I haven’t posted any link love for MKH in awhile, but I just have to point out this week’s column: The Politically Incorrect Americanism of Alba, Pacino, and Arnold. (UPDATE: I fixed the link so it actually goes to the article now 
)
I love it!
It would seem that Jessica Alba and Arnold Schwarzenegger are both drawing fire for their pro-American stances. Alba said:
Alba is my last name and I’m proud of that. But that’s it. My grandparents were born in California, the same as my parents, and though I may be proud of my last name, I’m American. Throughout my whole life, I’ve never felt connected to one particular race or heritage, nor did I feel accepted by any. If you break it down, I’m less Latina than Cameron Diaz, whose father is Cuban. But people don’t call her Latina because she’s blonde…
My grandfather was the only Mexican at his college, the only Hispanic person at work and the only one at the all-white country club. He tried to forget his Mexican roots, because he never wanted his kids to be made to feel different in America. He and my grandmother didn’t speak Spanish to their children. Now, as a third-generation American, I feel as if I have finally cut loose.
My whole life, when I was growing up, not one race has ever accepted me, … So I never felt connected or attached to any race specifically. I had a very American upbringing, I feel American, and I don’t speak Spanish. So, to say that I’m a Latin actress, OK, but it’s not fitting; it would be insincere.
I say, go her!
When asked how Hispanics can improve academically, Arnold said:
“You’ve got to turn off the Spanish television set” and avoid Spanish-language television, books and newspapers, the Republican governor said Wednesday night…
“You’re just forced to speak English, and that just makes you learn the language faster,” Schwarzenegger said.
“I know this sounds odd and this is the politically incorrect thing to say, and I’m going to get myself in trouble,” he said, noting that he rarely spoke German and was forced to learn English when he emigrated from Austria.
He’s right!
MKH said:
Al Pacino is a second-generation American whose grandparents emigrated from Sicily, but despite living in his grandparents’ home, he speaks no Italian. Would anyone accuse that iconic Baby Boomer of being a traitor to his ethnicity? Well, he better watch out, if he keeps talking like this:
Explain to me what Italian-American culture is. We’ve been here 100 years. Isn’t Italian-American culture American culture? That’s because we’re so diverse, in terms of intermarriage. Most everybody who’s Italian is half Italian. Except me. I’m all Italian. I’m mostly Sicilian, and I have a little bit of Neapolitan in me. You get your full dose with me.
Alba, Schwarzenegger and Pacino have got it right. Their concern is with becoming successful, individual Americans, not with specious collective responsibilities imparted to them by their skin colors, accents, or surnames. As a result, they have all done both America and their ancestors proud. They are all walking, talking, acting illustrations of the American dream in action.
When considering legalizing 12 million illegal immigrants, Congress should consider seriously the fact that the walking, talking American dream is now politically incorrect. That doesn’t bode well for its survival.
Actually, I think the comments are really sad. But then, I’m also a Black woman, and it’s not as easy to pass as “just American” as a “white” person who immigrated from another country.
I think part of the problem with their comments and your encouragement is tne notion that to acknowledge your ethnic heritage is a bad thing because your ethnic heritage is what makes you unAmerican. In Alba’s case, her grandfather shunned is roots because of his fear of rejection by others, not because he was proud to be “American”. That, is not something to be proud of or to say “yay!” about.
What does it mean to you to be American?
To be an American means to be a responsible citizen of this country – to obey laws, pay taxes, speak and understand English (not to the exlusion of one’s native language), participate in the electoral process, exercise and protect freedoms that we have.
It does not mean that one should have to copmpletely forgo their culture of origin. That one should feel ashamed of their culture of origin – that one should be forced (either overtly or covertly) to give up thier language or cultural traditions as proof that they are an American.
When Amanda says that Alba, Arnold, and Pacino are “They are all walking, talking, acting illustrations of the American dream in action.” I hear that to mean that they are deemed acceptable because they have ascribed to what it means to be a White, English-speaking American, void of any ties to their culture of origin. Does that mean that other immigrants who have ascribed to the “American dream” of attaining an education, prospering in their chosen career or business, and raise healty family are less “American” simply because they hold on to the language and traditions of their culture of origin?
