Politically Correct Patriotism

When did patriotism become a bad thing?

The politically correct atmosphere of the US and Canada has turned us all into jellyfish when it comes to stating our honest thoughts and views. I've read several of the emails that make the circuit, encouraging us to stand up to the agendas of the special interests, yet we make no headway. Special interest groups love political correctness. It is a concept that allows them to dictate to us what we owe them. It allows them to tell us we are bad and they are good.

I don't do 'politically correct' because I was raised to beleive that lying is bad.
I don't do 'politically correct' because I refuse to sacrifice my rights and beliefs for yours.

On that note I am firmly in the very politically incorrect camp that says we have a way of life in North America that we enjoy. If you came here because your homeland sucks then STOP trying to change ours to mirror it. If you don't think the atmosphere in the US or Canada is congruent with your religious or philosophical beliefs then here is a thought... LEAVE. I was born and raised here. I'm not going to conform to satisfy you. You came here. You conform.

I recently read that the 1 year old Indian Trucking Ass'n in Ontario Canada (nothing to do with aboriginals) has begun petitioning the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) to post signage at the Milton Ontario Weigh Station in Punjab.
They aren't kidding.
Canada already has two official languages. English and French. The signs are posted in both. If you have an Ontario commercial drivers licence then you should obviously be able to read one of them. If you can't then you should not have the licence. If I go to a foreign land I expect to have to learn their language. I don't expect them to adopt mine. I'm not that selfish.

When I use a bank machine in virtually any US state I am asked to select between English instructions and Spanish. When did spanish become an official language of the US? Did I miss a memo?

The news is full of political drama over whether illegal 'immigrants' should be allowed to stay in the US. When did they stop being illegal aliens? At what point did it become OK to be illegal? Why is the government trying to come up with incentives for people who aren't supposed to be in the country in the first place?When did it become politically incorrect to enforce the law?

It's OK to beleive that you have the right to stop immigrants, legal or otherwise, from trying to take your country into a future that more closely resembles their present or past. If their countries are so great then why are they trying so hard to emmigrate to the west? If you bring something positive to the table then by all means come to the west, and welcome. However we don't need you so much that we will sacrifice our customs to you.

I was raised, remarkably, without any real prejudice toward anyone. My ire is earned...
When I see a translator sitting beside the person writing a road test,
When I hear that signs need to be put up in foreign languages for commercial drivers,
When I see official government uniforms (especially police or military) being modified for religious or ethnic reasons. It's a uniform for a reason,
When I see gangs pouring over the borders,
When I see religion on the forefront of a political debate. (No, christianity or mormonism don't belong there either),
When I see sketchy science, religion, or an extremist agenda used as a basis for creating laws or taxes,

These are some of the many things that bring on the politically incorrect feelings of hostility that need to be turned back into patriotism.

It's OK to love your country. It's not OK to take over mine

Introduction to Blue Collar Opinion

Who am I and why do you give a damn about my opinion?
I'm nobody and you shouldn't.
I'm just another unheard voice asking common sense questions and getting ridiculous answers.

I'm middle aged assuming I live to 90. I'm middle class, closer to lower than not.
I like to write, fight, drive, sail, read and watch TV and movies. Not necessarily in that order.
I've worked in Sales, Management, Sales Management, Customer Service, and in several trades. I've changed jobs far too often in my 'career'. I bore easily and do not get intimidated. That's not a good combination for the corporate world.
I completed high school with excellent grades, completed some college courses in Business and Marketing, and taken several Management, Time Management, Sales and Customer Service courses and seminars. I've also worked in several trades.
I enjoy my current job but it keeps me away from home 5 or 6 days per week on average so I miss my family. A lot. I find fatherhood difficult from a distance. It doesn't make me much of a husband either. On the other hand I'm gainfully employed at the moment, so I'm bucking the curve.
I spend a LOT of time listening to satellite radio. Frankly there isn't much else in the way of options. I listen to Howard Stern with Miserable Men and Jackie, BTLS, Fox News and HLN. I listen on rare occasion to Road Dog Trucking and CBC, but in all honesty they have such terrible programming that it just annoys me. Today on Road Dog they spent hours playing some kind of 'we can guess where you're from' game with callers. No, I didn't listen, but I tuned back in hour after hour to see how long they could drag that crap out. I've memorized most of the comedy channels. I also listen to several of the music stations, but like I said earlier, I bore easily.
I am not a right wing zealot. I'm not a left wing zealot. Like most regular people in North America I fall somewhere in the center. I find myself constantly amazed and disgusted by the stupidity I hear on the radio refering mostly of course to 'news' and information programming. I'm going to comment on things I hear. You can read, comment, commiserate, or ignore anything you like on this blog. If you don't like my opinion you are invited to state your case in the comments and/or leave. I don't care which you choose. If you are an extremist and/or a zealot and you're hoping to convert me, know this... people I know and/or care about have tried in the past and failed. You don't have a chance. On the other hand I don't pretend to be smarter or dumber than anyone else. If you have a valid opinion then please share it. I'm always looking for someone who can make sense of the idiocy and corruption that prevails.
I'm not a victim. I don't want to be a victim. I don't respect wannabe victims. We appear to have an entire culture of wannabe victims. So your ancestors got screwed over. I've got news for you. So did mine. My ancestors have done nothing for me, so I don't want to hear about what I owe you because my ancestors may have done something to yours. I had nothing to do with that and I don't acknowledge any inherited indebtedness to you. I have to make my way in the world with the tools I was handed just like you do.
If you're interested in the opinions of a regular Blue Collar worker out here trying to make a living and make sense of the world, come on back and check this blog out.
Politics, Laws, Stupidity and Zealotry. USA and Canada. It's all in the firing line.