A NATO Without Turkey?

[The Larch]

For instance in P'dox there is (or was, as I haven't seen him in a looooooong time) this American guy with Irish roots that is the most stick up and obnoxious defender of Irish stuff in the forum, even more than the real Irish.

I think CdM is banned on P'dox.

I meant Brian Boruma, CdM's long lost hardcore Republican twin. 

[The Larch]

Oh God, yes I remember that Americo-Irish guy.

Truly a charming presence in any EU debate. 

[Josquius]

Interesting. I've noticed a similar - but less extreme - phenomenon with the Croatian diaspora. Some of them go back home and get a bit insecure about being considered Canadian, American or Australian before Croatian by the natives.

So then you find these people in the diaspora have the most extreme positions regarding domestic issues and what constitutes a 'true' Croat, and so on.

This can be perversely amusing given that they don't have to deal with the consequences of their views.

Converts (in this scenario, people who "convert back" to their home country-ness) are always the worst kind in that sense. And we have examples of that not that faraway. For instance in P'dox there is (or was, as I haven't seen him in a looooooong time) this American guy with Irish roots that is the most stick up and obnoxious defender of Irish stuff in the forum, even more than the real Irish. Or Drakken with his Swedish-ness. Maybe he can give us some input on that feeling.

hmm, will we get in the future: Plastic Turks? Widely hated by real Turks.

[Caliga]

hmm, will we get in the future: Plastic Turks? Widely hated by real Turks.

I'd be happy to exchange Plastic Turks for the Plastic Ono Band if you'd like.

[Valmy]

It's a fear I've heard of amongst hispanics.

It's baseless and I have in fact heard the opposite from Latinos for decades.  They claim, quit accurately, that there is no contradiction about being a good Mexican/Dominican/Colombian and American at the same time.

This is a scare tactic used by anti-western forces among these immigrants to keep them separate and impoverished and frankly it is ridiculous.

[Valmy]

Apparently such a situation is what drove the leader of the cell that carried out of the Madrid attacks to become a Jihadi. He was fairly integrated here, studied for his doctorate on a Spanish scholarship, had a Spanish girlfriend and the like. Then one day he took a trip back home to Tunis and found out he was no longer considered one of them. So he decided to kill a couple hundred people to prove he was.

Well it is what happens when you move abroad.  If you want to remain a 100% card carrying pure Tunisian, it is best to stay in Tunisia.

But that is as ridiculous as suggesting you will become a 100% card carrying pure German.  You become something new a Turkish German and that is how assimilation works.  Immigration fails when it becomes a colonial effort of building a "pure" Turkey in Dusseldorf somewhere.  That is merely an intermediate step.

[Valmy]

Monies. I think it's common knowledge that most immigrants are from poor people from rural areas.

Um...Malaysia, Indonesia, the oil rich Arab nations?  It is not like Europe is known for its tons of jobs to be had anyway.

[Iormlund]

I don't know much about Malaysia, but Indonesia has high unemployment and the conditions in the Gulf states for foreign (especially not white) workers are apparently terrible.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

I don't know much about Malaysia, but Indonesia has high unemployment and the conditions in the Gulf states for foreign (especially not white) workers are apparently terrible.

the are effectively terrible: on slave-labour level

[Razgovory]

It's a fear I've heard of amongst hispanics.

It's baseless and I have in fact heard the opposite from Latinos for decades.  They claim, quit accurately, that there is no contradiction about being a good Mexican/Dominican/Colombian and American at the same time.

This is a scare tactic used by anti-western forces among these immigrants to keep them separate and impoverished and frankly it is ridiculous.

Can you though?  My German ancestors came here 150 years ago.  I know no German, and don't particularly identify with the Germans.  The only indicators of German ancestry is that I have a German last name and a Catholic Faith.  I don't even look particularly German.  As CdM says I look like a Jewish serial killer.

[Valmy]

Can you though?  My German ancestors came here 150 years ago.  I know no German, and don't particularly identify with the Germans.  The only indicators of German ancestry is that I have a German last name and a Catholic Faith.  I don't even look particularly German.  As CdM says I look like a Jewish serial killer.

Well that is after 150 years and after America has already absorbed lots of German culture.

[Maximus]

I'd say a big part of midwestern US culture is derived from German culture. It may not look much like Germany today, but I doubt Germany today looks all that much like 1848 Germany either.

[Eddie Teach]

Can you though?  My German ancestors came here 150 years ago.  I know no German, and don't particularly identify with the Germans.  The only indicators of German ancestry is that I have a German last name and a Catholic Faith.  I don't even look particularly German.  As CdM says I look like a Jewish serial killer.

You look Germanic to me. The stereotypical Jewish guy would be skinny with curly hair and a hooked nose.

[Barrister]

It's a fear I've heard of amongst hispanics.

It's baseless and I have in fact heard the opposite from Latinos for decades.  They claim, quit accurately, that there is no contradiction about being a good Mexican/Dominican/Colombian and American at the same time.

Yet I've been told I can't possible be a "real Ukrainian"...

[katmai]

It's a fear I've heard of amongst hispanics.

It's baseless and I have in fact heard the opposite from Latinos for decades.  They claim, quit accurately, that there is no contradiction about being a good Mexican/Dominican/Colombian and American at the same time.

Yet I've been told I can't possible be a "real Ukrainian"...

yo soy pocho!