So, I guess the following aren’t American…
- Jews who old fast to orthodox traditions and still speak Hebrew or Yiddish.
- Mexican-Americans who still speak Spanish and hold quincenera’s for their 15 year old daughters.
- Chinese-Americans who celebrate the New Year, but not just on January 1st.
- The Indian-American family that has their daughter marry in Hindu tradition and celebrate Diwali.
I just think that we have to be careful in how the very subjective ways that we determine who is American and who is not.
I think both myself and the article have been misunderstand.
No one here has said that American means “white.” No one. Being American has nothing to do with skin color.
I don’t think anyone should shun their ethnic heritage. But I do think that if you’re going to come to this country and BE American, then you need to be American.
I realize now my link to MKH’s article was wrong – I’ve fixed it now – but one of the things she said was, “Alba wasn’t trying to make a political statement. Instead, she sounds like she was trying to avoid speaking for an entire ethnicity and many recent immigrants when she barely speaks Spanish, and identifies as an American first. But because she didn’t reflexively take upon herself her ethnic mantle and collective responsibility, she’s bashed as a traitor to her race.”
She followed with:
And I still agree with her.
I understand what you are saying, Amanda. But, in this rush for people to “be American” what exactly does that mean?
While you did not explicitly say that being American has anything to do with skin color, but what exactly are you trying to get new Americans to assimilate to? What exactly is the de facto designation of what an American is, but a white person, devoid of any cultural markings except the oh so inclusive trappings of American culture of apple pie and baseball…and maybe NASCAR?
Part of the reason why the whole notion of the “melting pot” went “out of style” (I prefer the salad analogy myself) is that in having a melting pot, there is not the recognition of the uniqueness that immigrants and people of color bring to rich diversity of this country.
I think the rush to make people “be American” is because in recognizing people’s ethnic differences maybe, just maybe we will also have to deal with our own prejudices. Kind of like the fallacy that we are a “color-blind” society… could that be because to acknowledge and celebrate people’s ethnicity, we also have to stare directly at our own prejudices. so we’d rather “whitewash” everything and see nothing at all?
As far as Jessica Alba goes…if she’s so not a Latina, then maybe she shouldn’t show up every year at the ALMA awards and accept awards as a Latina actress. I think the reason her recent comments have people up in arms is that now that she is receiving acclaim as an actress, she’s hesitant to “claim” her ethnic heritage as she used to and does on occasion now, when it is beneficial to her.
Similar to what her grandfather did in his refusal to speak spanish and claim his own heritage for fear that others would not see him as American.
I have to agree with TQL here. Without saying it, we are requiring that immigrants “act white” in order to truly be American. (LGBTQ people have the same problem- ACT straight, and people will leave you alone, but that’s another topic entirely).
I suppose the question still remains: Exactly what does an immigrant have to do in order to be American in the minds of Alba, Amanda, et al????
Why am I not surprised? You and I have really been at odds lately.
To answer your question…learn English, for starters.
Cue cat hiss audio clip. I’m the antagonist in this story. If I agreed with you all the time, we’d not have any fun. Anyway…
Can’t immigrants learn English but still retain and celebrate their cultural identity? Learning English does not require immigrants to forget where they came from, cease speaking their native language, stop wearing native clothing, and celebrating holidays other than the 4th of July.
If speaking English is the issue, than say so. However, I feel that the real issue for many Americans runs far deeper than language.
Sure they can. But they don’t. Usually (don’t want to be accused of overgeneralizing).
I live in Denver, CO, and we have a pretty heavy hispanic population here. The vast majority of them (the adults, anyway) can’t speak English. The receptionist at my job has to speak fluent Spanish because we get so many calls from people who can’t speak English.
I grew up in NC, and that state actually has the fastest growing Hispanic population in the country. And again, the majority of the adults can’t speak English.
Maybe I see more of this than the average person because of the field I work in. I don’t know. But I vividly remember a Burger King passing out flyers to its customers that had basic Spanish on it so the customers could learn Spanish rather than making its employees learn English.
So yes, the language is a problem for me. In fact, it’s the main problem I have with Hispanic immigrants.
I’m curious about what field you work in?
So, what is the time period in which {hispanic} immigrants should learn English and what level of English should they know?
And who is going to teach them?
