Quote:
Originally Posted by Irishsquid
I'm definitely one of those. I DO see America as having a distinctive culture, but I think it is (or at least should be) a culture of allegiance to the Constitution, where the newest arrival is just as American as anyone, provided he/she shows allegiance to the Constitution before the "old country." Sadly, most native-born Americans have no such allegiance to the Constitution...in fact, most don't even know what it says.
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I agree with you. I have no problem at all with someone who wishes to immigrate here, but if they do, I expect them to live by our rules. It aggravates me to see anyone refer to themselves as (put name here) - American. They are either American or they are not. I have no problem with anyone celebrating their own unique heritage, but if they have decided to become citizens here, they need to observe our customs as well.
I think we, as a country are blessed, in that we have melded the customs of many countries, and cultures, into our own. We are able to see and enjoy the customs of various cultures equally, while simultaneously remaining loyal to the constitution and our own national pride. Yes, we as a nation have made many mistakes when dealing with others; the treatment of Native Americans, the Japanese internments during WWII, the treatment of black Americans, etc. I would hope that we have learned from these mistakes.
On the other hand, when a group sets themselves apart, demanding recognition of their own customs, which may run counter to our constitution; i.e. Sharia law, I find that unacceptable.