there is a notable difference between the immigrants back in the Ellis Island days and now. They made a greater point of becoming americans than now. lots of reasons for that but it sure causes the melting pot to not work.
I think you are wrong again!
MANY immigrants never learned English during the first generation, but they made sure that their children learned English. I actually have neighbors whose mother was a second generation Polish woman, and she still spoke Polish at the age of 98, when she passed away in their home, because that is the only language that was spoken by her parents in her home on Long Island. Her parents NEVER learned to speak a word of English.
Another neighbor is Porto Rican, and has been in this country for 51 years, and she still has a STRONG Spanish accent. . .although she speaks good English.
I have been in this country for 41 years, and I still have a strong French accent, although I went to College in the US and obtained my Master degree right here.
It is obvious that, illegal immigrants, and even legal immigrants living in closed communities (such as migrant farm workers) have little to no opportunities to learn English, between working in the fields from early morning to late evening among 95% other Spanish workers, and being ostracized by the "English speaking" community that takes advantage of the low cost labor. But their children have access to school where they learn, and it is a great source of pride for their parents.
And those children tend to grow up to be high achiever, to be the first in their family to obtain a college degree, and to demonstrate the STRONG work ethic they have grown up with.
I have NOTHING but great admiration for first generation immigrants, as I KNOW how hard it is to leave one's country and to transplant into an unfriendly, judgmental country that looks at you as an unwanted outsider. And I have the advantage of not "looking" foreign, so until I open my mouth, I do not suffer from the stupid bigotry of too many people. In fact, even when I do open my mouth, I am always treated with more curiosity (because of my French accent) than what most Hispanic people have to suffer: contempt.
And still, the first time I "dare" to think I could enter a college program (junior college), I didn't open my mouth in a classroom for almost a month, I was so afraid of being laughed at or rejected for my "arrogance" at thinking that someone with such a strong foreign accent could possibly believe that she had any chance to succeed in an American College. It is only after my English professor returned my first paper and read it aloud in the class room that I answered one of his question aloud. . .and he was as surprised as the rest of my classmates, because he had been impressed by my paper, and had NO IDEA that I was not an English speaker.
I wonder how many in this forum speak and write a foreign language fluently? Another area where the rest of the world is leaving us behind! Do you realize that, in Belgium, to graduate from high school with the degree that allows you to enter into higher education institute or in an university, you must speak 3 languages? Some of my nephews speak as many as five languages (French, Flemish, Italian, English, and German!).
Yep. . .you can look down on "immigrants who don't even speak English" all you want. . .they have more courage, work ethic, and smart in their "foreign head" than many of the native population here!
