Al,
What you are telling me is what I USED to witness when I was a teenager in the 1960's, and a young man in the 1970's. These days however, at least in northern New Jersey anyway, the people are not "melting" in any great quantity anymore, and are clinging to their roots far too much. In my opinion, this is in part due to the fact that the authorities, education system, and "born here Americans" have become much too liberal, where everyone is afraid of offending someone or some group and they fear to tell it like it is or take a firm stand on the issues.
When I married my Puerto Rican girlfriend over twenty five years ago, she would act in a similar way as in your family, and always try to respond in English to her parents, as she wanted to just become an American and not specifically be known as a Puerto Rican. But that was then and this is now, and her people for the most part no longer have a burning desire to "blend in". I see this more and more all around me, where a Syrian family I know acts as if they never left Syria! Same for the Turks and many Russians around here. They don't really want to become Americans, but they DO love coming here to use this country to improve their lot in life. It's just that they now know that "we" are soft, and will no longer make any serious social demands on them, and basically, "we" just let them do whatever they please. This will not, and simply cannot, lead to a stronger America.
I'm afraid that time will prove me right. Yogi |
