America: the melting pot is bad evidently

[Jimmy Chitwood]

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<DIV =Verdana14Bold id=line>The Politically Incorrect Americanism of Alba, Pacino, and Arnold
By Mary Katharine Ham
Tuesday, June 19, 2007

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Hablas Espanol?


Jessica Alba doesn't. Is there anything wrong with that? Apparently so.
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Jessica Alba who plays Invisible Woman in "Fantastic Four: Rise of The Silver Surfer," appears during a segment of the NBC "Today" television program in New York's Rockefeller Center, Friday June 15, 2007. 20th Century Fox is expected to attract in big audiences to the film with its debut Friday, continuing a strong summer run for theaters. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
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The third-generation American and actress is under fire this week from fellow Latinos for comments she made to Para Todos magazine:
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Alba is my last name and I'm proud of that. But that's it. My grandparents were born in California, the same as my parents, and though I may be proud of my last name, I'm American. Throughout my whole life, I've never felt connected to one particular race or heritage, nor did I feel accepted by any. If you break it down, I'm less Latina than Cameron Diaz, whose father is Cuban. But people don't call her Latina because she's blonde...


My grandfather was the only Mexican at his college, the only Hispanic person at work and the only one at the all-white country club. He tried to forget his Mexican roots, because he never wanted his kids to be made to feel different in America. He and my grandmother didn't speak Spanish to their children. Now, as a third-generation American, I feel as if I have finally cut loose.


My whole life, when I was growing up, not one race has ever accepted me, ... So I never felt connected or attached to any race specifically. I had a very American upbringing, I feel American, and I don't speak Spanish. So, to say that I'm a Latin actress, OK, but it's not fitting; it would be insincere.</BLOCKQUOTE>





She never felt connected to any race, specifically, but she always felt American. That doesn't sounds like a bad thing, does it? And yet, it is, in the eyes of many activists.


One blog post on the comments remarks, "Guess sell-outs come in all races and sizes." Another calls it a "disturbing hoard of quotes." Another claims she "hates Mexicans."


Comments about Alba's comments include, "F**K YOU THEN, JESSICA...VIVA LA RAZA!!!," "She should just change her last name to White, then," and "I thought she could be a good role model for Latinas, but she is a fake, tryin' to be white."


Alba wasn't trying to make a political statement. Instead, she sounds like she was trying to avoid speaking for an entire ethnicity and many recent immigrants when she barely speaks Spanish, and identifies as an American first. But because she didn't reflexively take upon herself her ethnic mantle and collective responsibility, she's bashed as a traitor to her race.


Elsewhere, a phenomenally successful first-generation immigrant was sharing his secret to success in America, which was much the same as the approach Alba's college-educated grandfather took. When addressing the national Association of Hispanic Journalists, and responding to question about how Hispanics can improve academically, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said:
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"You've got to turn off the Spanish television set" and avoid Spanish-language television, books and newspapers, the Republican governor said Wednesday night...


"You're just forced to speak English, and that just makes you learn the language faster," Schwarzenegger said.


"I know this sounds odd and this is the politically incorrect thing to say, and I'm going to get myself in trouble," he said, noting that he rarely spoke German and was forced to learn English when he emigrated from Austria.</BLOCKQUOTE>





The response from those in attendance?
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"I'm sitting shaking my head not believing that someone would be so naive and out of it that he would say something like that," said Alex Nogales, president and chief executive of the National Hispanic Media Coalition.</BLOCKQUOTE>
Naïve, out-of-it, hateful, traitorous. There is a large segment of the country that believes it's somehow disrespectful to emphasize assimilation among new immigrants to the country.


And, it's not just among leftist activists and left-coast gossip bloggers that this idea prevails. Just last year, Sen. Harry Reid called a proposal to make English the official language of America "racist," despite the fact that a large majority of Americans support such a measure.


More recently, Barack Obama called the very discussion of English as an official language, "divisive" during a Democratic debate:
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I have to say that this is the kind of question that is designed precisely to divide us. You know, you're right: everybody is going to learn to speak English if they live in this country. The issue is not whether or not future generations of immigrants are going to learn English. The question is, how can we come up with both a legal and sensible immigration policy? And when we get distracted by those kinds of questions, I think we do a disservice to the American people.</BLOCKQUOTE>





But is everyone going to learn English, Sen. Obama? It seems that Schwarzenegger's encouragement of English-language immersion for immigrants and Alba's family's decision to speak English only are put down in pretty harsh terms by folks on your own side of the aisle.


