A letter from a greatful immigrant
Godfather.
Posts: 12,504
A word of warning to all you jaded, politically correct readers out there: This op-ed piece is not for you. Go read the New York Times.
This piece is written by a grateful immigrant. A legal one, but an immigrant nonetheless.
I was born in Haifa, Israel.
I emigrated to America with my mother, Florence, when I was a child. My mother was a survivor of the Nazi Germany concentration camps of World War II. She was in the camps when she was 14 years old.
If it weren’t for America and the brave sacrifices of its military, my mother and millions of others would have perished.
After the war, my mother found her way to Israel.
Life was hard, but in Israel - finally - there was a place where people didn’t try to kill you just because of your religious persuasion. You could breathe fresh, free air and not be afraid to say “I’m a Jew.”
When I was 8 1/2 years old, my mother took me by the hand, and we emigrated to America. The land of the free. The home of the brave. The land of hopes and dreams.
When we landed in New York, I was simply awed by the majesty that is America. The skyscrapers. Television. Streets full of cars. It was too much to take in all at once.
I soon became an unabashed, unapologetic, dyed-in-the-wool American who believes in standing at attention when the Stars and Strips flies at full mast. To this day, I proudly say the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the national anthem. And I am ashamed when some natural-born citizens of America don’t.
That last phrase makes some native-born Americans uneasy. Being patriotic has become politically incorrect. I refuse to succumb to a numb apathy that seems to pervade some elements of the media and pop culture.
For me, it’s all too real. If it weren’t for America, my mother wouldn’t be alive. If it weren’t for America, this world would be in chaos.
Too politically simplistic, you say? Too black-and-white?
Actually, it’s profoundly true, and it’s time for all Americans to proudly recognize those facts.
I want to be blunt about a message to America:
In the Middle East, you have no greater friend, no greater ally - than Israel. It owes its very existence to America.
A simple political message?
I stand by every word of it.
Op-ed pieces from immigrants in newspapers and statements on television are a good idea. Listen to what we have to say. Hear the gratitude and love for America we all share.
Wake up to what we all have to say: America is the greatest country on Earth.
And finally, thank you for making a poor immigrant boy’s dreams come true.
I found this on the Gene Simmons web site.
Godfather.
This piece is written by a grateful immigrant. A legal one, but an immigrant nonetheless.
I was born in Haifa, Israel.
I emigrated to America with my mother, Florence, when I was a child. My mother was a survivor of the Nazi Germany concentration camps of World War II. She was in the camps when she was 14 years old.
If it weren’t for America and the brave sacrifices of its military, my mother and millions of others would have perished.
After the war, my mother found her way to Israel.
Life was hard, but in Israel - finally - there was a place where people didn’t try to kill you just because of your religious persuasion. You could breathe fresh, free air and not be afraid to say “I’m a Jew.”
When I was 8 1/2 years old, my mother took me by the hand, and we emigrated to America. The land of the free. The home of the brave. The land of hopes and dreams.
When we landed in New York, I was simply awed by the majesty that is America. The skyscrapers. Television. Streets full of cars. It was too much to take in all at once.
I soon became an unabashed, unapologetic, dyed-in-the-wool American who believes in standing at attention when the Stars and Strips flies at full mast. To this day, I proudly say the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the national anthem. And I am ashamed when some natural-born citizens of America don’t.
That last phrase makes some native-born Americans uneasy. Being patriotic has become politically incorrect. I refuse to succumb to a numb apathy that seems to pervade some elements of the media and pop culture.
For me, it’s all too real. If it weren’t for America, my mother wouldn’t be alive. If it weren’t for America, this world would be in chaos.
Too politically simplistic, you say? Too black-and-white?
Actually, it’s profoundly true, and it’s time for all Americans to proudly recognize those facts.
I want to be blunt about a message to America:
In the Middle East, you have no greater friend, no greater ally - than Israel. It owes its very existence to America.
A simple political message?
I stand by every word of it.
Op-ed pieces from immigrants in newspapers and statements on television are a good idea. Listen to what we have to say. Hear the gratitude and love for America we all share.