Folks act like English is something that is learned by osmosis or something…
When adults come to this country with another language as their primary, it is safe to assume that they may never be as fluent as we are who have lived in this country our entire lives. While I’m sure many immigrants have a basic grasp of the English language, they may have difficulty communicating more complex issues (banking, medical, legal) issues in English and may revert back to their native language out of comfort.
Honestly, I think the biggest part of the debate is language. I am all for people retaining their native tongue – but learn English as well. If you were to move to Spain, you’d be expected to learn Spanish. Same thing with France and French or Mexico and Spanish. I agree with TQL’s definition of being an American (being a contributing, productive, and honest citizen) and I don’t think anyone should disagree. But learn the language as well!
To Alba’s grandfather’s defense, my husband is 3rd generation American. His father’s side is from Spain and his mother’s side is from Mexico. His paternal grandparents were fluent in Spanish, but wouldn’t speak it around thier kids (my in-laws) because at that time (the 1950s-70s) you did have to assimilate to the “white man’s world” in order to be successful. And they were successful! Both generations went from rags to riches.
Now, my husband wishes that he had learned Spanish from his grandparents or parents because a bilingual employee is worth much more than a monolingual employee. Although my family has only spoken English for generations, I wish I were multilingal, as well. (I’ve tried to learn French and absolutely can’t understand conjugation!) Not only would it be cool, but it would increase my value in the workforce.
Amanda,
When you immigrated to the North, you learned English, too didn’t you? Got your teeth fixed, and probably buy your booze at the store now. You assimilated and now you’re living the dream! But that doesn’t mean you abandoned yer kin or their heritage, does it?
(I think some of that was supposed to stay in my mind.)
To be American… how can one describe that…
Well let me give it a try… but first, let me say my piece on other points:
I do agree with Amanda on this one. You have to KNOW the English language.
If we, as Americans were to move to China, or Brazil, or Kenya for all I care, you have to learn the language, do you not??? We don’t expect someone to contantly translate for us. People I know who have moved to other countries have had to pay for lessons, or translators, or find means to learn the language. It’s not like that’s impossible for people who migrate into the United States… especially when half the time it’s almost provided for them.
To become a US citizen, should you be born in another country (AND I WAS -the Philippines to be exact), you HAVE to know the English language and to take an aptitude test on it before you receive your naturalization papers. (Therefore when you vote, you can understand who and what you are voting for.)
My parents learned English as a second language. But they learned. They brought my siblings and I to this country with only 80 dollars to their name and now are able to afford 2 freakin’ houses. To go from speaking 1 language for 36 years in your life to suddenly speaking a new one was definitely hard. But they learned. They had no one to translate medical or banking forms for them.
A friend of mine moved to Denmark at the age of 50, and he learned the language… he has a total American accent but he still learned the language. Difficulty in pronounciation isn’t something that can’t be overcome.
I still speak our native tongue. I know I’m not white and I’m proud of who and what I am. I know my culture, I visit the country I was born in as much as I can. My children will visit that country too even though they’ll be born here.
But, at the same time, I can claim to be proud to be an American.
To be an American to me, is to be grateful that people have made sacrifices on their part (past and present) so I could, can and will live the way I do today. That I have been given opportunities to make my life what it is, and it’s my choice whether I want to take those opportunities or not.
It’s honestly nice to know when someone is so proud of their racial ethnicity that they claim they are part of something. But when you look at the big picture, they are also a part of the US which is made up of more than that.
It’s not even about being “white”… good grief.
This nation was simply founded in English… so what’s the problem with LEARNING English? Just because you learn more about another “culture” doesn’t mean you lose anything about your own. I’ve traveled to Europe and other countries in Asia just so I could see what their culture, customs, laws, and language is like. It’s honestly interesting to learn. But that doesn’t make me lose any part of me or the culture (or cultures) that made me.
It’s one thing if you are trying to be something you’re not. It’s another to realize you don’t have to pretend. While Alba’s grandfather had to act a certain way to assimilate, it seems that Alba realizes she really doesn’t have to.
Personally, I am a filipina, a Pacific Islander, Asian, whatever you call it but when you look at my passport I’m an American, a citizen of the United States.
Whoa! You have taken a lot of flack, which, to me, proves your point. The dream of being an American is politically incorrect.
