tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post114639501081441145..comments2023-10-29T09:34:54.428-04:00Comments on Code, Code World: A Spanish Anthem?Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07338910000372628114noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1147376582755919572006-05-11T15:43:00.000-04:002006-05-11T15:43:00.000-04:00Firehawk - you said: It's up to us, if we want to ...<B>Firehawk</B> - you said: <I>It's up to us, if we want to be a nation, to work on those commonalities, and not let the differences get in the way</I><BR/><BR/>That, my friend, is, as I see it, the crux of the matter. I like the differences, feel we should celebrate them, yet at the same time fully embrace our commonalities!! Thaks for your thoughtful comment!<BR/><BR/><B>Greg</B> - Exactly on the beer!! Of course you knew, that I knew, that... being the descendant of a Master German Brewmeister that I am!!<BR/><BR/>Now, all of you know that I came by my love of beer honestly, and genetically as well!<BR/><BR/>Well... the fact is, every person here, except the native Americans, each and every one of us is the descendant of an immigrant... <BR/><BR/>I however, am not a French/Irish/German American... but simply, an American.Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07338910000372628114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1146544198457660922006-05-02T00:29:00.000-04:002006-05-02T00:29:00.000-04:00I am not terribly fond of the national anthem in a...I am not terribly fond of the national anthem in any language...I agree with those commie bastards that wanted to make Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" the anthem....sadly they forgot the oil industry owned the "This Land" part so...so much for that good idea.<BR/>And since the "official" language of the country nearly was German I suspect there was a German version of the anthem somewhere?...perhaps we should look?<BR/>Though all things considered Spanglish is a very poetic compromise if a choice of conquest languages is required.<BR/>Then we too should consider that a vast portion of this country has been Spanish since the 1500's and only relatively recently been controlled by Washington. Whether here in Alaska (like Valdez) or the Straights of San Juan or Florida, Texas, California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, if we don't include the Sapnish "part" in the Louisiana deal.<BR/>AND the most important part.<BR/>All the great Mexican beers are German recipes done by real German brewmeisters.<BR/>Salude!<BR/>'sides some of my best friends are "immigrants".Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14978887834486612024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1146509418332490562006-05-01T14:50:00.000-04:002006-05-01T14:50:00.000-04:00Bill,Very good points. It's too bad that we're no...Bill,<BR/><BR/>Very good points. It's too bad that we're not using a simple meritocracy system. That way, people that prove they're here to take part in the great experiment of being an American can do so, and those who are here to in some way harm us find it much more difficult. <BR/><BR/>Hitting the balance between freedom and restriction, between authoritarianism and humanism...these are tough concepts, and I don't think there's any easy route.<BR/><BR/>For many of us, I think we're just disappointed that the laws that are already "on the books" are not being enforced. We don't dislike newcomers or wish them ill, we just want them to, as you said, play by the same rules we all agreed to. Perhaps I'm asking too much, but I feel that, if a person wishes to become a citizen of any country, it's his or her responsibility to learn the laws, values, and dominant language of that country. If I moved to, say China, I would feel the need to learn how to speak Mandarin or Cantonese, and I'd study up on the way people were expected to behave. As a tourist, there's some flex room there, but if you wanted to move there...<BR/><BR/>That's my feeling about it. I had no problem with the Anthem in Spanish. The more, the merrier. Just so long as I still get to sing it in English. I didn't like the picture I saw of the Mexican flag flying above an upside-down American flag outside a California school, however. Freedom is part and parcel of what we're about, but this IS still America, not Mexico. If people move here, it's on them to integrate with the culture. If you live here as a citizen, you're an American, not a Mexican or an Irishman or whatever. That's the contract. That's the melting pot. <BR/><BR/>In the end, people are a lot more similar than they are different. It's up to us, if we want to be a nation, to work on those commonalities, and not let the differences get in the way.Patrick M. Tracyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14366666601869757080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1146438847991306682006-04-30T19:14:00.000-04:002006-04-30T19:14:00.000-04:00Lorna - You're exactly right... and to me melting ...<B>Lorna</B> - You're exactly right... and to me melting pot is really the wrong term... I think of us more as a 'stew', all of the ingredients add to the overall flavor, yet each retains it's own, individual, taste...<BR/><BR/>I love cultural diversity... The best Chinese food I've ever had (on this continent) was in a little place in Toronto, I believe it was caled the Bamboo Curtain, or maybe the Bamboo door... just incredible food..<BR/><BR/>Anyway.. I think that the diversity that's available, should not be minimized, but rather embraced and enjoyed!!<BR/><BR/>Your thoughts on the anthem, pretty much mirror mine... the language isn't what's important, it's the feeling, the unity we feel with our compatriots.<BR/><BR/><B>Ricardo</B> - It was your post that motivated me to write mine. The current process *is* crazy... If our ancestors had to go through all of the 'red tape' now in place, most of us would not be living here.<BR/><BR/>You're welcome for the link, and the comments... stop back anytime!Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07338910000372628114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1146433771162866442006-04-30T17:49:00.000-04:002006-04-30T17:49:00.000-04:00Great post. And I totally agree. I think the cur...Great post. And I totally agree. I think the current system for getting here legally is all but closed off hence the high level of people here illegally. The fact that the 2 students you helped get in here was so difficult is crazy to me. Thank you for your link and positive remarks on my blog.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01393234934008656683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9922132.post-1146431295987745112006-04-30T17:08:00.000-04:002006-04-30T17:08:00.000-04:00Strange, in Canada, we think our strength comes fr...Strange, in Canada, we think our strength comes from being a multicultual community, not a melting pot. Not that one is right, one wrong---just different takes on the issue of how we think of ourselves. We don't, thouogh, think of Québec or other francphone areas of the country as part of the multicultural issue, but the bilingual issue. We have two official langueages, and therefore our national anthem must be in two langueages, usually sung in the official language of your choice, no matter what language the person next to you is singing. It's easy, it's hokey, and it works.Lornahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08976144449873569523noreply@blogger.com