At 09:45 7-12-01 -0600, Dan Minette wrote: >We are actually _very_ familiar with the assimilation of different ethnic >groups with different languages in the United States. For example, my >mother didn't speak English until she was about 4-5. We have friends of the >family where the mother came as an illegal immigrant about 10-12 years ago, >became a citizen under the amnesty program, and the daughter was on the >debate team. It often doesn't work that fast and well, particularly in the >Rio Grande Valley, but people do get assimilated.
Over here we try to integrate them, not assimilate them. We are not the Borg. Resistance is not futile. <grin> > > And what makes you think we put our heads in the sand? We are very aware > > of the problem, and we do everything we can to solve it. It is just not an > > easy task. > >Sure, and insisting that you are doing nothing wrong, that the Dutch >couldn't possibly have any prejudices doesn't make it any easier. I never insisted that we do not have prejudices (but feel free to find a post in which I insist we are perfect). There will always be prejudices; it is part of human nature. The only thing we can do is fight them, and teach everyone that prejudices and discrimination are wrong. Unfortunately, no matter how hard we try, there will always be people who believe they are superior to others. > > >Actually, I was talking about Houston, which is the local big city. The > > >fact that you cannot name a single ethnic minority is indicative to me. > > >I would have guessed, since ethnic minorities are identifiable, that you > > >could have gone through a list in your head and come up with a few. > > > > This is nonsense, Dan. Sonja did name minorities. You are picking on her > > because she used nationality instead of ethnicity. If she had used > > ethnicity you would probably have picked on her for not using nationality. > > > >I may not have been clear after snipping my older verbiage. I meant name a >national leader who is an ethnic minority. The challenge was to name a key >player in the Dutch government who is an ethnic minority. That would depend on your definition of "key player". Prime minister, minister, secretary of state, member of parliament? National government only, or provincial and local government as well? Perhaps even member of the Royal Family? Our next Queen (or at least spouse of our future King) is Argentinian. Does that count? > > For the umteenth time: where is the evidence, Dan? You keep saying that > > much of the Jewish population left Europe because they did not feel safe > > there, but so far you have failed to provide proof for that claim (other > > than what one of your friends told you). > > > >Why else _walk_ to Israel, knowing that there is a good chance you could die >on the way. Walking was about the only means of transportation they could afford. The Nazis not only persecuted and murdered Jews, they also took all their possesions. Those who survived found that they had nothing left -- no house, no money, no nothing. So, having to walk to Israel had nothing to do with not feeling safe here, but everything with having rather limited options. > > >And, as Jerone states, there is nothing good to be said in the local press > > >about these people? That its all their fault. And, said press are in the > > >same countries where they were slaughtered. And, I'm crazy to think that > > >there is lingering prejudice against them? > > > > <sigh> > > > > Dan, you are putting words in my mouth. > >Well, if need be I can go back and quote posts and the dates that you wrote >things. But, I really don't want to go that direction again. What I am >remembering is that you said you have nothing good to say about Israel. >When pressed, you stated that you've seen nothing good in the press. Yet, >you have plenty of sympathetic things to say in favor of the Palestinians. From where I am standing, the Palestinians are the oppressed ones in the conflict. They are the underdogs, and I have this tendency to root for the underdogs. I tend to be less than positive about countries that oppress other people, use excessive force and commit war crimes. Jeroen _________________________________________________________________________ Wonderful World of Brin-L Website: http://www.brin-l.com Tom's Photo Gallery: http://tom.vanbaardwijk.com
