changed as he began talking about his culture. His business was to cater to his people, to his culture. He began to explain how his people were treated badly in the neighborhood and felt uncomfortable. He said his people were being underserved in the community. As he continued in this discourse it became increasingly evident to me that this man loved the benefits America had to offer, but he didn't love America! And that is were I began to listen a bit closer. It became clear to me that he wanted more of " his " people to come here, take advantage of all we had to offer, while establishing their own " little country " in our neighborhood! They weren't interested in becoming Americans at all. They don't want to adjust to our culture, they are expecting to continue in their own, separate and equal. Therein lies the biggest issue in the country today, in my humble opinion. Separate but equal is addressed in the 14th amendment to the constitution. Many a legal battle has been fought over that beginning in 1896 with the Plessy case. Common sense has prevailed and we all know that separate but equal is a fallacy. Separate but equal is inherently prejudicial, unfair, and discriminatory! But these folks are hoping to establish separate and equal! That too is inherently unfair, discriminatory, prejudicial, and indeed in defiance of our constitution.
Now I know this isn't some new revelation and that this has been said for many generations. It has also been true for many generations. Yes, it is a mixed bag. I realize that there are some that genuinely want to come to America and be Americans. The issue is when there are greater numbers of foreign nationals in the country that have no intention of becoming Americans. Then they apply pressure to new immigrants to resist American values. You might say, calling them the new " Uncle Toms." They are urged, coerced, to not integrate into American society but rather to retain their cultural heritage. That appears to be the mindset of a good portion of these " immigrants " these days. I want to live in your country, I want to enjoy all the benefits and privilege's of that, but I'm not going to be an American! I'm going to be a " whatever " living in America and enjoy equal benefits! Citizenship to them is merely a permission slip, a permit or license to utilize benefits. Citizenship creates entitlement! There is no interest in becoming an American.
The present generation of American born people are about the eighth generation since the revolutionary war. It may be closer to nine depending how many years constitute a generation. I'm using thirty. I also think there were Americans, before we had America. That is to say Americans created America. But whatever the case may be is America outgrowing its' American roots? Are we the same America that we started out with? Do we hold the same values? Those values are delineated in the Constitution. But the Constitution has been constantly reinterpreted. There is a theory that generations repeat. It's a little complicated but here is the link : American Generations
I haven't read the entire thing but intend to do just that. On the surface it seems legit. It does explain, or at least make an attempt at explaining, why history repeats itself. I believe that is a valid observation. Leaves me wondering if we are experiencing another revolution! All this business with immigration and culture clashes I mean. It's what precipitated the American revolution if you think about it. The folks here not thinking of themselves as subjects of the Queen but independent, and resenting having to pay taxes to the same. We were Americans, not British subjects.
There were a total of 55 delegates to the constitutional convention of 1787. This is when the Constitution was signed. Only 39 of the delegates signed that document. Seven of those men were foreign born, technically immigrants, although it could be argued there weren't immigrants until independence had been achieved. Still, their desire to be an American can not be disputed.
We are in a crisis. That is found in the article I gave the link to. The fourth generation in each cycle experiencing some form of crisis. You would have to check that out to see my point there. I certainly believe an argument could be made for just that. Is America to be discarded as a noble experiment? At least the America I know and love that is. I'm certain each generation before me had some of the same feeling. I'm as equally certain that generations following me will as well. But it is one of the ironies of life I suppose, the future can only be seen in reflections of the past.
After having written and posted this an additional thought came to mind. I thought I should include this observation: " domestic tranquility can only be achieved through cultural commonality "
Then the tone of the interview changed as he began talking about his culture. His business was to cater to his people, to his culture. He began to explain how his people were treated badly in the neighborhood and felt uncomfortable. He said his people were being underserved in the community. As he continued in this discourse it became increasingly evident to me that this man loved the benefits America had to offer, but he didn't love America! And that is were I began to listen a bit closer. It became clear to me that he wanted more of " his " people to come here, take advantage of all we had to offer, while establishing their own " little country " in our neighborhood! They weren't interested in becoming Americans at all. They don't want to adjust to our culture, they are expecting to continue in their own, separate and equal. Therein lies the biggest issue in the country today, in my humble opinion. Separate but equal is addressed in the 14th amendment to the constitution. Many a legal battle has been fought over that beginning in 1896 with the Plessy case. Common sense has prevailed and we all know that separate but equal is a fallacy. Separate but equal is inherently prejudicial, unfair, and discriminatory! But these folks are hoping to establish separate and equal! That too is inherently unfair, discriminatory, prejudicial, and indeed in defiance of our constitution.
Now I know this isn't some new revelation and that this has been said for many generations. It has also been true for many generations. Yes, it is a mixed bag. I realize that there are some that genuinely want to come to America and be Americans. The issue is when there are greater numbers of foreign nationals in the country that have no intention of becoming Americans. Then they apply pressure to new immigrants to resist American values. You might say, calling them the new " Uncle Toms." They are urged, coerced, to not integrate into American society but rather to retain their cultural heritage. That appears to be the mindset of a good portion of these " immigrants " these days. I want to live in your country, I want to enjoy all the benefits and privilege's of that, but I'm not going to be an American! I'm going to be a " whatever " living in America and enjoy equal benefits! Citizenship to them is merely a permission slip, a permit or license to utilize benefits. Citizenship creates entitlement! There is no interest in becoming an American.
The present generation of American born people are about the eighth generation since the revolutionary war. It may be closer to nine depending how many years constitute a generation. I'm using thirty. I also think there were Americans, before we had America. That is to say Americans created America. But whatever the case may be is America outgrowing its' American roots? Are we the same America that we started out with? Do we hold the same values? Those values are delineated in the Constitution. But the Constitution has been constantly reinterpreted. There is a theory that generations repeat. It's a little complicated but here is the link : American Generations
I haven't read the entire thing but intend to do just that. On the surface it seems legit. It does explain, or at least make an attempt at explaining, why history repeats itself. I believe that is a valid observation. Leaves me wondering if we are experiencing another revolution! All this business with immigration and culture clashes I mean. It's what precipitated the American revolution if you think about it. The folks here not thinking of themselves as subjects of the Queen but independent, and resenting having to pay taxes to the same. We were Americans, not British subjects.
There were a total of 55 delegates to the constitutional convention of 1787. This is when the Constitution was signed. Only 39 of the delegates signed that document. Seven of those men were foreign born, technically immigrants, although it could be argued there weren't immigrants until independence had been achieved. Still, their desire to be an American can not be disputed.
We are in a crisis. That is found in the article I gave the link to. The fourth generation in each cycle experiencing some form of crisis. You would have to check that out to see my point there. I certainly believe an argument could be made for just that. Is America to be discarded as a noble experiment? At least the America I know and love that is. I'm certain each generation before me had some of the same feeling. I'm as equally certain that generations following me will as well. But it is one of the ironies of life I suppose, the future can only be seen in reflections of the past.
After having written and posted this an additional thought came to mind. I thought I should include this observation: " domestic tranquility can only be achieved through cultural commonality "
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