Posted on 01/02/2007 12:37:45 PM PST by NapkinUser
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Former Major League Baseball pitcher John Rocker is starting a campaign to encourage English-speaking Americans to start demanding respect from legal and illegal immigrants who do not speak English.
Rocker is also pushing for immigrants to respect the customs, heritage and culture of the United States.
In a news release, Rocker said the "'Speak English' campaign is to encourage people to promote and support the sustainment of the American heritage and the American culture. This campaign is in no way intended to degrade or demean the cultures or heritages of others' nationalities or races, but instead to bolster American nationalism and promote pride in the American culture."
To further his cause, Rocker is selling "Speak English" T-shirts on his Web site.
In the past, Rocker has been called a racist and anti-homosexual for comments made during interviews and drawn heavy fire from New York Mets fans after comments about the city of New York.
While in the major leagues, the Georgia native was a closer for the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Rocker played his first major league game in 1998 and stepped out of baseball in 2004 to recover from shoulder surgery. In 2005 he signed with the Long Island Ducks and retired after 23 games.
Rocker's book is due out in 2008.
That's the part the media kept quoting, and I don't really find that quote bad. Other parts of his rant calling, like calling teammate Randall Simon a "fat monkey" and asking how all those foreigns got in New York is a different story, though that wasn't what the media mainly focused on.
What difference does it make who leads the charge, they will be painted as racist, homophobic, anti-immigration, right-wing, white-male, fundamentalist church burners/attenders.
What did Rocker ever say that was racist?
At St Peter’s Pearly Gate
Rocker will contemplate his fate
Paybacks a bitch
When it’s hate you pitch
And you can’t even find the plate
I was born in NYC. What part of that statement don't you MSM readers think is true?
I do remember that John Rocker was forced to apologize for this statement and even then, I felt like he shouldn't have had to, since IIRC, Rocker is from some rural town in GA.
Of course he was shocked and disgusted. Too bad he made this statement to some PC sports writer from SI.
Speaking of shocked and disgusted, I passed a newsstand at lunchtime and saw the headline of the local rag, courtesy of Sabrina the Wailing Witch at the NYT:
FLEEING IRAQIS PLEAD FOR ASYLUM. Guess where they want to come? John Rocker may be tarnished, but he's not wrong.
A lot of people who have never heard him speak have posted in this thread.
While he is no Tony Snow(well spoken wise) he is educated and can caryy a pretty convincing conversation on topics he has interest in.
I heard him on the radio one day (didn't know who it was at first) and thought he was well spoken.
Hell of a lot better speaker and conversationalist than most kids with purple hair or 20 year old Moms with 4 kids, anyway...
And another thing, he was a ballplayer. He's an entertainer and there's no reason for media to pick on him, or Kramer and the like.
We're not supposed to care about what they really think, they are supposed to entertain us, that's all. That's why I don't care if Tom Cruise is crazy and belongs in a cult.
If a public offical like Senator Byrd used the "N" word then that's a whole different story. (I don't remember much backlash in media with that one even though it was a few years ago)
"I was born in NYC. What part of that statement don't you MSM readers think is true? "
Amen. My first visit to NYC was not described nearly as mildly as Rocker put it.
"What did Rocker ever say that was racist?"
Re-read what I wrote. I'm saying that is how the pro-illegal crowd and the mainstream media will try to paint him.
Should be an interesting book, certainly for more thruthful better than anything Billy Clinton, Monica, Obama, or Amber ever wrote.
"What did Rocker ever say that was racist?"
Nothing more than comedians Richard Prior/Chris Rock, LA detective Mark Fuhrman, NWA (`Niggas With Attitude') every film done by Spike what's-his-name, a lot of the movies on pay TV, Hillary Clinton, the real `Cosmo Kramer'--and everyone else in the free world--has said, alone or to friends, at one time or another.
Any quotes to back that up?
Rocker, I believe, can't even READ...how the hell is he going to write a book?
I met him last May at a mutual friends birthday party...
I agree,
He reminded me of a bird dog who lost the scent.
In the Sports Illustrated interview, Rocker told a reporter he would never play for a New York team because he didn't want to ride a train "next to some queer with AIDS." He also bashed immigrants, saying "I'm not a very big fan of foreigners ... How the hell did they get in this country?"
While driving in Atlanta during the interview, Rocker spit on a toll machine and mocked Asian women: "Look! Look at this idiot," he said. "I guarantee you she's a Japanese woman. How bad are Asian women at driving?"
You mean other than the time he called Randall Simon a "Fat Monkey" or complained about sitting next to a "queer with AIDs"???
There's a reason not ONE Of his teammates backed him up when this stuff came out.
And yes I can get links if I need too....
That's the whole idea.
Yep, he's a real retard.
Over the last several years immigration, whether it be legal or illegal, has been an enormous issue of national debate in this country. It undoubtedly will continue to be discussed by liberals and conservatives alike, well into the future. Immigration is obviously not a new concept to our country. We all, at some point in our ancestry, have immigrants that make up our family tree, and are responsible for giving us the opportunity to live in the greatest country on earth. Immigration, to a large extent, is what gives America it’s uniqueness and allows this country to thrive in so many different areas. I myself am a fourth generation descendant of German immigrants, and am very thankful for the courage and fortitude, which my ancestors possessed, that has ultimately allowed me to enjoy life as an American. I hope everyone in this great country understands how they got here and appreciates those immigrants who made it possible.
