Depends on the person, for some its race, for more it is probably economic, for many it is culture and not race (though most people seem to confuse the two, but when you get down to it, they have no issues with another's race as long as they act "more like us").

Do you think its "racist" to want to maintain your culture? Are the Aborigines of Austrailia racist because they don't wish to be Westernized?

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Its better to have fussed and crabbed then never to have fussed at all - Lucy

No I don't, which is why I make a distinction between race and culture. What I did say is that for many people they equate the two.

You hear it all the time "white culture" "black culture" "hispanic culture". There is no "race" culture. French are different from Germans who are different from North Africans who are different from Japanese who are different from Puerto Ricans who are different from Mexicans who are different from Chinese who are different from West Africans who are different from East Africans.

For instance I always like Haitian immigrants. I figured people who were willing to ride on a raft across the ocean deserved to become Americans. Those are the type of people who will work hard to succeed. As long as they are willing to accept American values: work hard, keep your nose clean, mind your own business; welcome to America.

In the case of republicants; it's racism for sure...

I think the issue regarding immigration is both cultural and economic. I believe the cultural side stems from the fact every effort is being made to accomodate Spanish speaking immigrants to the point it seems we are losing our Western European culture and language. One of the attributes of America that I believe has tied us together as a nation is our common language. I know there are pockets where English is not the first language but in most cases they are isolated and somewhat economically backward. If you walk into a Lowes and every sign is in both English and Spanish you start to question just what is going on. No one wants to be forced to change their culture for one they don't believe is as good. It has nothing to do with race. I would not want to be forced into becoming English or Italian, although my parents were of English and Italian extraction.

Secondly is the issue of economics. One of my sons in law is an electrician. He has said that undocumented workers (illegals) come in and are willing to work for far less than citizens are. This drives the wages down for everyone. Furthermore, they have no intention of remaining in America but send as much money as possible back to Mexico or where ever. You can certainly understand the resentment under those circumstances.

I don't understand anyone who is not at least marginally concerned that the very backbone of our culture is being eroded every day by thosewho would accomodate illegals who have no intention of remaining in this country or becoming American citizens.

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Its better to have fussed and crabbed then never to have fussed at all - Lucy

That may be the way you feel, but I would suggest that is not the case with the much of the most vocal anti immigration reform crowd.

I would only add that your statement that "these types of immigrants tend not to integrate, but instead eventually want to reunite with their home country" indicates that you are indeed selective about your concern.
It by far does not make you a raging bigot, but it does exclude you from the claim that you so often hear "I dont care where they come from". Clearly, most do care.

As far as movies vs history, I just find it interesting that many times the TRUE story would be a lot more interesting then the one they portray in these "based on a true story" films.
A film need not be a documentary to historicly accurate, and it need not be 100% true to the history, but many times, and in the case of this film, it was down right silly.
I am not concerned about the state of history, it is the state of films that concerns me

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Argue with some..IGNORE the stupid

Yeah it hurts, you have been fucked by an Elephant !

"Happamia, sanoi kettu pihlajanmarjoista kun ei niihin yltänyt" ("Sour, said the fox about rowan berries, being unable to reach them"

Has anyone ever told you you were the dumbest mother fucker on this forum?

If not please let me be the first

Hey asshole. You are one dumb motherfucker.

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Its better to have fussed and crabbed then never to have fussed at all - Lucy

You don't let the most stridently vocal define your side, so you shouldn't use them to define your opposing side.

I freely admit that Mexico is an exception. I hear too much La Raza stuff out here in CA not to bear in mind that many Mexicans want to reunite the southwest with Mexico (and La Raza is not merely stridently vocal with no real power, they have members in several key political office out here and in the CA democratic party).

Well...if you put ANY stock in the right wing media, (and I am told talk radio is the real voice of the people) letting the most stridently vocal define your side is exactly what they are doing, dogwhistles and codespeak not withstanding

As for wanting to reunite the southwest with Mexico, one has to wonder which is more parinoid, silly and irrelivant, the tiny segment who advocate it, or those fear it could happen.

It is a little like those who fear that the tri lateraL commission is laying the groudwork for the desolution of American sovernty, or that the concil on forign relations is plotting a single worl currency...and yes, the same fear as those those who feared in 1850, that the Pope was planting catholics in America to to create a vatican client state

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Argue with some..IGNORE the stupid

Yeah it hurts, you have been fucked by an Elephant !

"Happamia, sanoi kettu pihlajanmarjoista kun ei niihin yltänyt" ("Sour, said the fox about rowan berries, being unable to reach them"

There will always be paranoid people who will believe the most unimaginable scenerios. However, just because you are paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't out to get you. In the case of La Raza do you merely ignore the calls or do you watch and make sure its not growing? As the Mexican population increases, a population that has no cultural or other ties to America other than economic the threat of La Raza becomes real. I see whole sections of small towns in Tennessee and South Carolina becoming foreign enclaves with no one speaking English and no attempt being made to assimilate. My grand parents came here from Italy in the early 1900's. The first thing they wanted to do was to become Americans and have their children become Americans. My mother and her siblings were made to speak English only. I had an employee from Brazil, she came to this country legally. She learned to speak English better than many people who were born here. While she still had ties to Brazil her aim was to be American and she never intended to return to Brazil (she still supported the Brazilian soccer team and was thrilled when I got her a Brazilian flag for her desk)

I think there is a real threat to the loss of our Western European ethics and cultural background and I think to ignore that threat is nothing more than putting your head in the sand. Perhaps you will say one culture is as good as another but there goes that old head in the sand again.

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Its better to have fussed and crabbed then never to have fussed at all - Lucy