So, apprently a Super Bowl 48 commercial is pissing people off...

[Cowabungaa]

America has always been a country of immigrants.

I thought that was our thing...

It hasn't been America's thing since the 1830's, with the whole anti-Catholic Nativism, so nah it hasn't really been your thing to be fair. America's ideal? Yes. In practice? Not exactly.

Which is a shame, because I'd see a good portrayal of America's ideals. Shame to see actual American culture, in general mind you, not being there quite yet. But it's getting there I suppose.

 

[Asita]

...I don't get it. I liked that commercial. It struck me as a beautiful rendition of the song which highlighted the US's history as a nation whose population is descended from numerous ethnic and cultural backgrounds. I mean this is a nation which we've often famously quipped is a 'melting pot'...why are we upset that people are singing about how beautiful America is just because it's not in English? It makes no sense to me.

 

[Scars Unseen]

America's a big country. There are bound to be dumb loudmouths to suit every occasion.

 

[COMaestro]

So will these same Americans stop singing 'Silent Night' and 'Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree' at Christmas then, if a song is only allowed to be sung in the original language?

As a non-American, I think the advert has a beautiful sentiment that we'd do well to recognise here in the UK as well.

I was totally going to point out these songs too

I haven't even seen the advertisement, but I really don't get the issue with it from the sound of things. I could understand more if it was the national anthem, as I know people who get upset with any change to it for style (I usually do too, but more because it often just draws the song out longer than it needs to be than anything else). I guess it depends what technically makes the national anthem the national anthem. Is is the music? The words? Both?

But for "America the Beautiful," there really shouldn't be any issue with this.

 

[Lightknight]

Whatever, people being upset at people not speaking the local language is as old as language itself. The national language is English even if America is a melting pot of other cultures.

So, while this commercial doesn't offend those of us who understand that melting pot America concept, it makes perfectly reasonable sense that other people would be upset by it in the same way it makes a person upset when the people around them are speaking in a foreign language.

 

[Shanahanapp]

Does the concept of being "Un-your country" even exist outside America? I've never heard of someone being un-Irish. Are they seriously saying that if you don't act a particular way you aren't an American? That sounds like some dictatorship style crap "Do as we do or you aren't welcome."

 

[GamemasterAnthony]

Wait...

People are complaining about THAT ad when a Scientology ad snuck under the radar?!? I be confuzzled now...

 

[otakon17]

Man, the idiots in this country are always making the rest of us look bad.

You said it. I make myself look bad enough on my own exploits, I don't need these assholes to add thermite to the bonfire already.

OT: It's fine. It was a cute little commercial and the people flipping out on it are a bunch of xenophobic assholes that do NOT represent me or most likely the majority of this nation(hopefully). It's 2014 people, we have devices the size of rings that can transmit and process information 100x faster and more efficiently than the human brain. We can fly through the air, look up information on nearly any subject near instantaneously. Grow up, variety is magnificent and the world would suck majorly otherwise.

 

[otakon17]

Wait...

People are complaining about THAT ad when a Scientology ad snuck under the radar?!? I be confuzzled now...

Yeah you and me both. "OH GOD THEY'RE SINGING AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES! THE HORROR!" "Oh look it's that cult that all the celebrities joined, how nice".

God, shit like this makes me want to move to Canada or maybe even Great Britain.

 

[Ishal]

Is it pissing people off or is Faux news getting people all pissed off about it? There's a difference.

Except the latter provokes a good chunk of the country to get pissed off about it.

You know, I was studying for an exam last night and just happened to walk by the TV when that ad came on. I thought it was powerful, and touching. I also knew this would piss off a particular group of people.

Regarding your earlier comment, I don't think anybody is required (or should be required) to learn english if they want to live in the US. I do however think it is nothing but beneficial for immigrants to learn it if they want to be successful. It can only help.

 

[Sectan]

America has always been a country of immigrants.

I thought that was our thing...

What happened to the great melting pot? America has its flaws, but if you had people from different countries immigrating and singing about how great America is shouldn't we be flattered?

 

[Auron225]

I decided to watch it before reading the OP to see if I could identify for myself what people could be offended by. I had nothing, and so I gave up and read it to find out.

...I guess it's only logical that Americans have a right to be offended at the mere existence of other languages. After all; everyone should speak American. It should be, like, a law or something. Let's make it an amendment.

Note: For those especially stupid enough that you may be one of those who complained about the advert: I am being exceedingly sarcastic right now

 

[Weaver]

I'll be okay with people hating it if Hollywood stops doing terrible remakes of good foreign films.

 

[Risingblade]

The United States has no official language, therefore this is fair game. Hating on this actually pretty unamerican, damn communist pretending to Americans!

 

[Lightknight]

Does the concept of being "Un-your country" even exist outside America? I've never heard of someone being un-Irish. Are they seriously saying that if you don't act a particular way you aren't an American? That sounds like some dictatorship style crap "Do as we do or you aren't welcome."

The concept of cultural identity is nearly universal. From the macro nationalistic scale to individual households.

Un-American is just a phrase we use. Other nations say it in different ways. Americans do seem to have the louder mouth in media though, so perhaps that's why you hear us more than others.

The United States has no official language, therefore this is fair game. Hating on this actually pretty unamerican, damn communist pretending to Americans!

80% of the US speak English as the first language. It is the de facto national language whether legally recognized or not.

I'd say this is fair game because we're mostly a nation of immigrants. Sure, my family fought the British on American soil, but a couple centuries is a relatively short time compared to most other nations.

 

[Lunar Templar]

So dear Escapist, what say you on this matter?

Do you care? do you agree with the haters?

or do you think the haters need to shut up?

I have one question. Is this uproar caused by people from the internet, or real people?

Twitter, so I should probably have expected but it's still disappointing

I'd have to look around to see if anyone else is whining about it

 

[Reiper]

America has always been a country of immigrants.

I thought that was our thing...

Hardly. That's much more Canada's thing.

Nah bro, that's America's thing.

Canada's thing is obsessively comparing itself to the US because it has an identity crisis and doesn't know what it really is. Canadians can't tell you what it means to be Canadian!

 

[Dr. Thrax]

Nah bro, that's America's thing.

Canada's thing is obsessively comparing itself to the US because it has an identity crisis and doesn't know what it really is. Canadians can't tell you what it means to be Canadian!

But everybody knows that Canada is just America's hat! Unfortunately for Canada, at least Sister America doesn't bug Sister Canada.

 

[Ryotknife]

So dear Escapist, what say you on this matter?

Do you care? do you agree with the haters?

or do you think the haters need to shut up?

I have one question. Is this uproar caused by people from the internet, or real people?

Twitter, so I should probably have expected but it's still disappointing

I'd have to look around to see if anyone else is whining about it

Hey just be glad that they are complaining about just the language thing.

The commericial made history by being the first Superbowl Ad to show a gay family , and not a peep about that.

Also, the guy who ran the halftime show was a minority as well, not a peep about that as well. This is why I don't think this is as big of a deal as you are making it to be. Otherwise these are the most oddly selective racists ive ever seen.