The movement to make English the official language of America is, in part, a response to the Left's active discouragement of assimilation. Even the idea of the "melting pot" went out of style when I was in grade school, replaced in text books by the less offensive "mosaic." You see, now we don't do anything so gauche as melt into one, cohesive society. Instead, we are all obligated to hold onto our various ethnic and cultural identities and languages, building little barriers between communities, lest we be accused of "selling out" or trying to be too "white."


There is certainly a way to assimilate without losing all touch with one's culture. Being American does not mean being "white." "American" is, by definition, many colors and characteristics. But the strength of America has always been in creating Americans of all colors and characteristics, not all colors and characters who happen to live in America.


The English language and cultural assimilation are unifying forces, economic passports, essential parts of preserving the American dream and all its blessings for everyone who comes to our shores.


When talking about comprehensive immigration reform, some have compared today's illegal immigrantsâ€â€￾the challenges and the prejudices they faceâ€â€￾to legal immigration of Italians and Irishmen and others who came through Ellis Island just a few generations ago. But those same people conveniently overlook that anti-assimilation forces in America weren't nearly so strong at that time.


Al Pacino is a second-generation American whose grandparents emigrated from Sicily, but despite living in his grandparents' home, he speaks no Italian. Would anyone accuse that iconic Baby Boomer of being a traitor to his ethnicity? Well, he better watch out, if he keeps talking like this:
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Explain to me what Italian-American culture is. We've been here 100 years. Isn't Italian-American culture American culture? That's because we're so diverse, in terms of intermarriage. Most everybody who's Italian is half Italian. Except me. I'm all Italian. I'm mostly Sicilian, and I have a little bit of Neapolitan in me. You get your full dose with me.</BLOCKQUOTE>





Alba, Schwarzenegger and Pacino have got it right. Their concern is with becoming successful, individual Americans, not with specious collective responsibilities imparted to them by their skin colors, accents, or surnames. As a result, they have all done both America and their ancestors proud. They are all walking, talking, acting illustrations of the American dream in action.


When considering legalizing 12 million illegal immigrants, Congress should consider seriously the fact that the walking, talking American dream is now politically incorrect. That doesn't bode well for its survival.</TD></TR></T></TABLE>


Mary Katharine Ham is the managing editor for Townhall.com.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

These Leftists are totally against assimilation. They're all for the glorification of "multiculturalism" (aka - socialism). I have no issue with folks being proud of their ethnic heritage, but if you're a legit U.S. citizen, you need to be an "American" first and foremost!

 

[Colonel_Reb]

This article is just one aspect of the amnesty debate that most of the media will not touch. Good points in this one!

 

[screamingeagle]

Personally I thought that Gwennth Patrow should have played Sue Storm.

 

[reclaimsocal]

I used to think like that. Then someone explained to me how assimilation only blurs the line between races, giving people the "good &lt;insert ethnicity here&gt;" examples to use to further convince themselves that there is nothing wrong with forced integration upon Whites. I don't think its possible for a group to assimilate into White culture/society without damaging said culture/society and therefore I'd rather we didn't encourage them to. Imagine if we had never taught Blacks to speak English and worship in Christian churches, do you think we would have the problems we have with them today?

 

[InfamousOne]

Is it me or is there more and more open warfare on political correctness lately? It seems the white nationalist mentality is awakening. All I can say is that it's about time.

