Posted by Bohdan A. Oryshkevich on March 29, 2001 at 14:58:58:
In Reply to: Re: Jus soli and Jus Sanguinis and Nationalism posted by Ivan on March 29, 2001 at 14:30:56:
I guess if one were to isolate oneself in an environment like rural Alberta or North America one could at one time remain Ukrainian.
But we are all products of our environment. Even if we were Amish or Hassids we would absorb the local American culture.
You can buy Kosher salsa or tacos or pizza in New York City Hassidic neighborhoods. The Amish have a drug problem.
The French argument was that these second generation immigrants were Frenchmen in any shape matter and form. Nationalists wanted these people to serve in the French army to help France. So both the conservatives and liberals were of the same opinion on this.
By this argument and reasoning anyone who grows up in America must to some degree be American even if he does not call himself that. You absorb by osmosis.
Novoprybuli must understand and accept this principle. They must understand that if they come here and bring their children up here they will become American to a greater or lesser degree especially if they do not go back for at least part of their education, etc. This is a normal process.
Anything else will be at best nostalgia.
It is pathetic to read posts on this site by third generation Americans of Ukrainian origin that are hateful and are trying to maintain a purely Ukrainian identity. They are squandering the opportunity to bring the best of American existence to a Ukrainian milieu. I do not believe that everything American is good. But one can be selective and enrich the Ukrainian perspective. It was isolated.
Ultimately it is the failure of the Ukrainian American organizations that bring up their children here.
Bohdan Oryshkevich
usa.usa@attglobal.net