InsideTech

Newspapers simply won't publish letters to the editor which they either deem politically incorrect (read below) or which don't agree with the philosophy they're "pushing" on the public. This woman wrote a great letter to the editor that should have been published but with your help it will get "published" via cyberspace!

Subject: New immigrants

From: "David LaBonte"

My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor of the OC Register which, of course, was not printed. So, I decided to "print" it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Pass it along if you feel so inclined.

Dave LaBonte (signed)

Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in the Orange County Register:

Dear Editor:

So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statue of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry.

Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer. Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.

They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture.

Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity. Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from Germany, Italy, France and Japan. None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan. They were defending the United States of America as one people. When we liberated France, no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German American or the Irish American. The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl.

And here we are in 2006 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life. I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.

And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of Liberty, it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States just yet.

(signed) Rosemary LaBonte

 

Great letter. America will not defeated by a conquering army, it will be defeated from the inside out.   Our greatest threat may already be inside our borders. 

Thanks Mike!! That video provokes thinking.

Lost me the minute he started talking about "God"... who's god? Who's definition of religious faith are we going to allow to influence "public life"? The theocrats and conservative bigots who've turned the GOP into the Rethuglican party? The neo-racists attempting through Obama to take over the Democratic party? No thank you. Worship who you will AT HOME - but keep your religious icons and ideals OUT of my government, OFF my public lands, and AWAY from my family. Freedom of religion is a guarantee that the State shall establish no national religion - it is NOT a guarantee that you can ram your racist, bigoted, mysogenistic, homophobic, unscientific dogma down my throat.

Phreadd says ...

I believe the point he was trying to make was that followers of minority religions in this country are trying to tell others that they can't follow their own faith by making religion a political / politicly correct issue. Circumventing laws in the name of religion is just wrong. If a woman won't take a driver's license photo without her veil, she shouldn't be allowed the license in the first place.

A person's personal faith or lack of it is their own. One can not enforce faith on someone else, yet that is exactly what these people are attempting to do. Essentially they are saying "My faith supercedes your laws!" If they truly feel that way, they should be deported to where they came from rather than permitted to undermine our society.

The constitution was specificly worded to prevent the church, ANY CHURCH,  from becomming the governing body of this country.

I'll grant you we have problems of our own in that respect in this country, as you have so clearly pointed out in other posts elsewhere Scott, but nowhere near the problems that this new influence will create.

 

 

DITTO!!!!

You people have to much free time in USA! You really have time to be ofended by other beliefs, bla bla bla  But I understand! Well, a picture on the driver licence tells what?!?!? I say you should use retina scan :)))))))) or ADN test !!!! JUST to be SURE! :))) 

Is it true they ( well ... "not understood belivers" ) receive the driver licence with a non-visible face?!?!?! really? who allowed this?  Here in Europe (!) they are not! If you want an oficial document you have to expose your face!!!! 

Sorry for mixing up in your problems.

And yes, it is normal that all the people living there  to speak american english , or at least to learn it in the first year !

J2ten-----"(8) Crime - We will adopt the Turkish method, the first



time you steal, you lose your right hand. There is no more



life sentences. If convicted, you will be put to death by



the same method you chose for your victim; gun, knife,



strangulation, etc."

Although this would help contriol the population, and I do realize the letter is a spoof. There have been a lot of people falsly convicted of crimes they did not commite, and DNA has proved that with people who have been in prison for a long period of time. It is sad that when people post stuff like this they believe it and say yeah thats the truth, but or laws work for a reason and I am sure no one here would ever want to be falsly accused of something.

I am not sure if I am supposed to take this seriously or as a joke honestly.

I do not speak for anyyone, group or nation.

In nmcclaran post

"Phreadd says ...

I believe the point he was trying to make was that followers of minority religions in this country are trying to tell others that they can't follow their own faith by making religion a political / politicly correct issue. Circumventing laws in the name of religion is just wrong. If a woman won't take a driver's license photo without her veil, she shouldn't be allowed the license in the first place.

A person's personal faith or lack of it is their own. One can not enforce faith on someone else, yet that is exactly what these people are attempting to do. Essentially they are saying "My faith supercedes your laws!" If they truly feel that way, they should be deported to where they came from rather than permitted to undermine our society.

The constitution was specificly worded to prevent the church, ANY CHURCH,  from becomming the governing body of this country.

I'll grant you we have problems of our own in that respect in this country, as you have so clearly pointed out in other posts elsewhere Scott, but nowhere near the problems that this new influence will create.

DITTO!!!!"

But in another post you you forced people with their own curiosity to whatch a video based on faith thereby stateing that "My faith supercedes your laws!"and "The constitution was specificly worded to prevent the church, ANY CHURCH,  from becomming the governing body of this country." and "One can not enforce faith on someone else" so what do you really believe. That it is ok to force your religiouse belifs on others?

I am missing something I am sure, I just want understanding.

I was addressing

nmcclaran

Sorry if I did not clarify to much I was in a hurry. And really I should have posted 2 comments in their place.

nmaclaran said "DITTO!!!!" to your post and I do not know if nmaclaran really agreed to all you said or just some of it.