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

rcs,


i've a huge problem with ghetto culture. sure, i find black skin unappealing, and i would never consider dating a black chick. but if black Americans acted like white Americans instead of the ghetto lifestyle they choose, received no special treatment from the government, andgarnered no mythical superiorityfrom our media, then i wouldn't have a problem with them. hence from all my years of playing basketball and so forth, i know one or two black people who i'd let in my home.


that should tell you something right there. in all my years of playing basketball, going to college, etc., i've only met a couple of black folks who i'd willingly spend time with in a regular social gathering.


it is their ghettoculture and attitude that bothers me. if "they" all acted just like "we" act andgot treated the same way we get treated, then there wouldn't be a problem. sadly, that is not the case.


maybe that's why they've gotblack skin. just like highlyvenomous frogs and snakes and so forth, they've been painted as dangerous and violent. and the rest of us should avoid them when possible or eliminate them when necessary.


edited to add: i agree with Infamous One. it seems to be happening, and i hope it's not too late. Edited by: Jimmy Chitwood

 

[Ground Fighter]

Wow, I didn't think it was possible, but Jessica Alba actually just got hotter. And all the hateful responses directed towards her from La Raza just goes to show you that a good number of hispanics DON'T want to assimilate into our culture. They just wan't to take it over.

 

[Freedom]

Kudos to Alba. Some people are making it so hard to assimilate immigrants.

 

[Baseball Fan]

Kudos to you Jessica. We need to fight the New World Order, she is probably clueless like most but that is the real enemy. Zionists and other NWO sects try to divide people forcibly by race, religion, nationality, income, politics etc.. to detract the attention from themselves. They do this through a nanny state mentallity, then present false solutions to quell the public.

That said people should defintely be allowed to seperate themselves volunatarly into groups, but never by force unless your attacked first.

 

[DixieDestroyer]

BF, the NWO indeed loooves to foster racial tensions (while preaching "diversity" and "tolerance" on the surface) to prevent a "united front" against their agenda of forced vaccinations, 1-child per household limit, North American Union (merged with the EU), the EU and a dystopic, Orwellian police state! To a common obliviot, this might sound like the ranting of some "fanactic conspiracy theorist", but to the learned student of history and globalism...it's the 100% factual truth!

 

[Freedom]

As far as La Raza wanting to take over, I don't know how different they are from the extreme Tammany Hall of old. That very Irish heritage organization frequently used violence of all types to win elections, I believe was involved with Aaron Burr's conspiracies to take over Louisiana, and would encourage very large families to take over, by sheer numbers, police forces and municipal labor unions.
There is only one critical difference between LaRaza and Tammany of the late 1800s. The Tammany's members always considered themselves American.

 

[waterbed]

latina is not a race.it is a culture.
she is white or white latina.
40% of the Latinas is white.
is the same when I say I am a Germanic Guy.

 

[white is right]

This is very political among the Mexican/Latino community. People that have Latino ancestry will always tell you that the elite of whatever Latino society always considered themselves white(unless it was obvious they weren't).Her families loss of spanish is the eventual intergration of the sucessful into the greater community. My ancestors probably haven't spoken Spanish in 100 years for this reason. By the way Alba is one hot fox.......

Edited by: white is right

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

the Democrats agree: racism is bad. their solution? strongly supporting racist legislation and pandering to the black community!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19487919/


key excerpts:

In their third primary debate, the two leading candidates and their fellow Democrats played to the emotions of a predominantly black audience, fighting for a voting bloc that is crucial in the party's nomination process. They stood united against the Supreme Court and its historic ruling rolling back a half-century of school desegregation laws.

While the first two debates focused on their narrow differences on Iraq, moderator Tavis Smiley promised to steer the candidates to other issues that matter to black America, including health care, education, police accountability, housing and voting rights.
The debate was held at Howard University, a historically black college in the nation's capital.
Black voters are a large and critical part of the Democratic primary electorate, making the debate a must-attend for candidates seeking the party's presidential nomination. Civil rights activist Al Sharpton and Princeton University scholar Cornel West were among those in the audience.

additionally, the entire article is written to spin yesterday's Supreme Court decision to remove race completely from requirements for public schools as somehow devastatingly racist. somehow removing race requirements sets back race relations in this country... does that not sound completely stupid to everyone else?

 

[Colonel_Reb]

To the libs nothing makes sense. What is really crazy is that this is what MLK Jr. wanted, for blacks to be judged by teh content of their character, not the color of their skin. The liberals should be applauding, but the race-garden tools have to be idiotic and moan about something in order to keep their jobs.

 

[InfamousOne]

More proof that blacks don't want equality, they want special advantages.

And here is further proof that Democrats would destroy this country with thier pandering, if allowed. How many Democrats voted for this immigration legislation?