Due to the prolific nature of these forums, poster aggression is advised.
> Will we still be the Country of choice and still be America if we > continue to make the changes forced on us by the people from othercountries that came to live in America because it is the Country ofChoice???> Think about it . . > > All I have to say is, when will they do something about MY RIGHTS? Icelebrate Christmas, but because it isn't celebrated by everyone! , wecan no longer say Merry Christmas. Now it has to be Season's Greetings.It's not Christmas vacation, it's Winter Break Isn't it amazing how thiswinter break ALWAYS occurs over the Christmas holiday? We've gone so farthe other way, bent over backwards to not offend anyone, that I am nowbeing offended. But it seems that no one has a problem with that. > This says it all! > > This is an editorial written by an> American citizen, published in a> Tampa newspaper He did quite a job; didn't he? Read on, please! > > IMMIGRANTS,> NOT AMERICANS,> MUST ADAPT. > I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some> individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, > we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of > Americans. However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when > the "politically correct! ! " crowd began complaining about the > possibility that our patriotism was offending others.> > I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone > who is seeking a better life by coming to America. Our population is > almost entirely made up of descendants of immigrants. However, there > are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and> apparently some born here, need to understand. This idea of America > being a multicultural community has served only to dilute our > sovereignty and our national identity. As Americans, we have our own > culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. Thisculture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, andvictories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.> > > We speak ENGLISH, not Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese,Russian, or any other language. > Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the > language!> > "In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some Christian, > right wing, political slogan.. We adopted this motto because Christianmen and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this isclearly documented.> It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools.> If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the > world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.> > If Stars and Stripes offend you, or> you don't like Uncle Sam, then you> should seriously consider a move> to another part of this planet. We> are happy with our culture and have> no desire to change, and we really> don't care how you did things where> you came from. This is> OUR COUNTRY,> our land, and our lifestyle. Our First Amendment gives every citizen > the right to express his opinion and we will allow you every > opportunity to do so. But once you are done complaining, whining, and > griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, or our way of > life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great > American freedom, THE RIGHT TO LEAVE.> It is Time for America to Speak up> > > I Sent this because I am tired of the whole "thought police" mentalityby so many in America.
Not really. In fact, I'd like to respond to it, point by point, just to be clear.People have the right to speak whatever language they like here. While I agree that it's probably in their best interest to learn it, by no means should anyone be forced to. That is not the act of a free society. People also have the right to not have others' religious beliefs shoved down their throat. I'm not particularly fond of Christmas, primarily because of people like the person that originally wrote this thing.As for immigrants, everyone here (aside from American Indians) came here from someplace else. Immigrants don't "steal jobs", they don't "drag our economy down", and they are responsible for far less crime (as a group) than people born here are.What the author of this apparently doesn't understand is that our unique American "culture" isn't ours... it's made up of hundreds and thousands of individual elements from hundreds and thousands of cultures that have meshed together and is constantly in flux, constantly changing.Anyone that doesn't see that isn't a very "good American", and is instead just a backwoods "NIMBY" (Not In My Back Yard-er) with the blinders on."In God We Trust" is NOT our "national motto". It is used by Christians (who think that EVERYBODY ELSE here should be Christian also) to be intentionally exclusionary to anyone that doesn't think the way they do.>> "We adopted this motto because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented."Actually, it's never been adopted in the "official" sense, and in fact, the Founding Fathers weren't even Christian. Most of them were DEISTS. THAT'S clearly documented.And where people get the idea that the United States is a "Christian Nation" is beyond me. I think people need to read some fricken history books, because it's anything but.Thomas Jefferson wasn't a Christian. In fact, in a letter to John Adams in 1823, he wrote: "And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerve in the brain of Jupiter. But may we hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away with this artificial scaffolding, and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this most venerated reformer of human errors."And speaking of John Adams, in his memoirs, he said:"The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity. Nowhere in the Gospels do we find a precept for Creeds, Confessions, Oaths, Doctrines, and