Question.
Written by Daisy // March 6, 2011 // Constitutionocity // 20 Comments
Italy has this new rule for immigrants wanting to hang out in their country for an extended period of time:
Now, I’ll just say this up front and get it over with, as the bleeding hearts will be looking for me to say it later on in the post so they can call me raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacist.
I think it’s a great idea. In fact, it may be borderline brilliant in the United States. If the border’s weak, why not try an English test? Huh.
Italy is the latest Western European country turning the screws on an expanding immigrant population by demanding language skills in exchange for work permits, or in some cases, citizenship. While enacted last year in the name of integration, these requirements also reflect anxiety that foreigners might dilute fiercely-prized national identity or even, especially in Britain’s case, pose terror risks.
Apparently, it’s a written test, and it’s pretty darn easy – and in my opinion, it’s not too much for folks who want to be Italian citizens to speak Italian. In fact, I know that if I decided to become Italian, this may be the number one thing on my to-do list. You know – learn the language of the country that I want to call “home.” Regardless, critics say that it’s just a way to “erect barriers.”
Germany and Austria have already done this – in fact, “in Austria, terms are tougher. There, where native speakers have been sometimes known to scold immigrant parents for not speaking proper German to their children, foreigners from outside the European Union need to prove they speak basic German within five years of receiving their first residency permit. Failure to do so can bring fines and jeopardize their right to stay…
Good idea? Or just plain intolerant? I mean, is it SO WRONG to ask that people speak a country’s native tongue if they indeed want to make that country their home?
Because I personally don’t think it is.
Discuss.
20 Comments on "Question."
it’s about time someone did this!
I don’t think it is a problem because assimilation is important for success. Have we forgotten the lessons of the past? It seems Europe is remembering them, especially when one after another is recognizing the problems with rampant multiculturalism.
There is a two fold problem with implementing this in this in the United States, actually more, but two main problems. This country is not now nor ever has been mainly one race, so assimilating isn’t as easy. Next problem is the massive pandering in pursuit of the almighty dollar. We ceased being English only when politicians and businesses went after the dollar. They put themselves before country. While I believe whole heartily in capitalism, I believe in morality more, and they should never be mutually exclusive.
The sad part is it is the immigrants themselves that suffer the most for this.
Racist….Racist….Racist, oh wait you already covered that
“In fact, I know that if I decided to become Italian, this may be the number one thing on my to-do list.”
Really? Because for me, the top item on my list would be “be able to afford to move there permanently”.
But that’s just me.
Hey. Why not do this in the public schools! You know, just sayin’…
If I visited a foreign country, before I even stepped off the plane, I’d know some of their basic phrases. Why in the world would I not?? I’m the visitor, why would I expect their entire populace to cow-tow to me? If I moved to said foreign country, you’d better believe I’d be learning their language post haste. They have no reason or incentive to learn my language just to make me feel good.
When anyone who doesn’t speak English comes to this country, they already know before arriving that we speak English. If they don’t already know some rudimentary English, they need to be flipping their translation book open right now. It makes it much easier to get what they need. I’m fed up with U.S. citizens being forced to kiss the behinds of people who are more than willing to take whatever they can get from us (including our lives), but refuse to, at the very least, learn our language.
I don’t think that’s asking too much. I applaud Italy, Germany and Austria.
Does this mean we need to learn Cherokee, Iroquois, Navajo……..?
I have family that lives in Italy 6 months out of the year for the very purpose of diving head first into the culture and the language. My Uncle had to study for a good year to be able to take the mainly written driving test in Italian. Call me crazy but, ever think that most of the warning and street signs in Italy are in Italian??
More and more common sense flowing out of every country except the US. I bet you would never hear George Clooney, Madonna or Tom Cruise call Italy a close minded racist country.
bc
This is a common sense approach ALL countries should use. I think the 5 yr window is too long.
Well said…I agree! What’s worse in this country though…is that we encourage other languages to be spoken. For example, we print voting ballots and allow a driver’s license to be earned in other languages. Not good!
