I was born in America but English was not my first Language... English was forced upon me

Originally posted by havok
As much as I admire your posts, I have to voice my opinion.

Your ancestors and your family were here before the Europeans.
Therefore, your ancestors were here before 'Americans'...
I honestly feel that 'Americans' stole this land from your ancestors.
My family immigrated here in the early 1900's, so I can't say I was a part...(

)

So for you to say English is not your native tongue is admirable, but it shouldn't be.
You are not of European decent or from another country, per say.
This is your land.

Now for those immigrants who did come here, like my family, they had to learn English.
Why? Because that was how they could get by.
We all understood our native language even until the last of my grandparents died.
It was nice to be able to communicate with the locals and get jobs, etc, in English.
But poking fun at people in Italian was much more fun.

If you goto another country, say France, don't you think you should learn the French language?
Or do you expect everyone to know your language and understand it?
Just as my grandpap used to say, "If you didnt learn English, you didn't make it far."
Totally different story now.

Bi-lingual signs, books, teaching in schools...all this is for a more liberal society.
Because god forbid we stick to our guns here in America.

If you want to live in another country, you should learn their language.
Not the other way around.

Period.


But being a native of the land and having the land taken from you...is another story.

edit on 18-6-2011 by havok because: Grammer

You have to remember that the "natives" only became the natives after they wiped out the previous natives down to the last man,woman and child. So on that note the "natives" where treated a lot better then they deserved.

As per whole the English thing, at one point almost half the USA spoke German after the Revolution(Copies of the Deceleration of Independence and the Constitution where printed in two languages, English and German).
But German people kept to themselves and didn't get involved in politics till right before the Civil War when their conscience prodded them to join the Republican Party and pushed them to fight to end slavery.

After that what was slight anti-German sentiments became a fever of anti-German hatred and the rest is history.

reply to post by dilapidated


I totally agree with you. What needs to happen is the world has to band together to rid this place(world of white folks) and send “THEM” somewhere where they can’t harm anybody no more! I was thinking Antarctica” , but really is that ideal? These freaking white folk might somehow make “stuff” out of snow. Now that scares me just to think of it….fact is we can’t put white people together, they are way to dangerous.
And by them selfs they are watered down …just little puppets.
Just like you.

I am descended of the vanquished Wappinger people. I truly am sorrowful that the language of my line was lost. What a cultural jewel it would be today.

I do however, embrace the English language, not for the sake of the conquerors, but for what a verbose and articulate language it is.

Originally posted by havok
Your ancestors and your family were here before the Europeans.
Therefore, your ancestors were here before 'Americans'...
I honestly feel that 'Americans' stole this land from your ancestors.

That's incorrect.
The Spirit Cave Mummy was the oldest human mummy ever found in North America
& has Caucasoid characteristics. The Paiute-Shoshone Tribe claimed the mummy as
Native American & no DNA samples could be taken (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act).
Also, the Kennewick Man bones dated back over 9,000 years ago, same as the Spirit Cave Mummy. It was
found to be Caucasoid as well. All this thousands of years before the Mongolians.

DB,

My father was a Caucasian American, English his first language. He spent most of his 1st-grade year locked in a dark closet because he wrote his letters backwards. Dyslexia. He hated school from then on and did very poorly. The only time he did well was when a teacher was bright enough to give him an oral exam.

Abuse is abuse, and I'm very sorry you suffered this at the hands of a teacher.

This story isn't really about language.

reply to post by DaddyBare


I am so glad that you have written this thread. I agree with you entirely that understanding is the key to virtually everything. It saddens me to see the ignorance of some people regarding language, and their lack of understanding for their fellow man.

I have friends with stories similar to yours, though they may have grown up a generation and maybe two later. It is good that you have told this.

It is discouraging to see many peoples bias toward learning other languages. As if english is the language of the gods or something.

I will continue to learn spanish as it is pertinant to my situation. Sorry that english was forced on you, but do you regret learning it? I would like to learn other languages, though spanish and low german are the two most viable.

S+F

Great post.

What a shame we lost a great civilization, language and spiritual awareness. Thank God or the Spirits that my ancestors had nothing to do with pillaging the American Indians or making servitude the African Americans.

There is only one spiritual awareness that I am inclined to. That would be the original peoples of North America. I'm ashamed of the history of the America's and feel Indians should rule the land (of all of central and north America). What a shame the early white folks brought upon the indigenous.
.
I'm not an apologist. Just a thinker. So much lost. What a grand post. My heart goes out.

I know there are major strides in maintaining the ways of old. Hopefully, there will something there to teach us all.

reply to post by brilab45


What about the servitude of white slaves who were the true foundation of European colonialism?

Brother DaddyBare,
Thankyou for sharing your story. I believe when we speak about these things, we open to the process of healing within ourselves and in each other. From the heart to the heart.
Thankyou for your strength and courage to speak about these things and even though some of us may not understand or are able to relate, some of us do understand and relate, and some of us will learn from you.
Thankyou.

reply to post by DaddyBare


Um, you dont move to Russia and make everyone else learn to speak your language because you dont want to be forced to speak the Native language. Yes English is a Native language of America now. Sorry about the past but what's done is done. Can't be mad about things you can't change. Adapt, survive, and most importantly LIVE!

reply to post by DaddyBare


Why don't modern day native American tribes declare independence from the USA?

reply to post by CobraCommander


You are right. Through out history all of our ancestors were slaves. Only 01% of all of humanity were kings, queens and rulers.

Even to this day, we are all slaves. Have a SSN? You are a slave.

I can't believe the number of people who are indirectly condoning the actions of the US government against the Native Americans, and arrogantly claiming that indigenous people should be happy they were beaten or forced into learning English.