whole carloads of other foolish trumpery that we find in Christianity."Not exactly the writings of "Christian men". And these are the guys who founded this country. And they are not alone. The vast majority of the men and women that founded this country were of like mind.They had just left a continent overwrought with religious rule. Why on Earth would such people ever try to start ANOTHER religious country, having just left centuries of religious turmoil behind them?But then, any casual look at the US Constitution will show how "Christian" this nation really is and was intended to be.NOT EVEN ONCE, anywhere, in the US Constitution is "God" or "Christ" or "Jesus" or "Christianity" mentioned.NOT. EVEN. ONCE.In fact, religion itself is only mentioned in two places in the Constitution, and even then, it is only mentioned where it is restricted where government involvement is (in the first amendment, and also in Article VI, where it clearly states "... but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States").In other words, would people out to found a "Christian Nation" go so far out of their way to make sure that NOT just Christians would be in charge?I think not.> "It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools."Not while those schools are public, and operated by tax dollars, it's not. It is an endorsement of a government entity of the belief in a deity. The only way it would be appropriate is if equal access were granted ANY OTHER RELIGION that desired to also place a reference to it there.And I think we can both agree that that would end up being absurd. So the easiest, and most fair answer is to leave it all off, since it doesn't belong there anyway. Schools are not intended to indoctrinate people into religious belief systems.That is more than just "offensive" to some people. It is a violation of THEIR rights as well.Part of the First Amendment to the US Constitution is the "free exercise thereof" bit in reference to religion.Insisting on endorsing GOD in an official capacity interferes with that right to "free exercise thereof" where religion is concerned. I'm sorry, but that kind of disrespect toward the US Constitution -- the very CORNERSTONE of our country, a document over 200 years old that made this country what it is today -- is about as un-American as I can think of.This bit really ticks me off, in fact: > If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the > world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.Sorry, wrong answer. I was BORN here. I grew up here. I have lived here my entire life. "God" isn't part of my culture.But freedom is. The author of this letter apparently thinks that "freedom of religion" is just fine, as long as that religion agrees with his.Well he's wrong. It's my country too, and he can stuff his God, because he has no right to insist that anyone that doesn't agree with him simply "leave". That's not very American either. In fact, that's tantamount to being treasonous, in my opinion.> We are happy with our culture and have> no desire to change, and we really> don't care how you did things where> you came from. This is> OUR COUNTRY,> our land, and our lifestyle.Who, exactly, is "we"? White, God-fearin' Christians?As I mentioned above, everybody here came from somewhere else. Apparently some think that after THEY got here, everything should just stop, because that was it. That was all. The gates are closed. Everything halts, the country is perfect JUST THE WAY IT IS.It doesn't. Nor should it. And it isn't. Nor will it ever be.And people wonder why the rest of the world HATES Americans. It's not because of "our freedom". It's not because of our wealth. It's not because of our lifestyle.It's mostly because of ignorant pricks like the author of this original message that have no concept of how this country was founded, grew, and is continuing to grow. It's because of prejudice that oozes out of every pore of the folks that apparently are unaware of anything past their own noses, that this country is made up of thousands of different cultures, and races, and religions. And that every time they insist that THEIRS is the ONLY WAY and that ANYONE that disagrees can just LEAVE, they just advertise how petty, how small, and how truly narrow-minded and ignorant they truly are.Feel free to pass this on. The author of the original letter was correct in one respect. We DO have freedom of speech in this country. And it IS time for Americans to SPEAK UP and make sure that idiots like the author don't get away with rewriting history, treating those that disagree with them as second class citizens, and use the US Constitution as kindling.
because as far as we say we've come in the past 100 years, we're still just a bunch of racist, elitist, sexist, bastards who piss and moan when shit doesn't go our way.
As of this point in time, my long-winded smackdown has been met with stony silence.I interpret that as concession to my superior wit.
If gay marriage causes emails like that, then I'm against gay marriage.
If someone wishes me a "super Ramadan," then I try to have a super Ramadan, regardless of whether or not I'm a Muslim (not). If someone goes "hey man, have an awesome Chanukah," then I make a gang-sign that looks like a menorah and attempt to enjoy myself during that period. And yet, somehow, I'm not Jewish!It's almost like I can accept their wishes based on the feeling they're trying to convey and not the specific religious intent!
On the other hand, when you say "Merry christmas" you're assuming the person is christian, and well....not everyone is.
I think it's also worth pointing out (in reference to the IMMIGRANTS, NOT AMERICANS MUST ADAPT line) that if you immigrate to America, from then on, you ARE an "American".
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