posted October 21, 2007 07:01 PM              

"This is our culture - fight for it.

This is our flag - pick it up.

This is our country - take it back."

--- U.S. Presidential candidate

We, as a nation, stand on the precipice of our own cultural disintegration. Our culture stands in the crosshairs of clashing civilizations via importation of tens of millions of "immigrants" from incompatible third-world cultures.

This week, in Denver, Colorado, "immigrants" want Halloween celebrations taken out of the school systems. Peter Boyles, talk jock of KHOW 630 AM said, "Next they will demand Thanksgiving be taken away from us." Americans like Boyles do the job Congress refuses to do! Diversity proves a great divide that dissolves American culture.

Multiculturalism trumps 231 years of successful U.S. culture?

Encouraging our children to perfect their English language skills – PLUS learn two additional languages, to broaden their horizons, proves a good thing. This approach can and must be done within our culture, not in spite of it.

Why do we allow multiculturalism to trump 231 years of successful U.S. culture? Why do U.S. politicos openly encourage open-borders and assist (aid-and-abet) tens of millions of poorly educated third-world nationals to come to America – to take jobs away from our lower- middle-class citizen-taxpayer bread-winners? Why are we condoning and allowing the Chamber of Commerce to dissemble and abandon our precious culture?

Chicago Sun Times reporter Warner Todd Huston wrote, "At the end of September the school district in Oak Lawn, Illinois announced it was considering eliminating holiday celebrations like Christmas in its schools. Oak Lawn has seen increasing numbers of residents that identify with the Muslim faith who are naturally sending their children to the public schools there – and school board members are afraid that Christian holidays are 'offensive' to Muslim students."

What drives the school culture?

American history and American values! Columbus Manor Principal Sandy Robertson said, "It's difficult when you change the school's culture."

Ask yourself, if you resided in Mexico, would you allow a Middle Eastern immigrant to change your wedding customs. If you hailed from Nepal, would you allow immigrants to change your flag festival? Would the Chinese allow an immigrant to change their national holidays to fit their sensitivities? Should the French give up their language to placate immigrants? Would France remain French if all its citizens spoke Arabic? What if Americans immigrating to Saudi Arabia demanded they speak English and celebrate Christmas?

"Since we have become a culture that won't back a homogeneous observance of being an American, how do we address this issue?" Todd Huston wrote. "How do we serve local communities that are made up mostly of 'immigrants'­ here unlawfully?"

Refuse to assimilate; demand that America change instead

This travesty illustrates America losing its cultural identity to a massive influx of people from incompatible cultures, guests in our nation, that will not assimilate into America – but inject their own culture against ours. They cannot comprehend that our national culture and history form the bedrock of our existence. Culture permeates our DNA. Our schools must teach our children about our culture in our country.

Nothing about America remains more sacred than our culture. Without it, we become listless, lose our moorings and drift on an unidentifiable sea.

To lose one's identity is to lose one's individual self. What happens next? Depression, apathy and futility – ultimately spiritual and physical suicide!

Disintegration; the ideals of a nation voluntarily destroyed

A country that loses its identity suffers the same kind of disintegration as a child who loses its family. As proven around the world today with examples in Great Britain, France, Holland, Palestine and Sweden – multiculturalism fails at every level of human interaction. It proves, ultimately, one of the greatest dangers to humanity.

If America loses Christmas, Halloween, Easter, 4th of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day, President's day and Thanksgiving to multiculturalism – we lose the foundation of our spiritual and cultural grounding in an uncertain world. Huston wrote, "In fact, we should not be celebrating any other holidays but American holidays."

"American holidays reflect our national culture."

"The holidays and traditions of minority cultures, while admirable, deserve to be celebrated in their homes, not in our hallowed schools. By NOT indulging their desires to obviate American influences – replacing them with ideas antithetical to our American first principles, ­we would be doing a far better service to our children than to twist-and-squeeze every school district to a different standard, to placate foreign nationals."

This greatest of nations on the planet became successful BECAUSE of its culture. If we bend it, break it and turn it into multicultural mush soup, we, as a people will not stand together – nor will we succeed into the future. Do we want the Spanish language to conflict with our English language in our schools, slowing the educational process?

