There it is. The commercial that seems to be causing quite a stir by Coca-Cola that was introduced during this latest Super Bowl game [2014]. So, let’s talk about this a bit, shall we?
First, I would like to make a few points clear:
1) I do not watch the Super Bowl nor do I really care about commercials. I just so happened to keep running into posts that have been displayed over my Facebook news feed. That is how I find myself involved in this particular topic.
2) I am not boycotting Coca-Cola. I find their product to be superior to Pepsi and have long enjoyed the refreshing taste of regular Coca-Cola for years (never diet). As a general rule, I do not drink much soda these days; I prefer distilled water.
3) This discussion is one that bleeds into another. This commercial is merely a catalyst that has sparked the fire in many people to discuss a wider issue at play.
After reading a number of threads, I had decided to comment on one that was from a friend who was asking, what it was some people were getting angry about. She watched the commercial and enjoyed it, thinking it was very beautiful. Obviously I respect this woman’s opinion but at the same time, I had decided to try and attempt to answer her question.
I happen to have another friend who created a post that I was extremely impressed with. Sidney’s posts are always enjoyable and smartly worded. Even if I happen to not agree with him on a rare occasion, I still always walk away feeling as though my IQ has been raised, as I will often learn a new word or two in the English language or an interesting, valuable factoid. Here was a part of his post pertaining to this topic that I used in my response to this woman’s question:
I’m no fan of Theodore Roosevelt, but he was right about ONE thing: his views on immigration. To wit:
“We should insist that if the immigrant who comes here does in good faith become an American and assimilates himself to us he shall be treated on an exact equality with every one else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed or birth-place or origin.”
“But this is predicated upon the man’s becoming in very fact an American and nothing but an American. If he tries to keep segregated with men of his own origin and separated from the rest of America, then he isn’t doing his part as an American. There can be no divided allegiance here.“
“We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, of American nationality, and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding-house; and we have room for but one soul loyalty, and that is loyalty to the American people.” [emphasis mine]
It is clear that the commercial’s intention was to celebrate America and to point out that diversity is indeed a part of who we are. However, if we are to celebrate America and our traditions, we should also be celebrating what bonds us as well and that is our common language – English.
I shall summarize what happened in this conversation:
1) I first explained that I did not have a problem with people speaking or singing different languages. After all, people practice this all over the country. At the same time, the commercial failed to make mention of our common core language and that was why it failed in celebrating America.
2) I also explained the importance of why we should always encourage people from different nations to learn and have a strong grasp of the English language.
If you do not speak the English language, you are going to be taken advantage of; you will not be paid as well; people will look down on you. I know. I have seen this! It is our responsibility as Americans to always encourage a common LANGUAGE. It IS what connects us. It’s a beautiful thing and it’s a part of our culture.
Yes, I understand the sediment that some of you are asserting but please understand that diversity encouragement to its extreme does NOT help immigrants. It hurts them.
3) Some responses:
Where is it written that all spoken language on TV MUST be English? What a bunch of know-nothing morons. English is NOT the official or legal language of the US. Sorry if that’s news to you.
Of course, I never said anything about “all spoken language on TV MUST be in English” but that did not stop this person from stating as such.
I was repeatedly told that English is not an official language and that anyone who suggests that people must speak English are all bigots and morons filled with ignorance.
Why dies it pisspeople off? Why? What’ is the problem? The idea that only English is to be used in the US or on TV is idiotic. Watch Telemundo some day. Wow – it’s 100% in – OMG! – Spanish. [sic]
Here again, I am being accused of saying that nobody can speak another language on TV or even in the country. Never did I say such a thing. The ONLY point I was making concerned this commercial and how it failed to truly celebrate America by keeping the tradition of the English language. Celebrating differences is fine but celebrating what bonds us together is equally important.
4) Here is where it gets really disturbing. The next response was a post about how the woman who wrote the song “America the Beautiful” Katharine Lee Bates, was a lesbian and a socialist.
By the way, the woman who wrote America the Beautiful was a lesbian socialist! Bwahahahaha!
Okay, let’s digest this bit of information for a moment.
