OK, so I’ve had it up to here (note hand raised above head) with this illegal aliens issue. The final straw was an email I received that had the following text superimposed over a picture of an American flag: “Why the hell do I have to press 1 to English?” Or something like that. The lack of logic and the blatant bigotry behind this email and others like it that I have received didn’t really shock me as much as piss me off. Of course, being me, I had to respond to this email: Uh, maybe because this company wants to make money. And maybe they realize that there are a lot of potential customers out there who don’t speak fluent English – even those who maybe learned enough English to actually become US citizens – and that would be better served by instructions in English. It’s basic business sense. Duh. Besides, even someone who learns enough English to become a US citizen would probably have issues comprehending the legalese in your typical credit card bill or cellular phone statement and might want someone to explain it to them in a language they could comprehend. Hell, I know some people born in this country who need help understanding this stuff. In English.
So everyone in the US should speak English? Sure, I think that, if you want to become a citizen, you need to learn some basic level of English. But emails like the one I mentioned above seem to indicate that everyone who comes to this country should have a high school understanding of the English language. And let me ask you this – do you watch sports? Do you like the Yankees? Would this intolerance extend to someone like Hideki Matsui? Should he have to go back to Japan because he doesn’t speak English? Or Ichiro Suzuki? What about all the basketball players and hockey players that don’t speak English? Should there be an exception for them? Do these same people who scream about people who speak Spanish protest against MLB, NHL and NBA teams? Do they boycott the games on TV and protest outside stadiums? Somehow I don’t think so.
No, this is about intolerance, plain and simple. Lazy-ass Americans who want to feel comfortable by having everyone around them look and sound the same. I think it’s great that people speak all different kinds of languages around me. It makes me want to learn those languages. I love the Spanish language. I’ve got in-laws and co-workers who speak Tagalog frequently, and I think it’s great. Sure, when I’m shopping, I want the store worker to be able to speak English and I get frustrated when they can’t. But that’s minor inconvenience. And someone who works for the government should have a high school understanding of the English language.
Here’s the thing that most of those who are bitching to me about illegal aliens haven’t figured out. Illegal aliens aren’t ruining this country. Neither are homosexuals. These issues are just fear tactics thrown out there by the fear-mongering corrupt Republicans in the Bush administration who are really the ones ruining this country - how many billions of dollars are missing in Iraq? And let’s not forget Enron, folks. There has not been any sudden increase in the flow of illegal aliens into this country in recent years. It’s been pretty steady. So why in 2006 is this an issue? Is there some overriding need to protect America from terrorists sneaking across the border? To some extent yes, but if it was such a big problem, why wasn’t Dubya doing something about it before this year? And, truth be told, the 9/11 hijackers didn’t sneak across the Mexican border. In fact, most people in this country illegally came here legally, with legitimate Visas, and then stayed longer than they were supposed to. So the border fence will have limited impact.
Again, homosexuals aren’t ruining this country. If the sanctity of marriage was so important to my Republican friends in Congress and in the Executive branch of government, why are they not taking aim at lenient divorce laws in most states that make it pretty easy to get a divorce? Where are the protests against California’s divorce laws that let you get divorced for something as simple as “irreconcilable differences?” If marriage is so important, than divorce shouldn’t be so easy. But no one in Congress is railing against divorce laws or proposing debate about that, or a Constitutional amendment prohibiting divorce.
If you are reading this and you think that illegal aliens and homosexuals are ruining this country, then you are an intolerant, ignorant person and you need to stop watching Fox News, put down the Washington Times, and pick up the New York Times or the Washington Post. Or else you should be taken out behind your barn or your double-wide and shot. We’ve got quite a large number of Spanish speaking people and homosexual people round about where I live and work in New York, and New York’s doing pretty damned well. Our economy is booming. And I don’t see anyone’s marriage failing because gay people date other gay people. Some of my good friends are homosexual, and I don’t feel like my marriage is threatened by them or by other homosexuals getting married in Massachusetts. What I do feel threatened by is a freakin’ HUGE national deficit, an equally freakin’ HUGE trade deficit, and incompetent military leadership inciting radical Muslims to attack us. And I work in Manhattan, where we’ve been attacked twice by Osama’s buds, not Kansas or Oklahoma.
