30 April 2006 - 5:21pm
I haven't studied Spanish since sixth grade
I suppose what makes me unlike the paranoid (mostly) Republicans in Congress is that my ignorance of Spanish doesn't make me afraid of Mexicans. Or of immigrants in general. Or of the idea that this is a nation of immigrants.
What I can't get past is the idea that those who want to pack up illegal aliens and bus them back to Mexico are acting on their racist attitudes. (For one, who says they're all from Mexico? Does trucking them to any country with "brown people" suffice?)
The same goes for the national anthem. Bush's opposition to the national anthem sung in Spanish strikes me as not just silly, but utterly wrong-headed. The national anthem is about an idea, not the English -- replete with arcane words like "donnerly."
Of course, it doesn't help when the Spanish version rewrites the sentiments:
Called "Nuestro Himno" -- "Our Anthem" -- the Spanish version rewrites some of the English version. For instance, the second stanza says, "My people keep fighting. It's time to break the chains."
Is this why the bigot-hearted are calling it the "Illegal Immigrant Anthem"?
So Spanish-language artists have done this new version. Who cares? Why not? Here, I agree with Condi:
"I've heard the national anthem done in rap versions, country versions, classical versions. The individualization of the American national anthem is quite under way," she said on the CBS show "Face the Nation."
"From my point of view, people expressing themselves as wanting to be Americans is a good thing," she added. "I think what we need to focus on is an immigration policy that is comprehensive and that recognizes our laws and recognizes our humanity."
Still, the fearful, anal-retentive cultural martinets rave and rave:
"I'm really appalled ... We are not a bilingual nation," George Taplin, director of the Virginia chapter of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, was quoted as saying in the Washington Post.
"When people are talking about becoming a part of this country, they should assimilate to the norm that's already here," he said.
Maybe it's Mr. Taplin who should assimilate -- or at least wake up to the fact that it's not up to him to define "the norm."
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Comments
I don't know what she really thinks nor do I really care, but she says it because that's what Bush says. And, he says it mostly because his backers love cheap labor. So, you agree with Bush and his backers.
As for the other statements in your post, please look up "strawman argument" and do a bit more research into this subject.
For one thing, Condi's disagreeing with Bush. Maybe you're the one who needs to do a bit more research, hmmm? As for who the strawman is supposed to be, according to you, if I'm against treating immigrants like vermin to be eradicated from this country, then I'm a Bush backer for cheap labor. Talk about strawman arguments!