White people claim they follow Christ, who taught love above all else, and then they stupidly call blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, and now Muslims, backward savages.

It doesn't matter who was here before the Native Americans, or what language they spoke. What matters is that the Native Americans were here before the WHITE man, and this includes all European imperialist nations, who murdered, pillaged, raped and lied until they subjugated the indigenous peoples in America, as well as in many other parts of the world.

The main things these Europeans introduced to the rest of the world was not Christianity, but the concepts of ownership of property, coupled with salivating greed and contempt. Jesus, my ass.

It does make sense for a Spanish speaker to attend a Spanish class. It is one thing to speak Spanish, but it is another to read and write it correctly. Contrary to some of the opinions expressed here, orthography, punctuation and grammar do not naturally and spontaneously develop in the human brain. Hello, has any English speaker ever heard of English class?

What happened in the past was wrong, period. The English language may seem like manna from God to all the globalists who want to enslave us into thinking that individuality and multi-culturalism is a bad thing, but I assure you, one day the Evil Empire will topple, and the English language will be like ashes scattered in the wind.

And don't even get me started on insecure and presumptuous white people that assume, just because I am speaking Spanish with a fellow Spanish speaker, I am automatically saying something bad about them. I could care less about you. Get over yourselves. You are not God's chosen people, instead you're as fake as Trump's toupee and Pamela's plastic boobs.

Originally posted by DaddyBare
No my parents were not Immigrants... the simple fact is I am Jicarilla Apache a Native American...
the word jicarilla comes from Mexican Spanish meaning "little basket." my people are noted for our basket making skills...At home we speak a broken mix of English Apache and Spanish with a little Zuni and Dine thrown in... the result of where we live in the world and how our close neighbours are....

K well if all you want to do is sit around in your reservation making baskets, I'm sure that lack of English would have worked out fine for you. Since you're here on the internet, you seem to be making use of your English skills. This is an English speaking country. You were taught English so you could function in society.

Hey I just realized something. MATH SKILLS WERE FORCED UPON ME. OH MY GOD. THEY FORCED ME TO LEARN MATH AND WHAT ALL THOSE SYMBOLS MEAN. MY RIGHTS AS AN AMERICAN TO BE AS !%$@% STUPID AS POSSIBLE HAVE BEEN TRAMPLED ON!!

reply to post by DaddyBare


yeah dude, I feel for you. America is a place built on the suffering and the pain of an entire culture robbed, and subjugated. A country built upon blood and robbery.

reply to post by kaiode1


If we didn't do it, someone else would have. Why would a Spanish US have been better? It wouldn't.

Also, "Native Americans" weren't native. They displaced and probably killed the people here before them. So in a way, it's karma. But the truth is, it is what it is. Get over the past already. No one here is responsible. Most people just want to live in peace no matter what their skin color is. It's the corrupt in power that ruin everything.

Having your native language beaten out of you by the dominant culture is nothing new. Many of us "lefties" had our natural instinct beaten right out of us by the dominant culture as well. The difference is only that you learned your language...which hand you use is not a learned behavior (although it can be).

We would all do well to understand exactly why we have these things beaten out of us. Here is an article which explains it:

hubpages.com...

Once we understand the principles of civilization we are then properly armed with the knowledge which we need to decide whether or not a culture is right or wrong in its doings. Until we understand those principles we really have no ground to stand on when making our argument, especially if we happen to like the society in which we live.

Originally posted by Observer99
reply to post by kaiode1

 

If we didn't do it, someone else would have. Why would a Spanish US have been better? It wouldn't.

Also, "Native Americans" weren't native. They displaced and probably killed the people here before them. So in a way, it's karma. But the truth is, it is what it is. Get over the past already. No one here is responsible. Most people just want to live in peace no matter what their skin color is. It's the corrupt in power that ruin everything.

Or how about a French US. The French colonized huge areas of North Africa, including what is now Tunisia. Tunisians kicked them out in the 50's. But I digress, I grew up in a city with a famously French influence, named after King Louis XIV. It was once the 3rd largest city in the States, due to the trade routes along the Missouri River and the Mississippi. The British and the Spanish tried to gain control of the area but it was finally purchased from France in 1803. The Lewis and Clark Trail runs through Kirkwood, a small town in the county. Now, Kirkwood is really a Scottish name, and my Scotch/Welsh ancestors migrated first from Viginia after the Rev War to Illinois and then to Missouri. History can be so complex.

All of this exploration and fighting for domination did occur in times past. I cannot help what happened to Native Indians, but I see no reason why I should have to capitulate to some crazy reconquista plan of Mexico because Mexicans don't accept the consequences of the Spanish-American war in the past. There is an agenda and it is fueled by hard core communist agendas to concquer the US for World Communism. I am seeing the bigger picture in this. The guy testifying in Spanishat the Texas State legislature mentioned also in this thread is an Open Borders activist and I guarantee it is all fueled by the Soros machine, and Soros funding of various organizations dedicated to supporting illegal immigration.
People can complain all they want about how Europeans are all illegals here, but unless people want to live under the domination of World Communism, everyone should wake up to the reality of this scenario.

reply to post by DaddyBare


Starred and flagged your thread.

Thanks for this, perhaps those gringos who decide to deride anyone who speaks any other language in America should learn the history of this land, instead of dwelling constantly in ignorance and trying to bring down everyone else to their level of ignorance.

Like I wrote in another post, perhaps what we should do for a language for these United States is pick the most spoken Native American language in the U.S. and make that the national language.

I am willing to learn a 4th language fluently, I wonder if those who keep whining and complaining about other Americans, or legal immigrants speaking in other languages, would they be even capable of learning another language?

reply to post by ElectricUniverse


Resorting to derogatory name calling? I have enjoyed your posts in the past, but I guess people's personal agendas always come out in the end.