Immigrants take over California.

[OldWiseGuy]

I think one is negligible in light of the other. The main thing is that America is far more resilient than some people give it credit for.

It's the resiliency of the immigrants that is the problem. Many Latinos have been here for decades without learning English. Almost all Europeans and Asians have learned English long before they arrive here.

 

[MoonlessNight]

How many is that, then? What do you mean by "assimilate?"

I imagine he doesn't mean "assimilate" in the way that Europeans "assimilated" into American Indian culture.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

How many is that, then? What do you mean by "assimilate?"

A manageable number, that we can keep track of.

Assimilation begins by entering through the front door, not sneaking in the back.

 

[TLK Valentine]

Probably for a sale of their property. Let's see if they go along with it or not.

This is a direct order from the President... let's see if it matters if they go along or not.

Thanks for showing what Obama's policies and attitude toward them caused. Wasn't much of a uniter, was he?

Right -- they hate Obama, but they love Donald as totally and unconditionally as you do.

Don't be bitterly clinging to Obama and his thankfully past administration. Let's move forward, shall we?

To Texas dutifully falling in line at Donald's feet?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I imagine he doesn't mean "assimilate" in the way that Europeans "assimilated" into American Indian culture.

There are those who believe that the "Great Law" of the Iroquois Confederation greatly influenced our own Constitution. Even if false there are many similarities in the basic principles.

 

[MoonlessNight]

There are those who believe that the "Great Law" of the Iroquois Confederation greatly influenced our own Constitution. Even if false there are many similarities in the basic principles.

If we take the ideas being thrown around about what constitutes a "nation" seriously, it would mean that Americans are literally the same nation of people as the Iroquois.

 

[Aldebaran]

This is a direct order from the President... let's see if it matters if they go along or not.

Yes, let's see.

Right -- they hate Obama, but they love Donald as totally and unconditionally as you do.

Poor Obama. Nobody loves him.

To Texas dutifully falling in line at Donald's feet?

Too seeing what happens when the wall is built.

 

[TLK Valentine]

Too seeing what happens when the wall is built.

The wall can't be built without the government owning the land to build it on... which means they're going to have to deal with those Texans who own the land and don't feel like selling.

 

[mala]

How many is that, then? What do you mean by "assimilate?"

probably that they can't change their family history and genetics to white northern european.

 

[TLK Valentine]

It's the resiliency of the immigrants that is the problem. Many Latinos have been here for decades without learning English.

Their kids do pretty well.

Almost all Europeans and Asians have learned English long before they arrive here.

Ever hear of a place called "Chinatown"?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Their kids do pretty well.

Yes they do. I had a building full of Mexicans and had to rely on the kids as translators. Very few of the adults spoke English, even after being here for many years.

Ever hear of a place called "Chinatown"?

You mean that old Chinese ghetto in San Francisco?

My grad student tenants from China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and Korea all studied English in their home countries. All my middle eastern students as well, from Palestine, India, Israel, Pakistan, all speak good English.

 

[TLK Valentine]

Yes they do. I had a building full of Mexicans and had to rely on the kids as translators. Very few of the adults spoke English, even after being here for many years.

Right -- exactly as it's always been.

You mean that old Chinese ghetto in San Francisco?

My grad student tenants from China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and Korea all studied English in their home countries. All my middle eastern students as well, from Palestine, India, Israel, Pakistan, all speak good English.

Money buys opportunity. Not everyone is as fortunate.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Money buys opportunity. Not everyone is as fortunate.

I'm guessing even those who will never make it to an English speaking country also learn to speak English. It's a fact that English speaking tourists rarely know the language of the countries they are visiting. Therefore it is in the best interests of the host country to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of English, and perhaps other languages as well.

 

[Speedwell]

I'm guessing even those who will never make it to an English speaking country also learn to speak English. It's a fact that English speaking tourists rarely know the language of the countries they are visiting. Therefore it is in the best interests of the host country to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of English, and perhaps other languages as well.

The JC in Illinois I worked at had an ESL program with 1200 students packed into it--mostly hispanics--and a waiting list of about twice that. Older immigrants will likely not learn much English--language learning becomes more difficult as one ages--but the working age immigrant population understand its importance and are eager to learn. Of course they will still speak Spanish with each other (and with gringos they don't like their English skills will diminish). Now I live in the Southwest and find the situation with ESL programs much the same. That is so even though under the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo by which California, Arizona and New Mexico were ceded to the US after the Mexican-American war Spanish is an official language in those places. It is also interesting to keep in mind that there were bustling hispanic cities in the Southwest while the Pilgrims were still starving at Plymouth Rock.

 

[TLK Valentine]

The JC in Illinois I worked at had an ESL program with 1200 students packed into it--mostly hispanics--and a waiting list of about twice that. Older immigrants will likely not learn much English--language learning becomes more difficult as one ages--but the working age immigrant population understand its importance and are eager to learn. Of course they will still speak Spanish with each other (and with gringos they don't like their English skills will diminish). Now I live in the Southwest and find the situation with ESL programs much the same. That is so even though under the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo by which California, Arizona and New Mexico were ceded to the US after the Mexican-American war Spanish is an official language in those places. It is also interesting to keep in mind that there were bustling hispanic cities in the Southwest while the Pilgrims were still starving at Plymouth Rock.

I teach ESL in the Northeast, and I can tell you the situation is similar. Demand for English classes is sky high, but there's only so much room. They know they may never be fluent (although their kids almost certainly will be), and they'll still happily speak to one another in their native languages.

 

[SolomonVII]

probably that they can't change their family history and genetics to white northern european.

Probably not.

 

[Aldebaran]

The wall can't be built without the government owning the land to build it on... which means they're going to have to deal with those Texans who own the land and don't feel like selling.

Why do you always dwell on the negative? Why not look at the fact that we're finally going to secure the border? Quit being such a pessimist.

 

[TLK Valentine]

Why do you always dwell on the negative? Why not look at the fact that we're finally going to secure the border? Quit being such a pessimist.

I wish I could share your sunshine-and-unicorns perceptions, but I'm stuck in the real world, where you actually have to build the wall before reaping the benefits of it.

 

[Aldebaran]

I wish I could share your sunshine-and-unicorns perceptions, but I'm stuck in the real world, where you actually have to build the wall before reaping the benefits of it.

So now you're focusing on the fact that it hasn't actually been built yet? We have to start somewhere. First comes planning, then building, then comes the benefits. If you want to see those benefits, perhaps you should call your democrat representative who couldn't find anything to agree with during the State of the Union speech and tell him/her to do something other than look depressed. Tell them to be part of the solution instead of the problem.

 

[TLK Valentine]

So now you're focusing on the fact that it hasn't actually been built yet?

So's law.

We have to start somewhere. First comes planning, then building, then comes the benefits.

And where in your planning have you considered the landowners who don't want to give up their land to the feds?