Can we withstand the trauma of multiple languages? Can we bend over backwards for the Koran that has nothing to do with our history or culture? Do we want our children bent into the violence and intolerance of much of the world from which these immigrants fled? Can we survive as a cohesive civilization if we lose our culture? Do we not see their failed cultures will become our failed culture if we continue importing millions from failed countries?

Why does the L.A. public school system use "English immersion?"

Superintendent of Schools, Roy Romer, has discovered that multiple-language teaching is a diluted approach, harmful to the students in the United States – and has chosen "English immersion" because the method is proven to be THE most successful, by far. Rather than roll-over, this stalwart leader is doing everyone a big favor by standing up for what is correct.

When will Americans in towns and cities across the land start speaking out about open borders, the preservation of American culture and demand English first. The obvious benefits must be extolled, not buried. The "progressive" multiculturalists in our public schools must be leashed.

These facts must be publicly and factually disclosed to every American, and their children. That disclosure must be based on facts, not the emotional rhetoric and deception of teachers, politicians and biased "politically correct" news media. The discussion of diversity must be made openly – honoring and recognizing the opinions and needs of traditional Americans – not pro-multicultural vested interests that buy and pay for elected officials.

Stephen Steinlight answered it best in his, "Amnesty and the Plot Against America:"

"Everything we hold most sacred in our national life and civil society, in our public places and private spaces, from our splendidly rambunctious democratic culture to the experience of solitude in our sublime untouched natural environment – is at stake in this battle – because the forces that reign against us are powerful, the fate of the nation unimaginable— if they prevail." Source

I'm remembering:
In this Forum, we celebrate our cultural, national, and spiritual diversity as we each unite in Love and Light.

*I found this article today and thought I'd share it here. To me it speaks truth as well as makes me really question what it is we are doing.

posted October 21, 2007 09:44 PM            

I editted it out, but I'll put it back:

posted October 22, 2007 07:26 AM            

I sometimes feel torn on the issue of what culture is to America because of my background. But no matter how I may want to find a way around it ... it was European settlers who turned this land in the actual modern day USA, for better or worse. America's cultural identity draws very heavily from that European culture and has "improved" upon it and evolved on its own.

Stifling what have become traditional American customs to cater to immigrants just doesn't make sense. Especially in a nation as large as the US. Celebrations are individualized differently in say New Jersey than they are in Montana, I'm thinking. But it's still Halloween or the Fourth of July or whatever. The only two majorly and purely Christian holidays celebrated with regularity across the nation are Easter and Christmas ... and even those have many similarities with some pagan religions. And yet no one forces this. People want to celebrate Christmas and Easter. So why shouldn't they?

Being over here in Japan is often a culture shock to me. They're curious about American holidays and culture but certainly wouldn't take kindly to all the Americans living over here getting rid of Obon festival and replacing it with Halloween ... or just taking it away period because we find it "offensive".

And there are quite a few Americans who've settled here over the years. The difference is they have respect for the country they've settled in. I haven't met an American who has made Japan their permanent home who hasn't learned to speak the language well enough to be a part of society (which is a huge accomplishment compared to learning English) even if they can't read and write it perfectly (infinitely complex ... 3 separate alphabets and a minimum of 1000 characters for one of those alone for basic comprehension). They celebrate the Japanese festivals. They watch tv and listen to the radio in Japanese. They may, in the privacy of their homes, celebrate different holidays but they have a great deal of love and respect for traditional Japnese culture ... which is one of the main reasons they chose to settle down here instead of going back to America. Sure, there are churches here. But Christianity was imported long before any of these people moved over. And all of the locals I've met don't even care about that kind of thing. "So there's a church over there with Christmas decorations up. So what? Christmas trees are 'cute'."

Granted, Japanese culture has been very limited from an individually expressive-in-public perspective for a long time. The whole "a nail sticking out of the board will be hammered in" philosophy (terrible paraphrasing, I know). But the majority of non-comformists are the Japanese modern youth, particularly in Tokyo.

I think what makes it so obvious over here is that a foreigner in Japan really sticks out. It's not like in the states where there is racial diversity and multinational immigrants all over the place (things which I appreciate about the US, btw). If you're not Japanese, everyone knows it. But what defines an American? In the end, I think it's the same thing that defines what is a person from any country. Their language, their customs, to a certain extent their beliefs on some things though that is evolving, etc.

