I've been reading in the papers and online, and seeing on TV, all about this issue with illegal immigrants here in the US and what to do about them. Regular Palace readers will know I am very political, and have no problem spouting off my opinion on damn near any political topic. Therefore, it will come as a surprise to some, as it did to me, that I really have no opinion on the illegal immigrant issue.
It's not that I'm not aware of it, I am. It's not that I don't think it's a problem, I do. I just, for someone unknown reason, really don't care one way or the other. I've heard both sides, both arguments, and neither have swayed me one way or the other.
I understand they're here illegally. But really, even if we built the wall across the Southern border and started deporting them back, does it make any sense to think that we'd actually FIND all 11 million or so of them and get them back? WOuld a one time amnesty program work. Everyone here at this date can start the application process to become citizens, free and without hassle. But after that date, if we find you here illegally, we deport you? And why is it we're not going after their employers who are hiring illegal aliens? Is it because the big companies that employ them in droves and the rich that need them for nannies and gardeners contribute too much ot political campaigns? If we cut off thier source of income, will they still want to come here? And that crap of them doing jobs no American would want, bull. If those jobs paid a livable decent wage, instead of below minimum, I'm sure Americans woudl want the jobs.
One thing that DOES irrititae about all this is the Spanish language thing. I work the polls in my precinct and we just had training today about this new equipment we'll be using. One is for blind people, and allows them to vote with headphones. All that is well and good, EXCEPT the recording is played in both English and Spanish.
Now to vote you need to BE an American citizen. To become a citizen (if you weren't born here) you have to pass some kinda of civics test or whatever and stuff like that. Why is it you can go through all that and NOT know English???? If you want to vote here, and you're a naturalized citizen, FINE, but for GOD'S sake learn English! I have no problem with Hallmark cards being in Spanish, or Law firms advertising they have Spanish speakers in their offices or what have you. but it bothers me when the government has to bend over backwards to make things in two languages! I understand in your neighborhood everyone might speak Spanish, and that's fine too. But if you want government services, you'll probably have to come out of your nieghborhood to get them, so learn the freaking language!
Also, Iv'e heard someone is translating the National Anthem into Spanish. This does not bother me. They can translate it into Russian, French, or Swahili for all I care. But whiel translating it into Spanish, they are changing the words!! NO! No, that's wrong, it changes the entire meaning of the song. no, that does not make me happy either.
But really, those are the only opinions I have on the issue at this time. Maybe that will change, maybe it won't. But frankly, I'm kinda concerned that I DON'T have an opinion on a political issue. It's kinda scary.
POLT = listening to "Winning Style" by The Propellorheads
Every man desires to live long, but no man would be old. - Swift
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2 comments:
AHA!!!!!!!!
YOU have something in common with BUSHWACK! He also didn't care for the Spanish version of our national anthem of THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.....AND he feels that everyone ought to learn English.
"Now to vote you need to BE an American citizen." Um.....OK but I thought you had to be a citizen of the USA, and 18 yrs of age to vote (lots of USA citizens that aren't 18, ya know).
When did it occur that citizens of Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador (all American citizens) became allowed to vote in the USA??
Did this change occur sometime when I was sleeping? I know that Bushwack uses the same misnomer all of the time, but he's an idiot so I think nothing of it.
As for our anthem, when I heard that the hispanics would make a version in their own language I saw that as a compliment to our country that any minority living in the USA would use the same music and not some new foreign music to accompany it.
What has happened to this nations freedom and openness to immigrants? Most of our ancestors (unless you are North American Indian) are immigrants who have built the backbone of this country. Now we would prefer that they don't come here and stay with their own kind if they aren't willing to take up the language, habits and religions of the "normal" citizens of the USA.
By the way this same type of closed minded attitude is the same as those antigay protestors attitudes. In fact many younger gay people discriminate against older gay people as far as hanging out and/or just being friendly. Many chatroom profiles indicate "whites only"....geez! While everyone has their preferences I doubt that they have good reasons for discriminating agains other gays in different niches, let alone criticize anything non-gay. With my eyes open for the last 20+ years it appears to me that the most intolerant, judgemental and hypocritical bunch out there (excluding radical Muslims, radical Catholics and radical born again Christians) are us gay folks both male and female. Even the homophobic military is not as bad. Everyone keeps up the expected homophobic facade, but most of my friends had no problem with my being gay whether we were showering together or doing hard work.
So, why don't the religious, intolerant, judgemental and hypocritical rednecks in Wisconsin, Michigan and most of the midwest just mosey on down to Texas so that they can cohabitate with people of their own ilk, language (slang included), color, relious beliefs and of course their intolerance for anything that's not similar to Bushwack. (Is the new official language of the USA southern slang???)
The illegal immigrants.....hmmmm.
How was it again that this country was built and stolen from the North American Indians? Not many illegal immigrants that I'm aware of are basking in the wealth in this country. In fact they don't even make minimum wage most of the time, let alone a wage to live on. So, if they are peaceful and not involved in crimes then I think we shouldn't punish them for being here. I also don't think that we should just give them citizenship, though.
As someone who votes regularly I believe its ok to voice my opinions. But if anyone chooses to argue with me and hasn't voted, them they can just shut their pie-holes and go back to their beanbag furniture in front of their TV's.
Fairy Godfather.
Heh, I particularly like one thing Fairy Godfather said... I wish we could take back the words "America" and "American". It's true; all of us are Americans, and it's a real shame the term has been usurped in English to mean the United States alone... I've always compared this to the idea of France referring to itself as "Europe" to the exclusion of Germany, Greece, Portugual, etc. etc. Obviously absurd... but it flies in this hemisphere, and that kind of sticks in my craw. A real pity for the rest of us that the US Founding Fathers proved themselves so uncharacterstically unimaginative when it came to chosing a name for the new republic.
Anyway, in spite of appearances, what prompted me to comment is the translation of The Star-Spangled Banner into Spanish. I was amazed to discover this is something new. After all, Hispanics have lived in large sections of the US far longer than Anglos have; it never occurred to them before to do this? What about Puerto Rico? So I'm honestly surprised. But I think it's something the people of the United States (a.k.a., "Americans", sigh) ought to actually take as flattery. People new to the country, with an uncertain grasp of the English language, are suddenly able to give voice to their feelings for the country, unambiguously and in words whose meaning they know full well.
When I was in high school, I was first introduced to the French words of O Canada. They are markedly different from the English lyrics... they speak of the land of one's ancestors, the power of the country's arm to carry the cross and the sword, the faith of the country to defend its people's homes and their rights. At once more introspective and visceral than the English lyrics, they offer another way to look at Canada. Is this wrong? Is Canada a mirror, in which I am only to see myself looking back, or a crystal with myriad facets, each showing something a bit different depending on how you look at it? I know how I feel about it...
But fundamentally... am I bothered that the French translation is so very different from the English lyrics? No, how could I be? Because it isn't a translation. The English lyrics are. O Canada was written in French in 1880, and translated into English later... into words that differ widely from the original. Perhaps French Canadians would be justified to tell us to sing the French lyrics, or change the ones we know and love to suit theirs. After all, relative to English Canadians, they were here first...
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