I just visited Houston, Texas recently and was surprised (or rather shocked) to see that even the menus in restaurants such as IHOP are both in English and Spanish. I was even told that there are several restaurants in Houston where if you don't speak Spanish then you simply won't get any service. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not the least bit xenophobic, it's just that the dramatic changes in my hometown caught me a bit off guard. You see it's been a few years since I was last in the United States and each time I return I find myself amazed at the sociopolitical changes.
On more than one occasion while I was there I didn't recognize what was being said around me and was actually a bit surprised at how many people were speaking Spanish in their dealings instead of English. I went to one store near the downtown area and found myself ignored by the Spanish speaking sales staff as they continued to help the Spanish speaking people around them. I stood there waiting and then eventually just gave up. But what was even more disturbing about the whole thing wasn't the Spanish speaking, it was that there seemed to be a sense of arrogance and what can perhaps best be described as an "ethnic chauvinism" among the Spanish speaking people that was never there before. It was as if they didn't care anymore or were not concerned to assimilate, to learn English or even to speak English, but even then, it was deeper than that, many seemed to harbor a sense of grievance that despite being nurtured by well-meaning federal policies of positive discrimination gave rise to an indescribable feeling of tension that seemed to be omnipresent everywhere I went.
For the first time in my life I felt like I was in a foreign country by returning home, but even that is not really accurate... You see if I would have went to Mexico instead of Texas, the Spanish speaking people there would have at least try to communicate with me and serve me. They would have smiled and made an honest effort to speak English and the banks and shops in Mexico would have gladly accepted my US passport as an ID. But in Texas this time things were disturbing different.
On more than one occasion while I was there I didn't recognize what was being said around me and was actually a bit surprised at how many people were speaking Spanish in their dealings instead of English. I went to one store near the downtown area and found myself ignored by the Spanish speaking sales staff as they continued to help the Spanish speaking people around them. I stood there waiting and then eventually just gave up. But what was even more disturbing about the whole thing wasn't the Spanish speaking, it was that there seemed to be a sense of arrogance and what can perhaps best be described as an "ethnic chauvinism" among the Spanish speaking people that was never there before. It was as if they didn't care anymore or were not concerned to assimilate, to learn English or even to speak English, but even then, it was deeper than that, many seemed to harbor a sense of grievance that despite being nurtured by well-meaning federal policies of positive discrimination gave rise to an indescribable feeling of tension that seemed to be omnipresent everywhere I went.
For the first time in my life I felt like I was in a foreign country by returning home, but even that is not really accurate... You see if I would have went to Mexico instead of Texas, the Spanish speaking people there would have at least try to communicate with me and serve me. They would have smiled and made an honest effort to speak English and the banks and shops in Mexico would have gladly accepted my US passport as an ID. But in Texas this time things were disturbing different.
But overall, what I've found most disturbing is the Balkanization of the United States or as it is known by is politically correct euphemism "multiculturalism". You'll have to forgive me, but having lived overseas for as many years as I have, I never received the diversity is strength memo, and if I did, I would have promptly thrown it in the trash where it rightly belongs. There is no strength in diversity and I'm confounded at how Americans could have ever willingly bought into that nonsense. What did it take? Was it the the fear of being labeled an intolerant bigot or of being politically incorrect that somehow collectively coerced all of you into this accepting this mind-numbing mantra as gospel?
Take a cue from a country like Singapore who had to learn the hard way about the wondrous glories of diversity and multiculturalism. A country who was forced to adopt Draconian laws limiting freedom of speech just to ensure ethnic and religious harmony and who has spent countless millions over the years on government propaganda directed at their own citizens extolling nationalism and unity over diversity. Funny how there is no mention of how "diversity is strength" in this little ditty penned by Singapore's Ministry of Information, Communication & the Arts entitled "We are Singapore". Is this what we want for the United States?
How long will it be before these ethnic and racial enclaves that are being nurtured like unhatched chickens begin to poke their beaks through the shell? I fear it won't be long now. From having lived in a multicultural society, I can say from personal experience that rising ethnic chauvinism among immigrants both illegal or legal is not only a warning sign, but is is the ultimate destroyer of peace and harmony and when the winds shift it will get bloody. When that happens there will be two paths for Americans to take and both of them will be unpleasant. Either Americans will stand up and fight for liberty and freedom or they will have to accept certain restrictions to liberty and freedom in order to keep the peace.
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This is a great post it addresses a lot of the growing problem that has developed here in the US over the past 5 years.
ReplyDeleteThe assimilation that has always taken place is now openly dicouraged. One political party has taken to promoting this balkinization in it's pursuit of votes.
I look forward to reading your posts over at ATW and bid you a warm welcome.
I am also cross posting this post on my blog
First, it was the Eastern Europeans when they came over and everyone complained that they were taking jobs away, stealing women, corrupting and poisoning American culture, and destroying the country.
ReplyDeleteThen, it was the Irish.
Then, the Italians.
Then, the asians.
Somewhere in the middle of all that, everyone was afraid of "intermingling with the mongrel races" and "letting women speak their minds".
Then we come around to fear of latinos, muslims, and anyone not like us.
Go read a history book. Please. Learn something.
Either accept that freedom means that you have to deal with multiculturalism (Oh, I'm sorry, Balkanization - of which, I suppose "White Flight" would be a great example?) or just leave the country if you don't like it.
Oh, I guess you did already.