First of all, why does it matter “who” actually wrote the song? How is this pertinent to the discussion? Do these seemingly “juicy” bits of information concerning the author change the song and the position it holds in our culture? Does it somehow change the meaning of the song? No. Of course not.
By the wording of this response, it is clear that the author was expecting this revelation to ignite some sort of outrage from me or anyone who did not agree with him but I fail to understand why. It’s laughable at best, and furthermore cannot be proven.
In the era that Katharine lived, the very idea that her sexuality was made open and public is absurd. In truth, the public would not know for sure. If something cannot be proven for certain, than why bring it up? Also, who gave this person the right to speak for a dead person and her unconfirmed sexual activities? Of course we know that the left is just so fond of telling everyone to stay out of their bedrooms so why should this point be acceptable for them to make? I find it extremely disrespectful and as I mentioned before, it simply does not matter. Her song and the contribution it made to our culture does not change based on knowledge of her sexual activities, no matter what they were. If a person is preaching about gays being equal, then this point is all the more offensive because it is suggesting that gays are not equal simply by bringing up the issue in the first place. Again, why can’t these folks stick to the topic at hand?
Also, the only quote I found about socialism was that she described where she grew up as, “a little village that practiced a neighborly socialism without having heard the term.” Apparently she did hold some left wing views but I have not been able to confirm that she was indeed a socialist. Again, the point was never specifically proven, even by the link that the author of this post provided. It was an inference.
She was a lifelong Republican, at a time when there were many progressive Republicans. But Bates broke with the party to endorse Democratic presidential candidate John W. Davis in 1924 because of the GOP’s opposition to American participation in the League of Nations. (Davis lost that election to Calvin Coolidge). Like many activists at the time, Bates believed that the U.S. should participate in global affairs, but that it should not be a bully against weaker nations — sentiments she clearly expressed in “America the Beautiful.”
I would say many people feel this way; I don’t see how this means she was a confirmed socialist. Nonsense.
Even if she were a socialist, so what? Again, the point is moot and changes nothing about the song, its meaning, and how people view the song in relationship to our culture.
5) This conversation carried on and I was called ignorant, arrogant, a bigot, and I basically got the idea that I was just not allowed to have a different opinion. Words were continually put in my mouth. In addition I was told that many other languages are spoken throughout the country. I was also told that it was the law that binds us and not a common language. Another point was repeatedly made by a few that stated the actors in the commercial did speak English.
My response is rather long but I feel that it’s important to the purpose of this post…
Pray tell, where did I say or even convey that, “every bit of commercial activity has to be in English”?
1) We are talking about a very specific commercial — the Coke ad that was run during the latest Super Bowl.
2) The purpose of this commercial was to celebrate America.
Surely you jest when you suggest that French or Polish or even Spanish (I would remind you that proper Spanish is not what is typically spoken by those immigrants coming from Mexico speak), can be compared to the dominate English tongue found in America! Utterly absurd. I do not have to press “2″ or “3″ or any other number for French or Polish. Never did I say I have a problem with small communities speaking a different language. Again, please I beg that you reread my posts.
The grievance is that the commercial is to be a celebration of America and it fails because as Americans we are indeed different but we are also known as being a melting pot. Any other country in the world you would go to live would demand you know their language and assimilate. Many states/principalities have official languages. To support one language for the United States is not a sign of a bigot. To arrive at such a conclusion only shows me that you are perhaps bigoted towards Americans.
We have both diversity and our language is how we communicate with one another. This is how we learn from one another. If it weren’t for English, I would not be speaking with you here. It is our responsibility to encourage everyone to speak and have knowledge of a common language. To do otherwise is to put people in a vulnerable state of existence in this country. Ask someone in law enforcement.
There is certainly nothing wrong with celebrating differences — we do it all the time but let’s not forget what brings us together and makes us the same. This is what America should be celebrating.
You disagree with me and that’s fine (I respect that), but bringing up points that have no bearing on the issue, drawing unfounded conclusions about me, calling me or others of my “ilk” bigots, or jumping to conclusions not rooted in provable facts is frankly childish and just sophomoric.
