[.38sw]

I think what part of the problem is, is that there's no longer the expectation, for whatever reason, that those who speak Spanish are expected to blend into America, which is an English-speaking country. The mind-set has changed from a melting pot, where immigrants learn to be Americans (collective) rather than retain most everything about the country from which they came and learn how to blend in to the American culture--assimilate--but still retaining their culture at home, etc. Don't think that this hasn't caused resentment in areas, especially those closest to the southern borders.

Not just Spanish - when I first moved to California, I went to the local DMV to pick up a booklet so I could study up on the rules of the road before taking a test for my new driver's license. Well, guess what. They didn't have a single booklet in English. Not one. All out. They had Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese (I have no idea which dialects, or how many) but none in English. I was furious. My tax dollars at work. I had to call the DMV in Sacramento and have them mail one to me.

As you said, no need to learn English, we'll accommodate ya.

[nicmarlo]

I don't know how it all happened, or when. I just remember reading/hearing stories about/from my family origins, about what it was like, for example, for my great grandparents coming to this country from Ireland; what my great great great grandfathers endured coming from Germany to New York and settling in the Palatine area, what my ex-father-in-law had to do to learn English coming from Italy....how he refused to teach Italian to his children. Not because he was ashamed of his Italian birth, but he was extremely PROUD to be an American...and wanted his children to BE American....that's not to say they didn't keep their family customs, at home, during holidays, during family gatherings. They sure did.

But they consider themselves first Americans. If we all were FIRST Americans, it seems we'd get along better, than if we were hyphenated Americans....because, really, that's what we've become. (And that can apply to other things than just one's ethnicity.) It's a shame. What made our country so strong in the past is part of what's been fracturing it. (That is also not to say that the "new kid on the block" was well-treated. But over time, it's no longer an issue and we learn to respect each other because we're Americans, First.....the Irish are no longer treated badly, like they first were. Nor are the Germans. Differences in view points help everyone. But being united in a country because you are proud of the culture in which you live is what gives one patriotism, and all the things that go with that, IMHO.