I have often said that if I were to immigrate to a country that doesn’t speak English as it’s native language, I would learn the language! That seems to me to be the best thing for all involved. Does this mean you completely abandon your heritage? No. You embrace your new heritage as well! Why is that so difficult for so many to understand?
My grandparents came to this country from Italy in the 1920′s and damned if they didn’t have to learn English if they wanted to survive and flourish(which after much hard work, they did) . When did the rules change? Aren’t we a melting pot? – So melt already!! So sick of the smuggness of so may of todays immigrants who expect us to change for them other than the other way around. . Schools in our town have to send out all memos in Spanish and English-WTH? Are we not an English speaking county?
Wakeup – When a country is conquered, you assimilate the people into your culture for your own safety and for the (hopefully) betterment of all cultures living in that area. Rome benefited greatly from Greek philosphers, it thrived and integrated slaves of every color and nation, with options available to earn (or be given) full citizenship. It wasn’tby any means perfect, there were countless abuses, no question. I’m not saying it was right, I am saying it is what it is.
We, right or wrong, conquered the Native Americans. I am not talking about whether we cheated them or not, or killed far too many (that’s an entirely different discussion) – sadly, that’s part of settlement and certainly happened to my own ancestors when Rome conquered what is now Switzerland and France, and later Great Britain. It happened again to my Cajun ancestors when they were driven from Acadia and retreated to the Bayous of Louisiana where they were considered by the establishment as no better than slaves or Native Americans (oh, I know, they were white so it was easier for them, which I am sure made a real difference to how they felt when they were starving or being beaten to death).
It seems that there are far too many people who have no basic understanding of history. Everywhere, in every society, people have been conquered and cultures changed. Including Native American tribes, by other Native American tribes. It would be ridiculous and insulting for me to claim that I am owed something because of what happened one-four or more centuries ago, wouldn’t it? You know why I wouldn’t? Because I am part of the new culture.
I am saying we might consider it a greater disservice that the settlers encouraged moving the tribes into lands which weren’t their own so that there was greater conflict among the rival tribes Maybe we didn’t enslave them, but we did turn them into victims and lower class citizens by not doing what more ancient conquerers did the world over, and that is expect them to find a place in our society, instead of isolating them (which in some circles was considered the compassionate thing to do – “let them keep living as they have always lived”). The melting pot excluded Native Americans and both our society and theirs lost who knows how much knowledge and humanity from that travesty. Language is just one of the many ways of assimilation. Native Americans learned our language, but have been subjected to too many other exclusionary tactics. Instead of the cultures’ are slowly being strangled and Native Americans are left to open casinos and live on welfare.
I was in Italy in 2004 and we met far more immigrants from Bosnia and Croatia when we were socializing than we did Italians. Italy also has a 0-growth population among Italians. So if Italy wants to retain it’s culture, it needs to ensure that immigrants learn the language and begin to think of themselves as Italians with roots in other countries, before the immigrants do become conquerers instead.
@jam
What an awesome response! The final words of your comment should make everyone take notice. Conquering a culture does not necessarily have to be violent.
Jam,
Love your response.
Can I add a possible explanation why there is not basic knowledge of history? It’s because the progressives feel a need to change history to suit their needs so that basic knowledge is not static. I’ll bet if you look at three different history books from currently being used in three different 5th grade classes, you’ll get three different accounts of history.
Well said Jam!
Carolyn: My daughter likes to say “Liberals erase their past, abort their future, to buy votes for the present.”
Mike’s Road Trip: You are correct. California spends a fortune per year on that very thing. Oddly enough, when I was in school, migrant students were thrown into class and they learned English real quick. there were no special ballots, DMV tests, or ESL classes.
I don’t think that requiring immigrants to learn the language of the land for long term or naturalization is somehow tantemount to asking said immigrants to give up their own traditions or knowledge.
If you intend to move to a foreign nation, you should be going there because you want to call it YOUR home. That means it is a desirable place to be, a place you WANT (maybe need) to go to.
