Posted on 03/30/2006 8:23:28 AM PST by rhema
I had a great experience the other night. I met some of the 114 living recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. It was at their annual dinner, held, as it has been the past four years, at the New York Stock Exchange.
I met Nick Oresko. Nick is in his 80s, small, 5-foot-5 or so. Soft white hair, pale-pink skin, thick torso, walks with a cane. Just a nice old guy you'd pass on the street or in the airport without really seeing him. Around his neck was a sky-blue ribbon, and hanging from that ribbon the medal. He let me turn it over. It had his name, his rank, and then "1/23/45. Near Tettington, Germany."
Tettington, Germany. The Battle of the Bulge.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
Sometimes folks on this site beef about Peggy Noonan. But this column made me cry. So there.
Other recipients sounded a refrain that lingered like Taps. They felt they'd been awarded their great honor in part in the name of unknown heroes of the armed forces who'd performed spectacular acts of courage but had died along with all the witnesses who would have told the story of what they did. For each of the holders of the Medal of Honor there had been witnesses, survivors who could testify. For some great heroes of engagements large and small, maybe the greatest heroes, no one lived to tell the tale.And so they felt they wore their medals in part for the ones known only to God.
It's the broad public knowledge, or intuition, in America, that we are not assimilating our immigrants patriotically. And if you don't do that, you'll lose it all.
Ping.
I think if one takes a look back through our history, they would see immigrants have almost never joined this country and immediately dropped their ties with their country of origin and wrapped themselves in Old Glory. I know from personal experience that my Norwegian ancestors who settled in northern Minnesota have clung very firmly to their Norwegian roots (to include speaking the language). Take a look around southern New Jersey and you see more Irish and Italian flags than American flags, and it has always been that way. The Little Italy's and Chinatowns that exist in every major American city are not a new phenomena. Neither are groups like the Pennsylvania Dutch and the Germans in Iowa. And the Cajuns down in Louisiana aren't speaking the Queen's English. The fact is, we tend to look at history in glasses tinted the color we want them to be, rather than with clear lenses. And times aren't as different now as we imagine them to be.
Make a list of those who beef about her and ignore them.
Peggy always speaks the truth--the members on this list you should make are denialists.
Peggy's foundation for her columns are always factually based. Many members here base their support and criticism on one letter: "R", or three letter: "GOP". Nothing more complex than that for them.
Always read Peggy. She is always brilliant.
That we are not seeing today. Nearly enough from newer waves of immigrants.
Peggy is a wonderful read and has a great way with words. But she is far from always "brilliant" and suggesting that reality doesn't have anything to do with the letter "R" or three letters "GOP".
Minds of such as Thomas Sowell are brilliant. Peggy is often much too emotional in some of her thoughts.
Think about the Irish that came over during the potato famines. That was more than pride in being from Ireland. They were Irish living in America. Typically, first and even second generation immigrants keep their direct ties with their mother country (like language and dress). As you imply, it is later generations that become "American" and look back with pride on their immigrant ancestors. Not coincidentally, most Mexicans in this country are first or second generation. I have served with third or fourth generation Mexicans that are as fiercely loyal to this country as I am.
Only a very great one. Maybe the greatest of all.
Do we teach our immigrants that this is what they're joining? That this is the tradition they will now continue, and uphold?
Do we, today, act as if this is such a special place? No, not always, not even often. American exceptionalism is so yesterday. We don't want to be impolite. We don't want to offend. We don't want to seem narrow. In the age of globalism, honest patriotism seems like a faux pas.
The rioting, protesting, marching illegals should each and every one be made to sit down and listen to this commentary by Peggy Noonan.
And so should Jill Carroll.
Other recipients sounded a refrain that lingered like Taps. They felt they'd been awarded their great honor in part in the name of unknown heroes of the armed forces who'd performed spectacular acts of courage but had died along with all the witnesses who would have told the story of what they did. For each of the holders of the Medal of Honor there had been witnesses, survivors who could testify. For some great heroes of engagements large and small, maybe the greatest heroes, no one lived to tell the tale.
Oh my, multi-tissue alert!
That is exactly it!
You'd have to be a retrograde lout (or maybe a Democrat) to beef at this one.
I have (legal) Norwegian-immigrant Minnesota ancestors, too, and while they retained many customs, celebrated Syttenda Mai, spoke Norwegian at home, and were proud of their ancestry, they also immediately learned English, insisted that their kids learn and speak it, applied for citizenship after learning much of the history and lore of this country, signed up for service, and had no ambivalence whatsoever about identifying themselves as Americans. They also eschewed hyphenated-American self-identification.
The differences that separated them from many of today's "up yours, America" immigrants -- legal and illegal -- are almost limitless.
That is exactly it!
But surely our schools would impart the old text, wouldn't they?
LOL, no, that's why we teach that at home!!
"It's the broad public knowledge, or intuition, in America, that we are not assimilating our immigrants patriotically. And if you don't do that, you'll lose it all."
True but what is taught in american schools today? Nothing to be proud of. our history is too white for many and others feel bad and the PC world has ensured little is taught and the unions have ensured little effort is made.
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