People have asked what it means to be an American. An American is wholeheartedly devoted to his country. He does not cling to his past, demanding that he be tagged with a hyphenated identification. To me, that is plain silly. What if I were to go around calling myself an English-Irish-Scotch-French-Dutch-Jewish-American? All of those nationalities flow through my veins, but I am simply an American and am proud to be so.
Being simply an American does not, however, mean that you ignore or reject your roots. My family celebrates Passover and other Jewish holidays. There is nothing wrong with remembering where you came from. In fact, it would be a great loss if everyone forgot from whence they came.
At the same time, our country would be much more unified if all its citizens would embrace the fact that they are Americans. Share your past and your heritage, but choose to devote yourself to your nation; speak English in public, forget the hyphenations, be the first in line to vote, do all you can to make a positive contribution to this great land in which we live.
Ding ding ding… I hear a winner…
Thanks, Carmel.
I thought poor MandiKaye needed some help, particularly since she was completely right and was still taking a beating.
I think our nation is quickly sliding downhill, and, in my opinion, one of the (many) reasons is because we, the citizens, do not stand together but split into groups. “United we stand; divided we fall.”
“do all you can to make a positive contribution to this great land in which we live”
Sorry, but I’m still not seeing how languages other than English and hyphenations stand in the way of making a positive contribution to this country.
Other languages don’t stand in the way of making a positive contribution. Not learning English however, or just the refusal to learn, or the defeatist attitude of thinking one can’t learn, tends to get in the way of quite a few things.
Wow Carmel, those are some sweeping generalizations. I’d love to see your source of information regarding your claims.
Source? Does one need a source really? Go to Southern California… you can see it plain as day.
My sister for one is a teacher. She has jr. high students whose parents don’t know English. Not because they don’t have the resources to learn or the capacity. They simply don’t want to. Or the grandparents of that student… who think they are too old to simply learn when they are still in their 50s. And then said student has to translate her words for her.
My own great aunt refused to learn English when she came to this country 30 years ago… simply because she preferred to use her native tongue. As if that didn’t get in the way when she needed to go see a doctor or something.
I know of other teachers who feel like they are forced to learn other languages to accommodate not the students as much as parents who don’t learn the English language as they immigrate here. It’s not even that learning other languages is bad, it’s that you have people who immigrate here who DO not learn English because of reasons that aren’t really reasons but are excuses.
Then a lot of people claim they shouldn’t have to English and forget about their roots. Well, we’re not asking them to forget their roots, we’re asking them to learn the language of the country that they chose to migrate to.
If you migrate to the states more power to you. Don’t forget where you came from. But you chose to move here. This then became your home, your country now.
Musicguy, you’re not understanding what I am saying. Knowing another language is not a bad thing. I actually grew up on the Mexican border, and most of my friends were Hispanic. Spanish was a natural part of the culture, but, as Carmel stated, many people CHOSE not to learn English. Instead of adapting to their chosen land, they insisted that we, the citizens of the country, adapt to them. That’s not right.
IF you are going to come to a country and live in it, particularly if you become its citizen, take on the ways of that country to the best of your ability. Learn to speak its language, follow its laws, and don’t be a moocher who lives off the contributions of others. Help yourself to become the best citizen that you can be, and you will make a positive contribution to society.
As for hyphenated identifications, they tell me that allegiance is divided. Being an American isn’t good enough; they have to tack on something else. I don’t know if people do this out of a need to inflate their worth or what the reasoning is, but, to me, it smacks of disloyalty to our nation.
You talk about generalizations. Let me give you a “generalization” that I have observed many times over with my own eyes. Often, the people who insist on being catered to (whether through refusal to learn our language or the use of hyphenated identification) are the very ones who drain our society. Instead of contributing, they demand handouts. Instead of working to make changes by voting or other positive means, they may often be found complaining and stirring up strife and discord and attacking those who actually love this land and work to make it a better place.
This nation was founded on the blood, sweat, and tears of great men. If we want our nation to continue to be great, we need to work to keep it that way. It may very well be our blood, sweat, and tears that our country needs next. I’m afraid that too few “citizens” are willing to sacrifice for their country, for they don’t even want to fully identify with American when it costs nothing.