Wake up to what we all have to say: America is the greatest country on Earth.
And finally, thank you for making a poor immigrant boy’s dreams come true.
I found this on the Gene Simmons web site.
Godfather.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
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What a crock of sh*t. Excuse me while I vomit....0
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What a load of bollocks.0
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you all know where I stand on immigration ....I think, but why is this guy's letter bullshit ?
Godfather.0 -
Because it paints America in a positive light...any positive light...and this Byrnzie will not take sitting down! :twisted:Godfather. wrote:you all know where I stand on immigration ....I think, but why is this guy's letter bullshit ?
Godfather.
That aside, the letter is a bit...sanguine. Whitewashed? Either way. Maybe both.0 -
try delusionalMotoDC wrote:
Because it paints America in a positive light...any positive light...and this Byrnzie will not take sitting down! :twisted:Godfather. wrote:you all know where I stand on immigration ....I think, but why is this guy's letter bullshit ?
Godfather.
That aside, the letter is a bit...sanguine. Whitewashed? Either way. Maybe both.0 -
i'm not surprised you found such a letter on the gene simmons website...
this guy doesn't appear to know that isreal is the tail that wags the dog..."You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."0 -
so you guy's don't like this guy's letter because it paint's America in a positive light ?.....maybe some of those immigrants are right about Americans when they say Americans are spoiled and expect too much....oh wait I for got they were talking about the spoiled people on the PJ10 forum
you guy's kill me...millions of people risking and sometimes losing their lives to get in the US and all you ...guy's can do is bitch about how bad it is and not think about the good thing's this country has done for you and your familys before you, I'm all good with making a stand and trying to change the thing's that are wrong but to just bitch on a PJ forum and sound like the spoiled Americans you've been called and the one's that don't live here ????please get a clue kiddies if you don't like America please don't bring you sorry ass's here..nobody will even know you never came here or even care that you didn't, so aside from the anti-Americans bullshit what did you think of this guy's letter ?
....ahhh fuck it.
Godfather.0 -
Godfather. wrote:so you guy's don't like this guy's letter because it paint's America in a positive light ?.....maybe some of those immigrants are right about Americans when they say Americans are spoiled and expect too much....oh wait I for got they were talking about the spoiled people on the PJ10 forum
you guy's kill me...millions of people risking and sometimes losing their lives to get in the US and all you ...guy's can do is bitch about how bad it is and not think about the good thing's this country has done for you and your familys before you, I'm all good with making a stand and trying to change the thing's that are wrong but to just bitch on a PJ forum and sound like the spoiled Americans you've been called and the one's that don't live here ????please get a clue kiddies if you don't like America please don't bring you sorry ass's here..nobody will even know you never came here or even care that you didn't, so aside from the anti-Americans bullshit what did you think of this guy's letter ?
....ahhh fuck it.
Godfather.
Its awesome that they are so appreciative of the US. But I wouldnt call people spoiled for voicing their opinion. Obviously the US props up Israel with every chance and there is a lot of criticism surrounding that.
I'd also say that is a little over-dramatic.. I mean this quote: "If it weren’t for America, this world would be in chaos." is pretty strange to me.Pick up my debut novel here on amazon: Jonny Bails Floatin (in paperback) (also available on Kindle for $2.99)0 -
look up narcissism ...
american patriotism and nationalistic jingoism is based a lot on narcissism ... what op-eds like this fail to recognize is that blind faith and support of a nation actually hinders the reputation of a country ...
listen - i know you and a whole bunch of folks on here are die-hard patriots and hate hearing bad things about their country ... but, the lack of objectivity is only going to make it worse ...
america is not well liked in many parts of the world and it ISN'T because you guys have big macs and SUV's ... until people like you realize that there are actions done in the name of the red, white and blue that are not true to the values you believe america should uphold - it will not get better ...
america is not the greatest country in the world by any stretch ... it could have been and still can but until a nation is willing to look themselves in the mirror with an honest and objective eye - it will never happen ...0 -
GODFATHER!!!!