If your own culture is somehow superior in your mind to where you are moving to, then why are you moving? I welcome anyone to move to the US to become an UNHYPHENTATED American. Worship who you like, eat what you like, share what you know. Great. But don’t expect the EXISTING culture to bow to your every former culture’s whim.
I feel badly about what happened to the native American Indians. There are terrible accounts of what happened, and stories on both sides of the argument as to who was the aggressor, etc, etc. And I don’t think we should ignore history when it comes to present and all applicable historical references. However, I have noticed that so many people bring up the Native Americans in some attempt to insinuate that the current European decendents don’t have any real claim to this land, and that we should all be speaking Dakota Sioux. A similar argument is made by all the anti-Israel pro-Palestinian sect – that Israel is somehow not intitled to the sliver of land they now occupy. (Nevermind that it was given them thousands of years before Jesus came).
As it is completely impractical that everyone of European decent to pick up all of our belongings our knowdeldge, our wealth and somehow go back to Europe all at once – looks like we’re here to stay, despite any mistakes or missed opportunities of our forfathers. The culture here is melting pot America. And we speak English. I don’t think it’s too much to ask that when you want to become an American that you simply, speak the language. If you want to worship whoever – fine. You want to eat whatever (as long as it’s legal) fine. But please, stop acting like it’s an unreasonable request that you be able to speak the language. And stop acting like it’s too much to stop the hyphenation of your name.
You don’t hear African – Irish, or African – British, or Latino – Irish, or Latino – Italian, etc, etc We are the only country doing this – and I think it goes much farther to dividing us, than joining us. It just reinforces our differences instead of bringing us together as ONE people. I don’t have time for the hyphenation of my citizenship. I am 3rd generation American on my dad’s side, and 6th on my mothers – I have never referred to myself as anything but American.. And I am DAMN proud of it!
My BFFs parents are Japanese descent and were interred during WWII*. In college I worked w/her mother. We’d tease Sue b/c she put a piece of green tape @ all of her desk accessories. My co-workers would say ‘Sue’s pen, Sue’s this or Sue’s that”. One once asked if Na had a piece of green tape around her since she was Sue’s daughter. It was meant in good fun, and Sue laughed about it too. But she’d had everything taken from her once and she never really recovered from it. Two of our other co-workers had also been interred, their scars just weren’t as visible. But the thing was-they all LOVED this country and being American. They built good lives here; none accepted reparation money. They certainly didn’t like what they’d been through, but they understood the (supposed) need better than most of us today could. Na’s dad was one of the (his words) lucky men who was finally allowed the privilege to fight for his country as a Nisei. My point is, my friend’s parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, didn’t focus on what happened to them, but what opportunties they had. They gladly learned the language and customs. And, they didn’t let go of their own heritage – as was the practice in Na’s father’s family’s village, she and her husband were given a bed when they married. Following the wedding, we stayed up all night making and eating sushi, a tradition from her mother’s family. Being Irish/Swiss/Cajun I know far more about her traditions, my Hawaiian friend Shari’s traditions, and my Mexican friend Laura’s traditions than I do about my own ancestral traditions (except for the Cajun part). Sharing those traditions, while functioning on a daily basis as true Americans, is what makes this country so special. We are a big enough people that we know that there are some from each of our heritages to be cherished, but we have to move forward, together, as Americans.
*Carolyn and Laurel – Na’s 19-year-old bi-racial son was attending a history class at an upper crust east coast university and was “taught” that the interrment camps in America really weren’t that bad, they were almost like spas and the Japanese enjoyed their time there. Kirt was pretty sure he was going to get an F in the class because he objected to this line of teaching. The instructor couldn’t conceive of the notion that the interrees didn’t complain a lot afterwards because they wanted what was best for America and weren’t going to bash it. So they must have actually LOVED being there. I guess that’s what happens when a people decides not to allow themselves to be victimized. They get no respect from the left.