If a truckload of pagans moved to Iran, would the government and people be expected to not celebrate traditional holidays out of fear of offending them? Or if a bunch of Japanese people moved to Mexico, do you think the people there would be happy doing away with Spanish as the main language and El Dia de Los Muertos as a holiday?

Imo, in the end it comes down to people feeling bitter that America is what it is. Yes, there were slaves. Yes, the American Indians/Native Americans were practically wiped out. Yes, wars were fought. Yes, religious and racial minorities suffered persecution. Yes, women weren't always equal. What country in the world doesn't have a similar history in many respects? Regardless of the terrible things that happened, there are things that as a nation were embraced as positive ... things that were celebrated and/or continued by choice of the people. And that's in all countries, no matter the past.

I just don't see that we are gaining anything but intolerance when we cut out holidays and expect people not to learn English out of fear of being offensive. I'm saddened that people feel so self-concious about being who they are openly here, knowing that there is a very loud minority out there waiting to verbally attack them for the sins of their ancestors. And I can only imagine that one of the main reasons for this cultural tug-of-war is that America has been so open to immigrants for so long that maybe some of those immigrants feel like they own the place now ... and as such have the right to tell everyone else what to do or what not to do.

posted October 22, 2007 09:00 AM              

TRUE STORY #1: A week before valentines day I took my young son to the store to choose a box of valentines to share with his classmates... To no avail-
Store after store, all that was found were spanish valentine cards that he could not read. Assuming they'de sold out of english valentine card boxes, I asked the store clerk if they would get another shipment in before V-Day. She replied: Oh we just don't order those anymore, not for the last couple years. They just don't sell...Sorry.

I was shocked!

I live in flippin' Northern California!

TRUE STORY #2:
Easter Vacation? Nope not going to happen at any public school around here... This is now called "Spring Break" No Easter decorations, treats, or mention is made.

TRUE STORY #3:
Then came Christmas time, local parents were clearly informed by the schools teachers a "winter party" was the planned event just before "winter break" NO MENTION OF CHRISTMAS AT ALL!!! No Christmas, I asked? Can we bring cookies, etc. decorated as santa's or reindeer? NOoooo... We were advised winter themes only! The children made no little cards or gifts at school, they did not learn about hanukkah, wise men, snowman, reindeer, candlelighting, anything! only wintertime...

Then along came NEW RULES in our school district:
No persons shall be hired in any position who are not certified bilingual [english-spanish] this extends to any office personel, cafeteria, maintenence, and janitorial position! If you work within the distric already and are not certified you have a period of just 3 months to become so.
Teachers who have given thier time, energy, and love to the communities children for more than 20 years were now out of jobs...

Bilingual elementry classes are offered to our illegal immigrant spanish speaking local children. But, It takes an act of god to get your english speaking child into one of these classes that is clearly a necessity in todays age, if they intend to find employment in thier future.

Does any of this make sense??? WOW!

Eleanore,
With tears in my eyes, I proudly proclaim:
That you have restored my faith in humankind.
Your words touched to the very core of my soul...
Beautiful, thank you...

I really appreciate all the time and energy you put forth responding to this post.

posted October 22, 2007 11:07 AM              

It's political correctness gone mad.

Anything British or American seems fair game, whereas heavens forbid anyone from any ethnicity should in any way be impeded from expressing their religion / culture / nationalistic views in their entirety.

I'm half-Persian as well before anyone accuses me of racism.

I suppose it could be argued that the British and Americans have forced their culture on a wider scale through both outright and silent methods.

posted October 22, 2007 11:12 AM            

And I know this topic touches on illegal immigration but I don't really care. I don't support the idea of amnesty for criminal activity ... which is what it is. My mom's Mexican. I know why Mexicans want to come to the US. I'm not saying Mexico is fabulous or that immigration should be stopped altogether. But what's going on now is a travesty.

I refused to take spanish classes while I was in grade school. 3rd grade to be exact. They hauled my mom in for a parent teacher conference and all. And she very politely put them in their place. Basically, her english wasn't/isn't the best. All we spoke at home was spanish. She came to this country (legally, mind you) for a better life for herself and her (future) family. How would taking time away from studying english for children who already speak spanish but speak little english be beneficial? It's backwards. So I wasn't forced to take spanish and spent that hour with english assignments. But that was before what now passes for "equality" was ordered into our schools.

