Do people immigrate to America and think that it’s like home? I thought these people were trying to get away from home, shouldn’t they be more inclined to embrace our culture. I wouldn’t expect to go to Iran and all the people there cater to my cultural up bringing. This deal with the cabbies is ridiculous. It's like all the Mexican immigrants coming over and demanding everyone speak Spanish. I have a friend who works in a law firm that had an illegal immigrant call her firm up demanding workmen's comp. and all the rights that would go along with something of this nature when they themselves are not citizens and did not understand why he was not eligible for them. I'm sure this goes on all the time and illegal immigrants win. America is starting to look like a bunch of pansies.

at elementary schools, the buses are marked by animal names... monkey, hippo, tiger, bear, dolphin, raccoon, zebra... etc
there aren't enough colors to differentiate between all the things Muslims find offensive... perhaps the MAC should use animal names...
or, the city of Minneapolis could just ban alcohol...
and dogs, and free speech, and education for girls, and atheism, and Christianity, and freedom of speech, and ...
hmmm... there aren't enough animals, either

The way I see it is, if you are coming to America for a better life then you had better get with the program and adapt to the American way of life. This is America and we speak English, so why do I have to go into our local stores and hear Spanish rattling over the inter-com? Why are labels now printed in Spanish as well as English? After all this is our country and our way of life. If you want to migrate here, that's okay by me as long as you take what it needs to adapte to my country and that includes learning our customs and our language. When I spent several tours in Germany with the MP's we had to learn the language and abide by their customs. It was difficult at first to pick up the language, but once one did it was quite different speaking German and very interesting working with the GP's, where I might add that there are no such things as Police brutality. The thing that you must understand about Germany is that they are very fluent in English. They however will not let you know that unless you make an honest sincere attempt to communicate in their language. Then they will blow your mind and say No it's said this way in English and that's the way it should be. It's quite interesting to learn German, for the simple fact one long word can be six or seven words in English. In fact Norbert Amschler informed me that it is very difficult to learn English because we have so many words that mean the same thing. If you become fluent in a countries language and you somewhat resemble them as I did since I am of German descent then you will fit right in with little or no problems. So when in America do as America does, this does not mean that you have to give up your identity or place of origin. Respect my country and I'll respect you and your place of origin.

Eisenbahnwechselhinundhirschieberwachter: Yes, that is one German word, and a job description, meaning Switchman (someone working for the railroad throwing a switch). Your simplification and/or requirements of what an immigrant can and should expect when coming to America is right-on but not realistic.
Germany, as well as other western European countries, has succumbed to the demands of foreigners especially those of Arabic/Islamic origin. That entire piece of real estate is now known as Eurabia. Please don't let it happen here!!!!!

Just imagine going to a Middle Eastern Nation and trying to live like an American carrying our current values. It won't work; they would send you back to America. I'm not sure about today but I know that as recently as 10 years ago American workers lived in an American compound in Saudi Arabia.

They do not want or like American values. Of course with American values like they are currently I can understand why. This is one of the main reasons Muslims do not assimilate in America very well.

I agree that we should not change our laws just to accommodate foreigners moving into this nation but at the same time it should be a warning bell that we are leaning too far the wrong direction. Values should be set based on the values our forefathers founded this nation upon. Laws should be put in place to consistent with those values.

Robert Bork wrote a book "Slouching Towards Gomorrah." Well, it isn't a slouch but a full tilt - an arrow pointing the direction. We have, for too long, tried to be an inclusive people not trying to offend anyone. Where has it got us? Well, we aren't a better people for it. Look at the fighting between conservatives and liberals for example. Look at the heavy sexual content on television shows and advertising.

If we were to change our values in this nation to be more conservative the Middle-Eastern nations would have more respect for us and would leave us alone.

"If we were to change our values in this nation to be more conservative the Middle-Eastern nations would have more respect for us and would leave us alone".
g_dog: Who cares what middle eastern nations think of us? Leave us alone? None of them, not one deserves our respect. For us to change our values to meet theirs is preposterous. Let me give you one personal example of their "values"
A few years ago I was in Monaco where I witnessed the behavior of these pious Arabs. The streets, bars, restaurants, the casino and other public places were filled with drunken, disorderly Arabs flashing big money trying to pick up prostitutes. When I asked one of the ladies-of-the-night why they were unwilling to escort them I was told that they smell so bad and behaved ruthlessly towards women. These were obviously well-to-do middle easterners that would not dare behave that way in their own country. It also showed their true nature

Great news! Hot off the press! October 16, 2006. The Islamic taxi drivers in Minneapolis have finally recognized that Minneapolis is in the US, not in the mid-east. Meaning that the US Constitution will prevail over Shari'a law. At least in the case of sealed containers possibly containing alcohol, they just should not be forced to drink it.

mgroothand, Well, maybe I didn't communicate what I was trying to say properly. I didn't mean to suggest that we move back to a more conservative nation to satisfy Muslims. I am absolutely against that kind of idea.

What I was trying to say is that the liberalization of America has created more problems than it has helped. When were more conservative and held a higher moral standard in many ways life was better and there was a greater respect for Americans - even among Americans themselves. There were major problems then and are major problems now that needed to be corrected - discrimination would be just one example.

All I meant to say in relation to Islam was that a byproduct of setting a higher standard for Americans would be radical Muslims would have less to complain about thereby making less demands politically.

We should never change our country to satisfy the few who don't like it. They have a choice, live with it to go back home. With all of the problems that exist here we still have the best nation in the world.

g_dog: America is one of the youngest countries in the world, still flexing our muscles and in some ways trying to fit in. That was a difficult thing to do for the much older European countries when they became "of age" but they all had one thing in common; their citizens. If you were French your ancestry was likely 100% French. German, 100% German, Dutch...well, you get the picture.
That can not be said for America as we are, have been and will continue to be the melting pot of the world. Our country changes and flexes with the times and citizenry. We have a Constitution for everyone and although it's been under attack many times it still remains as our Magna Carta.
Ironically we also are the most religious nation in the free world and that fact has actually increased over the last century.
We will always have problems and it seems there are more so today then in previous generations, but saying so does not make it so.
A previous generation known as the Camelot generation had its share of major problems. Sex scandals in the White House, Cuban missile crisis, at the brink of all out nuclear war, assasination of a president all while we were driving our '57 Chevy's, weird haircuts, zootzoots, beatnicks and the most popular house sold was one with a well stocked bombshelter in the backyard.

I reiterate, I don't care one iota what Muslim countries think about America. What have they done for themselves? In the almost 100 years of the oil discovery under their sand, they still have the foreign devils (us) get it out for them. Without oil they are totally irrelevant. Finland, with a population of barely 5.2 million people, has a GDP output higher than all of the mid-east Muslim countries combined.

The light system is not totally caving, as it also helps the people actually waiting for the cabs. It saves them from wasting their time trying to get into one of those cabs. Those cabbies are hurting themselves. If they want to cull their business that is fine by me. That means those cutomers will go to the other cabbies. I just wonder if they would let someone take some pork chops into the cab.

I am reposting this at the bottom of this blog:
Great news! Hot off the press! October 16, 2006. The Islamic taxi drivers in Minneapolis have finally recognized that Minneapolis is in the US, not in the mid-east. Meaning that the US Constitution will prevail over Shari'a law. At least in the case of sealed containers possibly containing alcohol, they just should not be forced to drink it.

Pork Chops, hmmmmm