Gene Simmons website? your better than that.0 -
Godfather, you should know that the general consensus around here is "America and everything American sucks". Whether it be from people outside our borders or just self-loathing Americans. So I think you knew what you were getting yourself into when you posted this.
I'm not nearly as self-loathing, but I found this letter a little hokey. The author himself even said it was a little black and white, as well as politically simplistic. It almost sounds like something ghost written by Glenn Beck.
Plus, I don't really back any statement that calls America "the greatest country on Earth". Or a statement where anybody calls their country, whatever that may be, the greatest country on Earth. It just pisses on the leg of other countries."See a broad to get dat booty yak 'em, leg 'er down, a smack 'em yak 'em!"0 -
SatansFuton wrote:Godfather, you should know that the general consensus around here is "America and everything American sucks". Whether it be from people outside our borders or just self-loathing Americans. So I think you knew what you were getting yourself into when you posted this.
I'm not nearly as self-loathing, but I found this letter a little hokey. The author himself even said it was a little black and white, as well as politically simplistic. It almost sounds like something ghost written by Glenn Beck.
Plus, I don't really back any statement that calls America "the greatest country on Earth". Or a statement where anybody calls their country, whatever that may be, the greatest country on Earth. It just pisses on the leg of other countries.
actually I was just kinda happy see someone how apreicates America and did it legally without jumping a fence or sneak over on a boat, I think ALL immigeration should stop now untill this place get's it's finances in order then open up selectively to new citizens, I was just thought his familys story was kinda cool.
Godfather.0 -
polaris_x wrote:look up narcissism ...
american patriotism and nationalistic jingoism is based a lot on narcissism ... what op-eds like this fail to recognize is that blind faith and support of a nation actually hinders the reputation of a country ...
listen - i know you and a whole bunch of folks on here are die-hard patriots and hate hearing bad things about their country ... but, the lack of objectivity is only going to make it worse ...
america is not well liked in many parts of the world and it ISN'T because you guys have big macs and SUV's ... until people like you realize that there are actions done in the name of the red, white and blue that are not true to the values you believe america should uphold - it will not get better ...
america is not the greatest country in the world by any stretch ... it could have been and still can but until a nation is willing to look themselves in the mirror with an honest and objective eye - it will never happen ...
Polaris! I went to Montreal this past weekend and LOVED IT. Sweet city. I wish I could have seen more, I was there on a bachelor party :shock:
. Talk about a great city for that event. Although I only visited for a few short days, I have to say that Canada very much kicks ass, and I am going to research it a bit further-- I may want to live there or own a place there someday. Shit, I might even become a socialist 
As far as America and what people think of it - I think you make great points above. If people look at America for its politicans, over-reaching military intervention, and big powerful corporations only, there really isn't anything to love there. That truly is the slim minority of what this country really is-- however, these groups possess a very loud bullhorn that tend to speak for a lot of people who DO NOT agree with what these entities do. The biggest gripe foreigners should have with Americans, and rightfully so, is that Americans do not exercise their power at the voting booths nor the powers of their purse strings to reign in the jerks that make us all look bad. In my honest opinion, it would only take 25% of us to start giving a shit and exercise our powers as voters and consumers to make the world an infinitely better place. We wouldn't be the most loved, nor the most hated. We'd be kind of like Cartman in South Park. Kind of a dick, but kind of fun to have around anyway . 0 -
VINNY GOOMBA wrote:Polaris! I went to Montreal this past weekend and LOVED IT. Sweet city. I wish I could have seen more, I was there on a bachelor party :shock: . Talk about a great city for that event. Although I only visited for a few short days, I have to say that Canada very much kicks ass, and I am going to research it a bit further-- I may want to live there or own a place there someday. Shit, I might even become a socialist
As far as America and what people think of it - I think you make great points above. If people look at America for its politicans, over-reaching military intervention, and big powerful corporations only, there really isn't anything to love there. That truly is the slim minority of what this country really is-- however, these groups possess a very loud bullhorn that tend to speak for a lot of people who DO NOT agree with what these entities do. The biggest gripe foreigners should have with Americans, and rightfully so, is that Americans do not exercise their power at the voting booths nor the powers of their purse strings to reign in the jerks that make us all look bad. In my honest opinion, it would only take 25% of us to start giving a shit and exercise our powers as voters and consumers to make the world an infinitely better place. We wouldn't be the most loved, nor the most hated. We'd be kind of like Cartman in South Park. Kind of a dick, but kind of fun to have around anyway .