These are the things what worry me. I don’t need Congress debating a freakin’ amendment to the Constitution defining marriage as between a man and a woman. I need Congress debating how to end the war in Iraq, how to balance our budget so that my kids don’t have to pay for this Administration’s bullshit tax cuts for the rich while spending goes through the roof. Those are real issues.
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3 comments:
So your pretty much against Democracy I see. I am sick and tired of terds like you talking down to people who disagree with you. Its apparent you have no regard for other opinions besides your own. I personally don't feel that illegal aliens are a problem, but every man/woman has a RIGHT to VOICE their own OPINION. Remember we don't live in a totalitarian state even though most Liberals want that. I say bring it on because the people who are in the army and can actually fight are on our side.
I agree with "anonymous." Thankfully, we live in a democratic nation. I'm going to lend my opinions now. By the way, you didn't really give an opinion, you just said things should be the way you want them to be.
Here is my opinion. I have a PhD in Clinical Psychology from a top 10 school and after reading numerous case studies, I have come to believe homosexuality is linked to an underlying mental illness. Their "unions" have close to a 90% fail rate. Of the thousands of case studdies I have come across, they have the highest incidence of psychosis compared to any other group of people. They are simply in a state of psychosis and/or mania.
In regards to the Mexicans. I lived in Orange County, CA. I worked at a reputable hospital in the area and most of the patients in our specialty department were Mexican. They would use false information and never pay a penny for their services. The hospital laid off several workers due to economic hardships, but continues to see patients who do not have insurance and simply do not pay a penny. They are draining the hospital of resources and money. Meanwhile, American born citizens have to wait several weeks before getting an appointment because the Mexicans are constantly making appointments because 1. they don't pay for them 2. they do not work, so they have all the time.
Wake up and move out of your little bubble. Until you've seen a desperate mother crying for her child to be seen in a specialty center and being told no because Maria wants to bring her son in for the 100th time (for free mind you), you will understand how much the illegals are hurting our country.
Wow, I didn't think a 2-year old post would actually get read, but I have to respond:
1. To "anonymous", please explain to me how I am against Democracy. I actually work as a poll worker when my state holds elections, so I fully believe in Democracy. I didn't say that people shouldn't voice their own opinion. You're entitled to your opinion, and I'm entitled to mine. But if you opinion isn't an actual opinion but rather venomous, untrue BS, filled with hate, I believe I have a right to disagree. Your post is no different than mine, since you're sick and tired of people like me (and the word is spelled "turds", thank you very much) voicing my opinion. Think about it.
2. Nikki, if my opinion is based on me living in my "bubble," isn't yours? Your opinion is based on your experiences at the hospital you work at. And you are taking that one experience and expanding it to mean that the whole country is like your one hospital. Maybe illegal aliens are playing havoc with your hospital, but it doesn't mean they're ruining the country. And who says illegals are the only ones who go to hospitals and don't pay? There are 40+ million people without insurance in this country. And some of them go to the hospital and don't pay. I've heard people who DO have insurance tell me that they would walk away from paying their share of their medical bills that aren't covered by insurance.
As for the scientific information you cite relating to homosexuals, I can't argue with you because I'm not a clinical psychologist. But I do know a lot of gay people and they don't seem to have mental illness. Do you actually interact with gay people or do you just read about them? In any case, once again I don't think they're ruining the country. Maybe, if your studies are correct, they are ruining their relationships, but then what makes them all that different from heterosexuals? 1/2 of all heterosexual marriages end in divorce, so what do your clinical studies say about that? I have an aunt who was with her partner for over 30 years, until her partner passed away. And I have parents who are divorced and many other straight friends who are still single in their late 30's and 40's and whose parents are divorced. So maybe in my "bubble" things aren't the same as in your "bubble." But, while you point out what are clearly problems, all I'm saying is that those problems aren't going to bring this country crashing to its knees as so many people may want you to believe.
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