Posted on 03/07/2005 6:49:07 AM PST by Pendragon_6
This is a true story about America, about how the magnificent Judeo-Christian culture of my youth – which represented the hope of liberty for the world's oppressed – was so easily turned into mush in my lifetime.
Let me begin with a brief story about my father. When he was only three years old, my dad was sentenced to death. That's right. The Turkish government was engaged in a deliberate campaign to force him, his mother and infant sister, along with hundreds of thousands of other Armenians, into the Syrian desert where they would die of starvation, disease, or worse – torture and death at the hands of brutal soldiers or roving bandits.
It was 1915, at the peak of Islamic Turkey's gruesome, premeditated genocide of the Christian Armenian population in that country. Those not butchered outright – the men were often killed immediately – were driven into the Derzor, the Syrian desert east of Aleppo, to perish. My father's father, a doctor, had been pressed into the Turkish army against his will, to head a medical regiment.
"One of my earliest recollections, I was not quite three years old at the time," my dad, Vahey Kupelian, told me shortly before he died in 1988, was that "the wagon we were in had tipped over, my hand was broken and bloody, and mother was looking for my infant sister who had rolled away. The next thing I remember after that, mother was on a horse, holding my baby sister, and had me sitting behind her, saying, 'Hold on tight, or the Turks will get you!"
continued
Diversity is NOT our strength. It's unity that's out strength. This is a very good essay. I went to church with my mom once and she's friends with a lot of the little old Russian ladies that go to this church. My mom is naturalized citizen now, and to have that lady and my mom talk about how great America has been to them, means a lot. I had a little kumbaya moment *lol*
"Diversity is not our strength." In the past, immigrants such as your mother and my parents, wanted to be part of the Melting Pot. They wanted to be Americans. My father went so far as to only allow English to be spoken at home. They did encourage keeping traditions but stressed that we were Americans first. But then they didn't just slip over the border for a job. They escaped literal execution as a fighter for independence{in my father's case.} I wonder if many immigrants today just think of our country as a place to work, and not a home.
The bad news: Our daughter's (private) school had its Multi-Cultural Week last week.
The good news: 95% of the kids think it's really stupid.
It's different now in the age of international air travel, multinational corporations,etc. There are people who live here who are here to make money. However, if a person is going to STAY and live here I think some basic knowledge of language and culture is essential.
I think many of them view America as a place to work because they don't feel welcome. I've talked to my illegal friends about this and he likes America, but even to me, part hispanic myself, he kept speaking in terms of "you" and "us".
Maybe if we weren't on our little cultural crusade against all things different we could be a melting pot again rather than alienate ourselves into "multi-cultural" stratification.
"basic knowledge of language..." Things have actually turned a complete 180. For example, my grandson's school system is talking about requiring Spanish starting in First Grade. The interesting fact is that only .3% of the county population is Hispanic. I have no problem with learning a second language but it should be a choice.
Well, if they're illegal they're not welcome. And it has nothing to do with any "cultural crusade." My parents weren't welcomed with open arms. But they arrived here legally and were honored to become citizens. If people refuse to adapt to their new country and its laws, no matter which one, they will be alienated and they are the ones creating a "multi-cultural stratification."
Absolute must-read. I will bust my budget to donate his book to every library in the county.
Can't agree more. Coming to America and adopting American
values and cultural norms is the way immigration ought to be.
Coming to America and not only remaing a loyal citizen of
another country, but attempting to recreate that country's
culture here is an invasion!
My ten-year-old son and I are planning to take part, too. For our country's native costume, we'll put on navy blue blazers; he will wear a silk tie and grey trousers while I'll wear great-grandmama's pearls and a grey skirt. We will display examples of the traditional foodways of our land, like Virginia ham, corn, and peach pie. And we'll talk about the little-known but charming folk customs of our country, like the Bill of Rights, the writ of habeas corpus, constitutional government, trial by jury, etc.
The school administration will be much pissed off.
Part of the problem is that a green card meant you would be earning to money as part of eventually obtaining your citizenship to make a better life for you here.
I think that other nations, particularly the old european nations, have done a propaganda campaign to really push the notion that you don't want to live int he USA. Americans don't have mandatory siesta time protected by law, americans work 100 hours a week, americans have guns everwhere and constantly shooting, your kids WILL use crack, poor people work for rich peoples taxes, young people do not take care of their old people, and of course it is SO much cheeper to live in the old country with US dollars.
The immigration exams for citizenship actually do require english proficiency. The applicant is asked a number of them from a list of pre-approved questions. The potential questions (with answers) are all publically available.
I think the guest worker progream (which already exists) as well as the green card programs should be made to have a more rigorous english requirement.
The problem with current immigrants (legal and illegal) is they are focused on sending their money home and not making a better life here.
The problem with current immigrants (legal and illegal) is they are focused on sending their money home and not making a better life here.
*** The number of remittance establishments as well as central american banks have mushroomed in my area in the past two years.
Well, if they're illegal they're not welcome. And it has nothing to do with any "cultural crusade." My parents weren't welcomed with open arms. But they arrived here legally and were honored to become citizens. If people refuse to adapt to their new country and its laws, no matter which one, they will be alienated and they are the ones creating a "multi-cultural stratification."
We had a Family Heritage program when I was in fifth grade, back in 1956. I think it's a good idea to preserve some traditions and to learn about others. I think it all depends on how it's approached. We were taught that it was a way to learn about the rest of the world. I don't believe that immigrants should give up all their traditions when they come here. Saint Patrick's Day, Christmas trees, different kinds of music, etc. If your family has been here for many generations then you can be proud to show that.
I still believe in the "melting pot" E pluribus Unum.
The multi-cultural tower of Babel? No Thanks.
Multi-Culti permeates every aspect of the curriculum in our town's public schools. They are proud of it.
He's absolutely right. I can't argue with him. He is evil.
It is discriminatory to discuss this culture asa Judeo Christian culture. We are no longer that. We are a mish mash of everything, and while we were sleeping they all ran in. Our elected officials cut deals with world leaders, and we have everything from Africa to New Zealand here.
The melting pot is a "boiling over" I'mnot sure we will survive this. At least without having a heck of alot of cultural conflicts.
There was no golden "melting pot" age. There has always existed hostility to immigrants. And it's usually the children who are fully assimilated.
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