The fact that this country was founded and sustained by immigrants doesn’t need much elaboration. A point I feel that is not focused on nearly enough, however, is the unique heritage and culture that has been established over the last several hundred years by these early American Immigrants. Immigrants that have come from all corners of the world with the dream in mind of a more prosperous, fulfilling life for themselves and their families. Over the course of many generations, these brave men and women have established a culture that is like no other on earth. It is a culture full of customs, traditions, dialects and religions that are our own and unites us as Americans. It was the immersion into this culture that the early American immigrant knew would be vital to his success in this new country. It is this heritage that I and so many others who have had a hand in it’s creation and fulfillment, would like to see protected and supported so that future generations of immigrants can continue to realize their dreams of living in the greatest country on earth.
The mission statement of the “Speak English” campaign is to encourage people to promote and support the sustainment of the American heritage and the American culture. Many people over many generations have invested blood, sweat, and tears into creating an America that affords all of us opportunities that are not available anywhere else in the world. Out of respect to past generations, the least we can do as the present generation is to promote the longevity of the culture that our forefathers have created.
This campaign is in no way intended to degrade or demean the cultures or heritages of others' nationalities or races. There is never an excuse to show disrespect to anyone based simply on the diversity of his or her culture. However, this is a two way street. When immigrants vote with their feet and come to this country with the intent to live, work, raise a family and enjoy all of the incredible advantages that America has to offer, but make no attempt to learn the language, observe the customs, or celebrate the holidays, these immigrants are showing a tremendous amount of disrespect to their hosts. They are showing a tremendous lack of respect as well to the men and women who over the course of history have sacrificed much to make this country great.
In my own personal experiences, I have lived abroad for over a year of my life, three different times in Puerto Rico and once in Venezuela. During my time in these countries, I did my best to speak their language even though my Spanish is barely adequate. I attempted to speak the language whenever the situation presented itself and worked to learn the language better in order to avoid the ‘ugly American’ stereotype. I went to numerous local holiday celebrations such as parties that centered on the Puerto Rican holiday “Three Kings Day”, as well as numerous other festivals and gatherings. My life during my time abroad was certainly much easier trying to conform to local society rather than trying to make local society conform to me.
Assimilating local society is a concept that is being lost on many of today’s modern day immigrants. Every current and future immigrant should realize what all early American immigrants knew, that assimilating the American culture is the only way to truly realize and enjoy all that this great country has to offer. Countless numbers of pre-modern immigrants went to great lengths to intertwine themselves into the fabric of their new country. Many newcomers did things such as changing their last names in order to seem “more American”. They also understood that the adoption of local customs and learning the language was critical to their survival. In the last generation however, we are seeing a much more unassimilated immigrant who seems to care more about recreating the culture of his homeland than accepting the culture of his new country. This attitude of many of today’s immigrants is not healthy if we are to retain a strong, cohesive and united America.
“E Pluribus Unum”, this age-old American credo is a point of pride that runs deep in the hearts and minds of many Americans. America has evolved into the greatest nation on earth by putting this concept into practice. Generation after generation, people from all ever the globe have made their way to the United States to be absorbed under the common brotherhood of American nationalism. Whether from Japan, Denmark or Italy, immigrants have arrived for centuries with a desire to eventually enjoy a common bond shared with their countrymen based on language, traditions, customs and similar religious beliefs. It is this common bond, felt by the citizens of this country that has made America a beacon of hope around the world. There are, unfortunately, forces that have been introduced into this country over the last decade that are threatening that common bond and our national unity. These forces are multiculturalism and multilingualism. The fastest way to destroy America is to destroy the cohesiveness that Americans feel toward one another, and the fastest way to destroy that feeling is to encourage people to separate themselves from one another along the lines of culture and language. The historian Seymour Lipset observed, “The histories of bilingual and bi-cultural societies that do not assimilate are histories of turmoil, tension, and tragedy.” Countries such as Canada, Belgium, Malaysia and Lebanon all face crises of some significance where minorities press for autonomy if not outright independence. It is only a matter of time as we as a nation continue to segregate ourselves from one another that a serious division in our national population will take place. Then the American credo will not be “E Pluribus Unum” but “E Unum Pluribus”.
This campaign, as I have said before, is not to demean or degrade other cultures of nationalities, but instead to bolster American nationalism and promote pride in the American culture. This country was made strong by the influx of immigrants and will continue to be a great nation with the help of new immigrants. These new immigrants, however, will strengthen America and realize genuine prosperity for themselves and their families only if they are willing to integrate themselves into the fabric of this country and truly become Americans. Without assimilation, America will grow more and more divided; and a country divided against itself cannot stand. As Americans, we can band together against the forces that encourage division and help new immigrants blend themselves into our culture. It is with this that America will stay united and strong.
To those of you who have always supported me, I thank you. And I know there are many of you who are reading this that have disagreed with me over the years, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to hear what I have to say. I love this country and I will use my voice to help make it a better place for all of us to live. It’s time to stop feeling guilty for living in the greatest nation on earth, and start standing up for America.
Thank you,
John Rocker
September 25, 2006
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