Richard Lamm is the former Governor of Colorado. This is the transcript of a speech he gave a few years ago. Worth reading if you love your country.



http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=50997

 

I'd say your politicians are well on their way... Some of the items on the list can be checked off already... Wonder when the large mass of US citizens are going to wake up?!

 

Unfortanately Tweety many Americans ARE too afraid to speak up since they run they risk of being labeled "racist" just as the author drew similarities to the word heretic.

 

canada is there, not just in quebec, nb too.

usa = melting pot???

 

Good question, Tweety. More native born Americans are awake and pissed off than at any time in recent history.

Problem is there are many tens of millions of people within our borders, both legal and illegal, who didn't come here to be Americans, have no interest in assimilating and adopting our language, culture and values.

A very high percentage of them consume more in social services than they contribute in taxes. They didn't come here to participate and contribute. They came here to take. They are in a word; Parasites.

What will happen? I don't know. The Democrat Party, once the party of America's working and middle class, has gone completely to the dark side. They are now the party of the ethnic grievance, group rights racialists and parasites.

There is a struggle in the Republican Party. Between the George Bush, yacht club, open border, taxpayer subsidized labor phony Republicans and the grass roots conservative constitution Republicans.

As the America hating, "anglo" hating leftists press their agenda, it could get ugly and bloody.

 

I keep getting myself into trouble by critizing the US government and ticking of a proud American who feels a need to defend his country (You have probably read one or more of those threads... )
I fully understand the sentiment, and in some ways feel the same about my country... And at the same time I have a similar opinion on some of the things happening in my country as you express about the US...

There are a number of people coming here, not looking to be Swedish... The paradox is that Swedish law protects their right to maintain their beliefs and culture (up to a point) and they take that part of the law and try to make it mean that they can ignore Swedish law on the matters that they want too... And that they aren't supposed to be integrated or assimilated... All of which is false... They like the same groups in the US go to great efforts to not contribute, but to use... And are as you say parasites...

And in the same way as in the US, if you express this opinion, you are branded as "racist" or similar... While at the moment it seems PC to be what I'd label "inverse-racist"... The fact is that I have recently come across more immigrants that I'd classify as "racist" than people with several generations of Swedish ancestors... And while I found those to be embarrasing and told them so when confronted, the new "inverse-racist" people I haven't really figured out how to deal with, since it kind of backfires as soon as you try to deal with it...

Unfortunately these similarities between our countries aren't in any way positive... And it seems our problems dealing with it is similar too... Dunno where this is going, but I'm fairly sure I won't like the ride...

 

Well, I draw a distinction between criticism of certain aspects of U.S. foreign policy vs. hatred of America as a people and a culture. In the thread I'm thinking of, my gripe with you was over American domestic gun registration, not foreign policy.

That said, I think sacrifices made by Americans over the past 70 years have mostly benefited the world in general and Western Europe in particular.

If it wasn't for Americans, you all would be goose-stepping to the Horst Wessel song or the Soviet Interrnationale by now. Believe it.

On immigration, I see your city in Sweden and mine in California have about the same percentage of foreign born. One big difference;

Most the foreign born here came from the same place, culture, language and seemed determined to hold on to the same loyalty, culture and language.

Malmo has more of a mix. One thing you'll discover though if you don't realize it already. The people who came from Poland and the Ukraine will fully assimilate into Swedish life in a generation. The people who came from Iraq and Yemen probably never will.

 

Actually, I agree with a lot of the point you made in that discussion... And I in now way feel any hatred or ill will against the US people... I don't feel that negative to US culture either... I do resent the way that the average US person feels he/she has to enlighten me and all others about the "right way" without taking the time to learn the basics about my country/culture before even starting/joining the discussion... You (and others) on the other hand are willing to do just that and discuss it in a bit more level headed way... I respect that, altough I may not always agree with you... I think some of my statement came of as more "anti" than intended as I had to go on the offence against some very unnuanced "pro" statements not really related to the actual topic in some of the previous discussions... Hopefully I can avoid that this time...

I still have different opinion or nuance of opinion on some parts of that topic, but that's probably to be expected... One of them being I refuse to see the sacrifices US soldiers made as completely altruistic and good without reservation in a political sense... On a more personal level and regarding the sacrifice/beliefs by the individual and his/her family I fully agree on your interpretation... And yeah, Europe would be much different hadn't the US taken the action it did... And so would the US, for better or for worse we will never know for sure... Let's just agree to disagree on some of those topics shall we?

On the topic of immigrants... Yeah, agreed... There are groups of immigrants that are willing to integrate and be a productive part of our society and I believe there are groups of that in your city as well... And you are probably right that percentage wise they could be fewer...

Those groups I have no problem what-so-ever with... I try to be non-racist in my assesment of people... I don't care if they are red, green or purple... If they become part of Swedish society and keep their heritage, without trying to make it take precendence over Swedish law, they are welcome, and I know and respect several people that are trying to behave/live like that...