Yes, the law does bind us as well, but how can one truly understand the laws of this land if they are not understanding the language of which those laws were written? Even through there are interpretations of our laws, surely you must understand that many of these other languages are inferior to that of the English language and cannot be properly translated. Yes, other than French, Semitic, and some Asian languages, English is superior, especially when we are comparing our language to the Spanish dialect that is spoken by many who come here from Mexico. English is much more precise and translations are often lost. A strong grasp of our language is not just beneficial to us here in America, it is greatly beneficial to those that come here.
The fact that those actors in the commercial indeed speak English makes this all the worse. They have the ability to speak English but CHOOSE to divide themselves? Coke made a choice to display division and not unity. This is division and diversity gone wild, not something to be “celebrated.”
6) The next exchange that occurred was rather ironic.
Let me clarify simpleton. Freedom is what we all have in common.
We all have freedom we don’t all have English. Again as I said before it is you that divides us.
Freedom is what we have in common. Not dressing the same, Not living the same, not English, not religion. Need I go on. Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth or have you failed to get my point.
To which I aptly responded:
The definition and value of freedom should also be taught and that is through language. A strong grasp of the English language is the only way to convey those very ideas of freedom Americans hold in such high esteem.
I understand your words because I understand English — the common language that BINDS us together. Get it?
One can only be free if they understand the world around them. To be lost in a world where people cannot communicate in an effective manner is a sign of living in bondage.
His response?
Lol that’s what translators are for are you trying to put translators out of a job. That doesn’t seem very conservative.
At this point, I had given up. Apparently, according to this kid (I say that because this particular author sounded like a child), seems to think that freedom is having to rely on translators.
7) One part of this commercial that I did not get a chance to bring up because obviously I had given up reasoning with these people concerns something at around the 0:37 mark of the video. A woman with a headscarf is shown.
It seems to me that a headscarf on a woman is nothing more than a sign of an enslaved woman. How long have woman in this country sacrificed and worked for freedom only to see women coming from other lands to bring a return to bondage? How is a headscarf a celebration of freedom? This type of display is highly disturbing and offensive to me. Yes, I understand freedom to wear what you like, but that type of display has no business being included in a commercial where the focus is to celebrate this great land and its freedom.
While women who choose this sort of fashion have the ultimate right to do so, clearly it is a result of years of brainwashing and the distortion of reality and freedom for a woman. A mind that has been molested by the tyrannical, oppressive, religious views that promote woman as inferior should be mourned over, not celebrated in what could also be called a shameless mocking. What kind of company pats themselves on the back for celebrating diversity and freedom, while displaying a symbol that represents oppression and inferiority of women? Outrageous!
So let’s summarize…
A) It’s perfectly fine to celebrate diversity. I have no problem with that. If someone wants to celebrate America and our way of life, then they should certainly recognize the other aspect of our culture and that is us being a melting pot. We are different but the same. We are a variety with unity. We are part heterogeneous and part homogeneous.
B) The people who insist that people can speak whatever they like seem to be unaware that the very people who are choosing to speak in a different tongue other than English would have no problem, if circumstances were different, forcing them to speak their language.
C) Not encouraging immigrants to develop a strong grasp of the English language is not only irresponsible; it’s dangerous. When a person is ignorant of the common language, they are subjects of those that interpret for them. They are at risk of being taken advantage of by locals and by people of their own skin color and background. This is something I know as a fact.
For those that do not know, I reside in South Omaha, a goodly portion of this section of town is comprised of Mexicans – legal and illegal. Certain Mexicans who know both languages are more than willing to “help” their fellows who are illegal. In truth, they speak of helping, while robbing their victim blind. What happens after? Where is an illegal to go for help then? Even if they had recourse through the law of the land, they are unable to effectively communicate their situation. There is no option for these people; the very people they trusted have taken full advantage of them. In some cases the contracts they have signed with these “small-devils” hold them in servitude. There is no other name more suiting for this and that is — slavery.
D) For years we have demanded that people who immigrate learn the laws and language of this great country they have chosen as their home. We do this not out of disrespect for them or their country of origin but rather because of the value it will bring into their lives. If one wishes to pursue liberty and happiness, one must be able to work with others effectively and that cannot be accomplished without a form of communication. This is why common language should be valued and demanded. In order to understand the law accurately, you must know the language of which those laws were written.