you coming to the toronto shows!?? ... you may not want to leave! ... haha0 -
polaris_x wrote:VINNY GOOMBA wrote:Polaris! I went to Montreal this past weekend and LOVED IT. Sweet city. I wish I could have seen more, I was there on a bachelor party :shock: . Talk about a great city for that event. Although I only visited for a few short days, I have to say that Canada very much kicks ass, and I am going to research it a bit further-- I may want to live there or own a place there someday. Shit, I might even become a socialist
As far as America and what people think of it - I think you make great points above. If people look at America for its politicans, over-reaching military intervention, and big powerful corporations only, there really isn't anything to love there. That truly is the slim minority of what this country really is-- however, these groups possess a very loud bullhorn that tend to speak for a lot of people who DO NOT agree with what these entities do. The biggest gripe foreigners should have with Americans, and rightfully so, is that Americans do not exercise their power at the voting booths nor the powers of their purse strings to reign in the jerks that make us all look bad. In my honest opinion, it would only take 25% of us to start giving a shit and exercise our powers as voters and consumers to make the world an infinitely better place. We wouldn't be the most loved, nor the most hated. We'd be kind of like Cartman in South Park. Kind of a dick, but kind of fun to have around anyway .
you coming to the toronto shows!?? ... you may not want to leave! ... haha
You know, I probably would if I wasn't all traveled-out, weddinged-out, bachelor-partied-out, rocked-out (with my own band). I just want to be at home for a month consecutively. Next time though, next time. I will definitely be visiting Canada again in the next year. Is that where you are? Toronto? There are some serious babes in Montreal, but the hottest girl I met was from Toronto, but she moved to Greece.0 -
USA! USA! USA!
Seriously, though. That letter seems kinda fake like an email forward."First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win ."
"With our thoughts we make the world"0 -
Let me explain something to all you proud Canadians, you're what we in the U.S.A. call "Emergency Action Plan C" as in :when the shit hits the fan we are going to invade and consume your pretty little country: We Thank You in advance for not arming yourselves.0
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VINNY GOOMBA wrote:You know, I probably would if I wasn't all traveled-out, weddinged-out, bachelor-partied-out, rocked-out (with my own band). I just want to be at home for a month consecutively. Next time though, next time. I will definitely be visiting Canada again in the next year. Is that where you are? Toronto? There are some serious babes in Montreal, but the hottest girl I met was from Toronto, but she moved to Greece.
the toronto pj shows are gonna be pretty intense i say ... with the world premier of the documentary plus neil young and u2 in town ... could be one of those shows! ...
i think montreal has toronto licked for babes tho ... 0 -
BinauralJam wrote:Let me explain something to all you proud Canadians, you're what we in the U.S.A. call "Emergency Action Plan C" as in :when the shit hits the fan we are going to invade and consume your pretty little country: We Thank You in advance for not arming yourselves.
we are already the 51st state ... target is moving in ... we already have walmart and 5 guys ... 0 -
After reading the first few lines I said to myself....this sounds like something Gene Simmons would say. I didn't even know he was Jewish until a few months ago and this letter was a weeee bit over the top. That's speaking from a legal immigrant myself....this coutry is absolutely great for the oppertunities is presents it's citizenry but we are far from the greatest country in the world.
Many times the USA seems to feed off weaker countries around the world. We tend to tear them down then glorify ourselves by building them back up in our own image through military protection. I've said it many times we need to say out of other countries businesses and take care of what we face here...which are plenty all by themselves. We love to come to the rescue of other countries but tend to shun our own and to me that's a sad day indeed.
BTW KISS rocks only because it was the first real rock concert I ever saw back in '78 and because of that I probably would never be here.
Peace*We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)0
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