this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

Original post by wacky

Apr 22, 2003 08:52 AM

LATELY, MY PARENTS ARE FOREIGNERS AND I SHOULD BE MORE SYMPATHETIC BUT I CANT.

I took a course this weekend and no one spoke english let alone read it.

I was soo twisted, I definitley need therapy

Just seeing if anyone has same issues or advice

sha11209 Posted: Apr 23, 2003 01:26 PM

Re: IM HAVING ISSUES LATELY. PLEASE DONT YELL BUT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FOREIGNERS

Well said Rachel!!

Sassy Posted: Apr 23, 2003 01:40 PM

Re: IM HAVING ISSUES LATELY. PLEASE DONT YELL BUT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FOREIGNERS

Give wacky a break. She wasnt saying anything that we haven't all thought when we can't understand someone b/c they can't speak english.
We would think 'LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH'
Comon ladies, let's not make this a bigger issue than it is.
Most of the elders in my family were born/raised in Haiti and I get so mad at the ones who haven't learned the language, just like wacky gets p-d off at her own father. She's not discriminating against him, just stating somehting that gets on her nerve.

With that said, I have a wedding to plan

shamma Posted: Apr 23, 2003 01:45 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

me nuh speaka di engalish

I guess I can't write it either

Ronnie&Theresa Posted: Apr 23, 2003 02:03 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

WACKY..

I love you!!!

nycchic_24 Posted: Apr 23, 2003 03:48 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

All I have to say is sha...you took the words out of my mouth and the feelings out of my heart! My dad was a cop and we always had the same feelings...I agree with you 100 percent and im not afraid to say that I do...especially after what happened just recently in my life...good man, worked hard, couldnt get the medical attention he seeked...but others (on special programs) who could and couldnt speak english get the world...

Right now I am very bitter so maybe I shouldnt have posted at all.

sha11209 Posted: Apr 23, 2003 03:54 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

I think this is a great post Wacky and it shouldn't be ended!

shamma Posted: Apr 23, 2003 03:58 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

Not saying that anyone here is blaming immigrants for the way the system is, but is that really the immigrant's fault, the way the system is set up? I guess some benefit and others don't.

yabbobay Posted: Apr 23, 2003 04:09 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

Bias Help LI

I was going to let this go...I made my response by Fm...but since the thread has not died down...I will say my peace...

I have done a lot of work with our local chapter of Educators Against Destructive Decisions...and with this group Bias Help LI...about harrassment and hate issues...

I only wanted to show people that the statements you make on the internet can be construed as hate. This thread is based upon bias because of someone's nationality ('foreigners')

I am only asking that you respect people's heritages...language...cultures...and refrain from the stereotypical talk.

Also think about the next time you go to a foreign nation and do not speak the language. the cicumstances do not end there...within 50 years hispanics are predicted to be the MAJORITY of our nation...that means we will all find a different role...and Spanish will be integrated more into our society...

Bash me for being 'PC' or for being a 'liberal'...I don't care at this point...I am willing to take it if it changes one person from refrain from hurting someone based on something they cannot change.

shamma Posted: Apr 23, 2003 04:27 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

Erica, when I was in Paris last month, I said I will never be mean to another tourist when they are walking all slow in front of me of slowing down in the middle of traffic to take a pix or trying to find directions again. When we were there and we were battling with the French, I got to feel how they felt. WOW not nice at all.

sha11209 Posted: Apr 23, 2003 04:29 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

In response to this:

'I am only asking that you respect people's heritages...language...cultures...'

I have no problem respecting others, as long as they respect mine, the American one, which in my neighborhood, they don't. I'm not saying that makes what you label as 'hate' understandable, but I refuse to be a 'Stupid american.'
(Once again, my response is not to language, but to our system being taken for granted.)

Diane Posted: Apr 23, 2003 04:29 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

same thing happened when we were in Dominican Republic. They were so MEAN to us. These are the people in the resort. I felt like they were mocking us.

Thank goodness hubby speaks pretty good spanish.

sha11209 Posted: Apr 23, 2003 04:35 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

Shamma,
No, I don't think it's the immigrants fault at all. It's definately our city's for letting those that take advantage get away with it.
I am totally in favor of an adjustment to our system where people would only have a certain amount of time that they would be allowed to receive assistance before you're on your own. I mean, doesn't anyone find it crazy that we can work our butts off while others can kinda just do whatever they want? Again, I an NOT saying that this is everyone, but I know of such offenders firsthand! It makes me sick! Why do anything for yourself if someone elses $$ can come to you and do it for you?

WithThisRing Posted: Apr 23, 2003 04:38 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

Wacky I thought about you today....I sent you an FM.

