The Whore of the World (USA)
Our borders are open. We are the 'spread, gaping hole' of the world. The Land of Opportunity, if you prefer. Personally, I like the diversity here in America. "Feel great about a melting pot, and pull the sheets off the ones who are not." As the punk band Schleprock sang in 1996's "Americas Dirty little Secret". Right? Well there are a few problems with this though. Let me preface this by saying, I am NOT a racist, I'm just an asshole. I have probably had more ethnic friends and girlfriends than the average person. Everyone from Jewish to Pacific Islander, and from European to African American, etc. I myself am tired of being 'white', and would actually like to be ethnic. However, things are the way they are. Now maybe this doesn't 'prove' that I'm not racist, but I just wanted to point it out.
Now, over the years I've had alot of people tell me that I should learn to speak Spanish. Why? Well because we have a lot of Spanish speaking immigrants coming to our country. Well, No, maybe I want to speak French. Now, the idea to 'speak Spanish' is fed through our media, our schools, etc. And 'Whites' are now a minority in California, soon they will be in other places in America. Thats fine though, great even. Whats not fine is this: I'm not going to learn your language just because you want to live in America and reproduce. You learn our fucking language. Whether we like it or not, English has been the main language in the land we now know as America for over 200 years (ever since we killed the Indians, but thats another story). But look, If I was going to move to France for a job or whatever, I would want to be fluent in French. I wouldn't want, nor expect, the French to cater to my personal needs. As much as I would like to be, I'm not the center of the Universe. Neither are you.
Number 2, if you want to be called African-American, Hispanic-American, or whatever else. Thats great, I totally agree with that. However, lets do this with some equality, shall we? From now on you need to refer to me as European-American, I'm not just 'white'. I have a history and an ancestral homeland as well. Also, just because I'm white doesn't mean I'm out to get you. "I ain't part of no conspiracy, I'm just your average Joe".--NOFX
Now, over the years I've had alot of people tell me that I should learn to speak Spanish. Why? Well because we have a lot of Spanish speaking immigrants coming to our country. Well, No, maybe I want to speak French. Now, the idea to 'speak Spanish' is fed through our media, our schools, etc. And 'Whites' are now a minority in California, soon they will be in other places in America. Thats fine though, great even. Whats not fine is this: I'm not going to learn your language just because you want to live in America and reproduce. You learn our fucking language. Whether we like it or not, English has been the main language in the land we now know as America for over 200 years (ever since we killed the Indians, but thats another story). But look, If I was going to move to France for a job or whatever, I would want to be fluent in French. I wouldn't want, nor expect, the French to cater to my personal needs. As much as I would like to be, I'm not the center of the Universe. Neither are you.
Number 2, if you want to be called African-American, Hispanic-American, or whatever else. Thats great, I totally agree with that. However, lets do this with some equality, shall we? From now on you need to refer to me as European-American, I'm not just 'white'. I have a history and an ancestral homeland as well. Also, just because I'm white doesn't mean I'm out to get you. "I ain't part of no conspiracy, I'm just your average Joe".--NOFX
posted by J at 2:00 PM
5 Comments:
Fucking rock on! Although, apparently, we dont have an "official" language, but I agree fully with you...If we were to move to some other country, we wouldnt be allowed to just get by knowing only English (unless, of course it was England or Austalia or someshit). I think it's stupid we should have to know 2 languages, and yet they only need to know the one from their homeland? As for being PC on the name thing, from now on, refer to me as a Native-Czech-Polish-Irish-Russian-American... Nee-Yotch!
Hiya,
Your post really hit home. We need more people like you here in Hong Kong, where most expatriates working in the city automatically assume that the majority of locas speak perfect English, that those who don't are "stupid" hence deserve zero respect.
I can't tell you how many times I've been tempted to tell these assholes that, though positioned as an "international financial hub", Hong Kong is still very much a Chinese-oriented city where over 90% of the population speaks Cantonese as their native tongue. And also, because China is the most populated country in the world, Mandarin is actually the most spoken language, not English. This means that if anyone should be making an effort to blend in with the rest of Hong Kong, it should be the foreigners working here (or China, whatever), NOT us Chinese. I don't expect all foreigners to be fluent in Cantonese (research has shown it's one of the most complicated languages in the world), but it IS their job to learn enough to get them by ("how are you?", "thank you", "please take me to ______", etc). There's nothing more laughable than some Scottish dude telling his cab driver to take him home in (incomprehensible) English, only to have the cabbie tell him he doesn't understand a word he's saying hence can't take him home. I mean, if you can't even be bothered learning your own fucking address in Cantonese, you might as well have your genitals removed cuz you won't be getting ass any time soon with such level of ignorance.
Not sure why I've just told you all of that, but the bottom line is that I'm in total agreeance with you on this subject, and I only wish all these ignorant dicks would come to their senses and have some respect for others.
Take care and keep up the good work.
Chrissy the Self-degrading Specialist
Wow, people are actually reading these. Thank you, by the way.... But yea, the Ethno-centrism of the Western world (including Europe), has gotten out of hand. It's beyond the grasp of recall, in my opinion. Everywhere we go we want it to be 'just like home', then we exude a 'holier than thou' attitude towards the foreigners whose countrie WE are visiting! I understand your frustration Chrissy....In pondering on the issue presented in this blog, I was questioning whether MY view of all of this is ethno-centric? And I really don't think so. Is it too much too ask that you learn the language of the country you're going to live in?
Please excuse my rhetoric, I need a cigarette.
Your whole blog was ethnocentric! And I feel where you are coming from, I use to, and still somewhat feel the same way. The problem with your reasoning and logic is this; technically Spanish was the official language of most of California, New Mexico Arizona and Florida at one time. Not to mention the entire area that was included in the Louisiana Purchase. So if you want to look at it that way, it's just a return to normalcy for those states now speaking Spanish again, sort of.
And think about a country like Switzerland, they have 4 official languages and they are half the size of South Carolina. So it's really not going to kill anyone to have to hear Spanish every once in a while.
But I do think it's funny when eastern Europeans move into what were traditionally Mexican and Puerto Rican neighborhoods and speak Serbian, Polish and Ukranian. It gives the Spanish speakers a taste of their own medicine.
By the way, what a stupid saying, "a taste of their own medicine", who make their own medicine and forces someone else to take it?
I can relate! I'm Canadian, so I'm in the exact same situation. Only it's not Spanish we have to learn, it's French. French is actually a required course in elementary school until grade 8 since it's one of our two "national languages". I normally wouldn't mind, but then the Quebecois are making all their whiny noises about getting 'special' rights and so on. I'm sure you've heard about how they've tried to separate from the country..."preserving their culture" blahblah blah. What makes them so special?! As far as I can see, their culture isn't going anywhere, seeing as they're pounding it into our heads.
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