If nmaclaran agrees with this statement "I believe the point he was trying to make was that followers of minority religions in this country are trying to tell others that they can't follow their own faith by making religion a political / politicly correct issue" then nmclaran < it seems to me> is doing exacly what nmaclaran states is wrongbased on your <Phreadd> statements, by doing it to me because I do not believe in the same things. And was this country not founded on freedom of religion? What exactly is a minority religion?

 or in other words I am confused not by what Phread said, But by DITTO!!! and the the obscure post "Please visit http://www.valuevotersusa.com to watch the video." in the do you realy want this person for Vice President. Playing on my curiosity with an agenda and not telling me what to expect.

I agree with you on your post Phread I am just trying to understand nmclaran. :P

I agree with the video whole heartedly!!!!!!!!!!!The writings of the founding fathers had extensive comments on a "supreme creator", or God as  "in Holy Bible/Word/Scripture".I DARE any God fearing American to stand up for their slowly eroding "unalienatable" rights and Help America get back to interpreting the Constitution like it was written not how they FELT is should be and re-establishing the true equality and fear of God that at one time made this country great.It is slowly being endangered by those insane people who want to cut God out of the picture because of what the Bible says about what they do and they show every sign of brain-less pride and pregidous possible.

Here is my two cents...

My grandfather and grandmother came to the US in the early 40's shortly after my grandmother gave birth to my mother, gramps joined the Army to fight in the Pacific with the 1st Cavalry Division in order to get back at the enemy that attacked his new homeland, and felt his new family threatend. 

My mother moved back to the old country to be close to her grandmother who was elderly and needed help. She entered the school system there and met my father. They dated, married, and gave birth to me, and my sister a few years later.

Dad's company obtained a contract that took us to the US. We came to this country legally and with a love for for this country already in our hearts. The year was 1969, and within a year dad enlisted into the Airforce. He stated that he did this willingly NO draft called him into service for our Country who we owe so much to.

I wish I could say I joined the Marines because I wanted to serve my country, I joined to save my ass from a loser life I was building for myself (the ONLY thing I regret in life). The Marine Corps made me a man, learned me to stand for something bigger then I, and filled my heart with a desire to protect MY Country at all cost. I have no hate for immigrants because I am one, my father, sister, and grandparents as well. Mom was born here, she is the only American born in the family besides our children (sister & I have kids born here)

I HATE the fact that 'illegal immagrants' get a free ride. Some even have the nerve to trash this country, and those few give all of us a bad name. By the way one of the main issues is beef up border patrol which I support fully.

Now about religion, I was raised in faith, and personal experiances lead me to believe in God. It's just my belief / opinion / whatever you want to call it, you have your right to YOUR opinion. I never (intentionally) shoved it down somones throat. It was just the way I was raised. Even in the Corps our famous motto Semper Fi. Shortened from Semper Fidelis (latin for Always Faithful) Always faithful to GOD, COUNTRY, & THE CORPS. Now, I know some of you out there are saying 'you feel this way, because it was force fed to you'

No it was not!!!!  No more then Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, And every heavy metal group I adored was forced fed to me to be some kind of Wiccan. Or all those horror movies I watched turned me into a mass murderer, I don't think so.

Left Wing, Right Wing, Conservative, Liberal, Communist, Socialist, Christians, Jews, Muslims... Extremists of any kind become a danger to themselves and all around. Extremes do not work, they will fail sooner or later.

native65 says ...

Left Wing, Right Wing, Conservative, Liberal, Communist, Socialist, Christians, Jews, Muslims... Extremists of any kind become a danger to themselves and all around. Extremes do not work, they will fail sooner or later.

 

This is a profoundly fundamental truth, and the residents of the world would do well to learn it.

3much says ...

 There’s a huge difference between being welcoming/accommodating, and bending over backwards completely up to the extent of loosing an identity, fundamental to the fabric of a society, so as not to “offend”.

 

Well said!

As asked by fearsomeanna - "So why is it that some of the immigrants who come here feel as though they have no obligation to do the same?"



That is the million dollar question I guess we’ll never know the exact answer to. My take on this is that the initial euphoria of being grateful and thankful of successfully arriving safely, settling down and doing well in a new country, soon quickly wears off. 

People become more demanding, feel no obligation whatsoever, conveniently forgetting that when it comes down to the crunch, they are still being “hosted” and do not “own” the community. This attitude, sadly applies to all areas of our lives as humans; we tend to become more demanding when we’re in a “good place”, so to speak and forget how to take stock and be thankful for getting to “that place”, in the first place.

 

Just as fearsomeanna, my relatives from just a couple generations removed came from different parts of Europe and while they may have kept some of their traditions and language, they did not hesitate to fully embrace the US/American culture and learn English as well. Here is some interesting information. Personally, I believe that only one language should be recognized as the national language for a number of reasons that I will not post, but Roosevelt touches on a couple of them.

Theodore Roosevelt on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but