E) Let us not forget that our continuing insistence that we celebrate diversity, while ignoring our common traits, produces division and feelings of resentfulness. If one claims they support the English language, as I have pointed out, names of insults are hurled at them — bigot, ignorant, arrogant, etc. How is this type of debate productive?
Here in South Omaha and many other places around the country, the accusation of being called a racist is so carefully avoided by law enforcement that there now exist areas where certain laws are no longer being enforced. The Mexican neighborhoods no longer see — any tickets for illegal parking, speeding laws enforced on residential streets (yes, forty mph on what is labeled 25 mph), towing vehicles that have not moved for months, littering, and many others, all while decreasing the general safety of these areas. What was once considered modest but safe areas are now called ghettos. This has been witnessed in my own lifetime.
Meanwhile, those people who have built their homes in these areas are forced to move out or are forced to remain in areas that are no longer safe. Many have aged, so it’s difficult for them to pack up and leave all they have worked for through the years. Why should they now be expected to live in fear because the police are afraid of accusations of being racists? These pockets of lawless areas are not helpful for anyone.
Resentment is the only thing that grows, not an appreciation of diversity.
F) The true bigots are those that enjoy an immigrate population that will remain ignorant and taken advantage of repeatedly, all the while claiming that this is an act of supporting freedom.
F) There seems to be several points that many liberal-type advocates convey that reveal a cognitive dissonance. On one hand they are claiming to value freedom by celebrating many languages but on the other hand, they are not supporting the empowerment an individual gains from learning our common language. This of course, increases an individual’s freedom, and opens more doors of opportunity.
There are those who support equality while continually expressing a burning need to repeatedly point out differences — race, religion, sex, age, etc. How is equality achieved if all you are focused on are the differences?
G) It is interesting that some of the people I discussed this with felt the need to bring up our country’s founding time period and make a point about how we should have spoken Native American/Indian languages. By this logic it’s valid to go back hundreds of years to make a point but pointing out the democrats and their well documented racist past, that occurred less than a hundred years ago, is somehow not valid. I guess history is only important if it agrees with their sensibilities; all other history can be rightly ignored.
I’m wondering if any of the speak English or die set has noticed that some of those in the ad are first people and were speaking a language that’s been used on this continent long before the first small pox blanket landed at Plymouth rock. Prolly not.
“Speak English or die”? Ugh…nobody in this conversation said anything so absurd. Nobody. These types of inferences are only made when a person is so hate-filled they are responding to their own projected hate and not those around them or the arguments being made. Had this person actually been following the conversation and actually READING the arguments, they would not have said something so unreasonably false. Yes, yes…please tell me how ignorant I am again.
One letter written about spreading small pox is what this is accusation is based on. However there is no historical record that can actually confirm this. Small pox is very unlikely to stay on a blanket for any significant period of time and we now know this.
I have Cherokee heritage and Native Americans indeed were here in this country before the American settlers and they were also extremely “diverse.” Tribes were different and scattered about. Their division is what ultimately led to them to all being conquered, did it not? Tribes were killing other tribes. Indians attacked their own more than anyone else. Initially there were no problems until the British decided to use manipulative tactics in order to create enmity between certain tribes and the settlers.
Not only should we learn from the mistakes of the Native Americans, we should be most proud indeed that our people have turned this nation into a country that is most powerful, extremely benevolent for a world power, and one that still offers opportunity. Yes, we have made mistakes and we do have a past that is filled with things we can be shameful of but, just as we would tell an individual who is our friend, who is also someone who has made awful mistakes in their past — let go of the past that you cannot change and move on toward developing a better future. However, LEARN from history and make different decisions to arrive at different outcomes. This is exactly what America has done; it is indeed our unique tradition and we see this when we compare our history to other governments. We have overcome our troubles and wrongs at an exponentially faster rate than any other country throughout the world has done prior.
This “Indian language” argument actually works against those that are trying to call Americans who support the English language bigots. They are the Indians. They are tolerating the diversity, not forcing the settlers to conform to their ways and their culture, hence Indians were pushed out and placed on reservations. Is this what would be a desirable outcome for the people I was attempting to debate with?
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Freedom means nothing if what you are advocating creates division or separation among the many different people that make up this nation.
First they lose, then we all lose.
