Liberty Cabbage

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I just ran into this online and found it fascinating. Enjoy.

Germans began immigrating to the U.S. as early as 1683, and from then until the First World War, German was the most prevalent language in Pennsylvania after English. Not everybody was happy about that. Listen to what one senior statesman from the Revolutionary period had to say about the Germans: "Why," he asks, "should the Palatine Boors be suffered to swarm into our Settlements, and by herding together establish their Language and Manners to the exclusion of ours? Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a Colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of our Anglifying them, and [who] will never adopt our Language or Customs, any more than they can acquire our Complexion?"

It might surprise you that these disturbingly racist words came from the pen of none other than Benjamin Franklin.

Anti-foreign feelings like those expressed by Franklin persisted through the nineteenth century, but German continued to flourish in America. Waves of English-only attacks, aimed at wiping German from the American landscape, were countered by public displays of German identity. In social clubs and societies all over the country, German-Americans celebrated their heritage. All of which ended with the First World War. Although it was ruled unconstitutional in 1923, during the war most states eliminated German from their schools. In some states, it was illegal to speak anything but English in public. Even German foods came under attack. Sauerkraut wasn't outlawed, but it was renamed "Liberty Cabbage".

http://spinner.cofc.edu/linguist/archives/...erman_almo.html

[The_Dude 1,142]

I'd like some liberty cabbage on my hot dog with a side of Freedom fries.

I remember when the whole Freedom Fries debacle happened and I immediately thought of the Liberty Cabbage.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'd like some liberty cabbage on my hot dog with a side of Freedom fries.

[Susita 175]

Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a Colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of our Anglifying them, and [who] will never adopt our Language or Customs, any more than they can acquire our Complexion?

Pennsylvania was colonized by the Dutch before the English, so TAKE THAT Ben Franklin! Dumbazz.

I'd like some liberty cabbage on my hot dog with a side of Freedom fries.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I love that excerpt, Susita. It's remarkable how similar it sounds to the nativist clowns who continue to infest our society today.

"Why," he asks, "should the Palatine Boors be suffered to swarm into our Settlements, and by herding together establish their Language and Manners to the exclusion of ours? Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a Colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of our Anglifying them, and [who] will never adopt our Language or Customs, any more than they can acquire our Complexion?"

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Interestingly, pickled cabbage originated in China, so the Germans already changed the name to their liking.

[Susita 175]

I know right?

My grandpa told me a story about how he was treated in NYC as a kid of Italian immigrants who couldn't speak English when they first got here. It's pretty similar.

[Ali G. 37]

I love that excerpt, Susita. It's remarkable how similar it sounds to the nativist clowns who continue to infest our society today.

You mean people speaking up against Hispanics dominating the immigration system.

Edited March 2, 2010 by Booyah

[one...two...tree 2,762]

...and yet, remarkably, we are able to see through Franklin's foolishness and appreciate his greatness.

[Ali G. 37]

I know right?

My grandpa told me a story about how he was treated in NYC as a kid of Italian immigrants who couldn't speak English when they first got here. It's pretty similar.

What about Latino kids that are born here and been living here for 10 years now? It's interesting to me that kids of other ethnicities have no problem learning a foreign language.

Edited March 2, 2010 by Booyah

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

You mean people speaking up against Hispanics dominating the immigration system.

"Why," he asks, "should the Palatine Boors be suffered to swarm into our Settlements, and by herding together establish their Language and Manners to the exclusion of ours? Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a Colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of our Anglifying them, and [who] will never adopt our Language or Customs, any more than they can acquire our Complexion?"

"Why should we suffer while the Hispanics swarm into our cities and suburbs, and by herding together establish the Spanish language and their mannerisms in these cities to the exclusion of ours? Why should Southern California, founded by us, become a colony of aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to turn us into Aztlan instead of us Americanizing them? Especially given how we know they will never adopt the English language or assimilate into our culture?"

Edited March 2, 2010 by w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r

[Susita 175]

What about Latino kids that are born here and been living here for 10 years now? It's interesting to me that kids of other ethnicities have no problem learning a foreign language.

I don't know ANY kids of hispanics born in the US who can't speak English. I'm from NY and half of this school district is hispanic and the only kids with problems with English are the ones who immigrate here, and some have problems when they first start in Kindergarten or Pre-K. After that, I don't know one that has a problem with English. Half of my graduating class was Hispanic. Oh & we had no bilingual classes.

My grandfather couldn't speak English until he started school in Manhattan. Now he doesn't know how to speak Italian anymore, at least not like he could as a kid. That's the part I find sad.

[jundp 191]

I thought Pennsylvania "dutch" was really Pennsylvania "Deutsch" which was Americanized into "Dutch"?

[Susita 175]

yup. That's true. New York was a dutch colony as well.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Mmmhhh Sauerkraut.