Posted on 03/27/2005 10:41:36 PM PST by jb6
False comparison. They speak English and moved here voluntarily. Thus they are partaking and adding to the culture, not setting up a separate enclave within the country which hitherto was the "ruling elite".
Ivan
For people living in a country upon its foundation or secession from another country, citizenship IS an inalienable right.
You are a defender of Soviet Communist policies of ethnic cleansing and genetic eradication of the enemies of the state. You must be violently racist against Balts.
Like the Germans who lived in the East when it was liberated from the Third Reich? Defend them and explain why they should have been given citizenship by the nations "liberated" by the Soviets.
Please point out where I have ever shown any support for the Soviet government's policies of forced relocation.
You must be violently racist against Balts.
Nonsense. I'm quite happy to see the Baltic nations achieve their independence. However, their independence does not give them the right to mistreat people in their countries based on ethnicity. If the Baltic countries want to be part of the Western world, they cannot treat citizens differently based on ethnicity.
They are not mistreating anyone. They are doing them a favor. They are offering Latvian citizenship to people who were formerly Soviet, not Latvian citizens.
Sure.
Defend them and explain why they should have been given citizenship by the nations "liberated" by the Soviets.
Those Germans had lived there, in many cases, since the middle ages. If you're talking about the handful of Germans who moved there during the war, they were no more citizens than the German garrisons in those areas.
Now, if Germany had occupied those nations for generations, I would be in favor of German colonists receiving citizenship when the German empire fell apart.
Thus they are partaking and adding to the culture, not setting up a separate enclave within the country which hitherto was the "ruling elite".
By your standards and those expressed here by others, then should I take it you approve of English in Ireland being denied citizenship or Zimbabwe taking away English land? Same case except the English were the "overlords" in those countries and unlike the Russian and other peasants/factory workers forcibly moved to Latvia by the Soviets, the English came as willing colonists for free land (never mind who sat on it first).
In 1990, everyone living in Latvia was a Soviet citizen. When the USSR fell apart, therefore, every Soviert citizen living in Latvia became a Latvian citizen.
And there were Latvian citizens before 1991? Where? They were all Soviet citizens.
Latvia disagrees.
Like the Germans forced out of Silasia at gun point, where they've been living for 1000 years?
BTW I wouldn't mind If Poles in Lithuania or Ukraine had to pass this kind of test.
Yes, again, changing the subject. This thread is not about immigrants, it's about people born in Latvia and denied citizenship. Lets try to stick to the subject instead of morphing it into something defendable.
Maybe the Sorbs in Germany should be forced to apply for German citizenship?
I'm sure that all of them are fluent in German, so I don't see any need to apply for German citizenship, but It wouldn't be a problem for me If German government decided that they apply for German citizenship.
If you don't like my comments, you may hit report abuse button, boy.
Yes, let's, rather than go down idiotic tangents that you propose. Let's try something else - American conservatives say that if those of Middle Eastern origin, even if they are born in the country, should assimilate or be expelled - and they are right - because allowing them to set up Saudi Arabia in Detroit is dangerous for public safety.
The Russians in Latvia are worse. It is not unreasonable to ask them to speak the language of the country, which is Latvian - indeed, not any more unreasonable to ask that than it is to ask second generation Hispanics to speak English. It is not unreasonable to demand a certain understanding of the country's laws or traditions. And here is why - because it's not Russia, it's Latvia - and if they are going to live in one country, it's important to have one set of rules by which they are going to live together, and one means by which to communicate. I know that you can't deal with it, because you are the Vladmir Putin Fan Club (all one member of it), but that's really not my problem.
Ivan
"Latvia" consists of any Soviet citizens living within the borders of that country upon its independence in 1990.
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