In the same way I don't give a rats *** where you are from, if you try to live your life in Sweden, by applying completely foreign laws/beliefs/values to your life and those around you, in completely disregard of the society around you... Or try to change it to suit you without contributing to it in any way, I will most probably dislike you, regardless of the color of your skin...

Actually I know a couple of people who came here from Iraq... Most of those that I do know are more or less integrated... They have retained some beliefs and values that are utterly foreign to me, but they are productive members of society and have accepted that if they want to change something in Swedish society they have to do it from the inside... I may or may not like they changes some of them would like to make, but I can respect it as a part of a democracy that they can have those whishes... And I will most likely try to counter it if I can...

But as a group as a whole, agreed the Iraqi immigrants will never ever be assimilated if they can avoid it... Most of them refuse to even learn to communicate in English or Swedish... That is one of my pet peeves with the laws/rules here in Sweden... I refuse to consider someone "Swedish" when they are unable to communicate without an interpreter... Granted it's not too uncommon for people to live in Sweden for years with limited Swedish, communicating in English, but atleast they made the effort to find some common ground with a second language they have had some previous experience in... They aren't "Swedish", but they are part of the society...

As for the situation around you... If they refuse to learn to communicate are immigrants allowed to be US citizens? I cant remember the details, but I believe your laws actually require an immigrant to learn basic English? Right or wrong?

 

BTW... won't reply for a couple of hours... I need to get a few hours of sleep and then go to work... And as usual it happens just when an interesting discussion is taking place...

 

Yeah. U.S. law requires legal immigrants to demonstrate a functional literacy in English before being granted citizenship. Like all of our immigration laws, it is ignored by the politicians and apparatchiks who do their bidding. Millions and millions of foreign nationals have been granted US citizenship in the past 20 years without any ability to communicate in English.

 

At 63 years old, born in Los Angeles, California in 1946, I can say without hesitation that this is not the America in which I grew up. Political correctness has screwed this country.

When we elected a Black (well 1/2 Black, 1/2 White) President, I thought "Well, at least we can't be called a racist country anymore. And Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are out of a job". But here we are with racism in the headlines every day. Why can't anyone be criticized, regardless of their color, ethnicity or religion, without the "racism" card being pulled? And why doesn't "illegal" mean anything anymore?

 

RE; "Altruistic".

I've never claimed that America (or any other nation) has an altruistic foreign policy.

I don't consider "altruistic" and "selfish" as mutually exclusive.

I don't judge nations or individuals on their claimed and expressed "intentions", but on the results.

I fully understand how the world might be sick and ******* tired of American officials proclaiming how selfless and altruistic US foreign policy is, but if those proclamations annoy you, you should hear what they try to feed us about domestic policy! Every politician is a model of virtue, dedicated to helping us in every way. All they ask is that we surrender ever more of our wealth, liberty and power to them!

RE; "sacrifice". One example.

After decades of providing a security umbrella for western Europe, the umbrella that allowed western Europe to forgo military expenses, allowed them to indulge their welfare state socialist fantasies, America under Ronald Reagan decided to greatly outspend the USSR on weapons, place Pershing II missiles in Europe, launch "star wars", confront communism in Afghanistan, Nicaragua, Grenada. Support Solidarity in Poland etc.

That cost American taxpayers a great deal of money. I don't think it cost the people of western Europe much of anything.

The result?

Soviet Union collapsed. Was it worth it? Many millions of people in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, etc. seem to think so. I understand that many in western Europe never gave a **** one way or the other, but the only reason they could afford to be so nonchalant was because American power prevented the USSR from conquering them in the first place.

People in the so called "free world" can **** and moan about the US all they want. I understand it's very fashionable to do so.

But if we fail as a nation the world will become a much more dangerous place without us.

That's what most of the world seems to be cheering for right now. They should be careful what they wish for.

 

Amen......Well Said......

 

To paint with a VERY broad brush;

The media, left and right, are not moving this culture forward. Just seem to be shouting and waving signs that read, 'hooray for our side'. (BTW, I've not changed my mind because you shouted me down.)

Immigrants certainly want a better financial life than the one they left, but what they are really running from is a corrupt legal and political system. Every time a sleaze-ball politician here goes to jail, we look better and better to the illegals.

International news often reports about the image of the U.S.A. abroad and what others are saying about us. Where's the balance? I can't remember the last time I read something about how we (Americans) felt about what was going on, politically or culturally somewhere else, and nobody asks me...

You want racism? Check out the homelands of those that accuse us of it. Or closer to home, try being caucasian and attempt to join the 'Rainbow Coalition'. Hypocrite, thy face is Jackson or Sharpton. (Refer again to my 'media' comment)

But just when I can't take it anymore I remember a Will Rogers quote, "The news ain't gettin' any worse, the coverage is just gettin' better". And if we attend to all the outlets clamoring for our attention there wouldn't be enough time for this two wheeled hobby of ours.

But I digress, gotta go, Mazlow's (sp?) hierarchy calls me.

 

Sorry for the delay, Tweety, but I could write a small book in response to your intelligent and insightful post. I'll get to it in pieces. Gotta go now.