And, yes, I've gotten those comments over the years about how I've turned against "my people". Sorry, but I'm not going to make excuses for stupidity. Sure, Columbus Day makes me cringe a bit. But I was raised as an American ... my parents tried to integrate as best they could. We weren't living there as Mexican/Cubans who just happened to be in the US.

And you've no idea the kind of ingratitude that exists for the US from a lot of illegal immigrants. Growing up in Miami, there were illegals all over the place. Plenty were my friends growing up. But you just wouldn't believe the sheer ignorance coming out of people's mouths. I remember this lady on the bus complaining loudly about how long the bus ride was ... which turned into how expensive everything in the US is and how terrible the schools are for not using spanish and how she was better of in Nicaragua. To which my mom replied, "well, why are you here then? Oh, yeah, you came here illegally to escape the Sandinistas. Was it really better? Maybe you should at least be thankful that you haven't been deported and that your children get free health care which many American children don't ... and a free education, too."

Just like that. And those conversations happened all the time. My mom took the public bus everyday. Literally, she heard that garbage all the time.

I really get so disgusted at the idea that on the one hand America is so terrible and so evil and yet on the other hand Americans are responsible for taking care of the problems of the world and if we don't open our borders to absolutely everyone then we're even more terrible and evil. America can never do enough good to be good enough. We spend money on Americans and get crap about how we ignore the world. We try to help in other places and get crap about how we're ignoring those at home. But nobody hates America, right?

I'm reminded of Robin Williams talking about the French and their distaste for Americans. Bad Americans this, stupid Americans that ... oh, look, the Germans. We LOVE you, Americans!

I was reading the other day about how some Mexican-Americans have made speeches about how they're taking over and the 'white' people owe this country them. How they're not coming back to this country but how this country is theirs and the 'white' people stole it.

Uh, no, sorry, mi hermano (my brother), "our people" lost the wars. And if the US were to "return your" land anyway, to be truly fair, we'd have to strip it down and remove everyone from it. I sure bet having the whole state of Texas with no "free" education, no "free" healthcare and no jobs or conveniences for you would be just as appealing. After all, it may be your "land" but everything else was put there by the US.

Bleck, bleargh and other yucky noises.

And seriously, it's frightening to compare how little respect some Americans have for their own culture. I was explaining Halloween to my Japanese friend, what the symbols mean and how it came about, etc. She thought it was just put on weird costumes and annoy people for free candy. And then I was forced to admit that, to some, that really is all it is. This is after having been highly honored to attend another friend's Obon celebration. A WHOLE OTHER WORLD is what it was. Beautiful. Talk about people taking pride in their culture and religion/spirituality. Everyone was involved. The whole family (and I mean like 30 something people plus children) was there. There was feasting and praying, people dressed for the ocassion, fireworks outdoors, traditional dances ... and everyone in the neighborhood as far as we could see was doing the same thing. If taking pictures wasn't a no-no I'd be flooding you with them, lol. And of course, the schools get involved in the activities. Even though there are varying belief systems in place (shinto, buddhist, a mix of the two, traditional Okinawan animism/spiritualism) they don't ban religious expression on the excuse that it is somehow "more tolerant".

In 2001, 76.7% of Americans considered themselves Christians (with 30-35% as evangelicals). That's more than 3/4 of the population! But somehow, the majority of people openly celebrating their religion is wrong. I keep hearing all this talk about how America should be a democracy ... heads up. Majority rules in a democracy and majority in the US is Christian, one way or another. It's almost unbelievable how many religious minorities demand respect for their beliefs while feeling no compunction about openly bashing Christianity.

~3/4 of the nation's population is expected to hide away their religious beliefs so that the other 1/4 doesn't feel insulted by a different religious expression than their own. Again, that's just backwards. Sorry to have to break it to people but if the majority of people in a country are X religion then the holidays/celebrations of that country are going to somehow or other be influenced by X religion. That doesn't mean that a public school having a Christmas tree is endorsing, via state and federal governments, that all people should be Christians. But some people just don't get that. Rudolph is a personal affront to their religious sensibilities. How is it not more insulting to expect people to pretend they have no religion, especially during the most formative years of their lives? Separation of church and state doesn't mean that there can be no church in the state. It doesn't mean people can't express themselves religiously where they want to. It just means the government can't ordain that all people be [this] religion. But some people just don't get that, either.