MarcellaBella Posted: Apr 23, 2003 04:47 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

wow.. alot of good points have been brought up.. some I agree with and some I agree to disagree..

Wacky, don't apologize for the way you feel/felt.. that's why you are who you are and we're all dif.. we don't need to all agree however, to be honest, I tend to understand 1000000000% where you are coming from..

I could talk about this topic foreeeeeeeeeever, we'll need a GTG though lol

shamma Posted: Apr 23, 2003 04:53 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

Sha, until the system is fixed it is going to continue. I know of Jamaicans and Americans that are hard working and I know of the same group that just live to **** the system dry, does that make it right??? NO but that's how it is sad but true, will it change, it has not yet, I doubt it will in my lifetime. My GF and I was just discussing how hard we work while some people on the system look better than we do. I see both sides of this topic.

nrvbrd Posted: Apr 23, 2003 05:02 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

The only thing I am going to respond to is the failure to learn english part. That really ticks me off to no end. I get especially mad every week when I get my hair done. I think Dominican women do the best hair, I love them!!! However the salon I go to only one hairdresser speaks english. It is so frustrating. I told the owner who speaks english that she should help her girls learn the language, as it could really benefit her from a business perspective. She could make so much more $$$$, and increase her client base.

alina Posted: Apr 23, 2003 05:09 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

Sha, Clinton passed a measure sometime in his term to limit the welfare payments.

The problem isn't welfare, its the corruption that doesn't end.

a)Cash based businesses
b)Medical Malpractice/Insurance Fraud

These two are major contributors to the wealth of welfare receipients. And particularly so in some specific cultures.

WithThisRing Posted: Apr 23, 2003 05:23 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

I think a lot of fustration comes from translation issues. English is actually one of the most difficult languages because some of our words have silent letters (i.e. Island. We say it as I LAND where someone from another country will say IS LAND)

The place I get my nails done, I've been going to for 6 years and they know me very well, but they are of asian decent and in their language they dont have 'L's' in their pronunciation so they call me 'Marissa or Maureen' (I dont know where Maureen comes from)

In italian (I may be off since my italian is a quite rusty) they would say 'como ti chiami' which if we translate word for word is 'what do you call yourself' where here we would say 'what is your name'

Language is a hard thing to ever understand. In England they take the lift to get to a higher floor where we take the elevator.

Believe me I get very fustrated and have yelled 'if you are going to live in this country then speak the language' but I am sure it is very difficult for them to understand translations, silent letters, how the letter Y can be a vowel when used in certain words, how I comes before E except after C or when pronounced as A as in Neighbor and Weigh. English is a difficult language and I think if they take the effort to learn it wouldnt bother me, its when they dont take the time to learn it bothers me.

HappyEverAfter Posted: Apr 23, 2003 05:26 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

Just to give some perspective from my experience- my moms family is all from the Dominican Republic, and all speak English and Spanish. While they are all fluent in English, many of them choose to speak Spanish as it is their first language, and the one they are most comfortable with. I find that many of my aunts will lapse into spanish in mid-sentence, as this is the language that they 'think' in. On some occasions, just because people speak another language does not mean that they do not KNOW English, just that they feel more comfortable using their native language. When I vacation in the DR, for the first few days I find myself answering all questions in English, b/c that is the way I feel comfortable- my Spanish leaves much to be desired.

What makes this country great is that people can express any opinions as they are written here. While I may not agree, I do think they have the right to express their point of views.

wacky Posted: Apr 23, 2003 05:29 PM

Re: this thread has been ended, I dont want people to argue. I was having a bad day, when I wrote this, no need to respond anymore

/Thank you everyone positve and negative
'/
'this whole thread was misunderstood. When I said foreigner I had no particular group in mind.
'
'My parents are foreigners. The biggest problem in this country is that

Many immigrants who migrate to this country are used to a socialized welfare system.

When they come here they (we) need to educate them that it isnt so here in AMERICA

'Welfare is something that is needed. But should not become a lifestyle.
'
'When I started this thread it was because a middle eastern provider, told me to go F*** myself 3x on the phone at work then hung up

A young foreign girl who is a member of my union local where I work couldnt understand why she had to pay a $15 co-pay, after I explained it to her. She said' shoot, forget this medical plan Im going to get Medicaid'

another foreigner called and questioned her bill after explaining that to her, she said she was reporting me to the state insurance fund, because PRE-EXISTING clauses are illegal.

NOW Yabbobay, I am not into HATE CRIMES and I treat people of ALL RACES, (which there is only one, the human race) the same. You used some pretty harsh words to explain what you thought I was saying.
'
Marcella, definiltely need a GTG
'
'
'
' Hugs to all