On Superbowl Sunday, 1989, I was in line in the one “QuickMart” that was open on this near-sacrosanct day.  It was run by an Asian immigrant couple, who chose to work rather than watch the game, as had all the competition in the neighborhood in a poorer, working class neighborhood in Suburban DC (Maryland).  Their young son and daughter made runs to the cooler to speed up the service, so it was a family affair.  A couple of young guys in front of me, arms full of beer for the upcoming activities, and clearly neerdowells, commented within earshot of me that “the government gives these foreigners businesses and opportunities that they don’t bother to give us, real Americans.” I thought, “well, first of all, they’ve been given nothing, and second, the fact that the couple and their two children are literally running to sell the 12 packs of beer and anything else on what is unofficially a holiday, is a tribute to their work ethic and the reason they will likely succeed economically, and you will not.” Of course, I didn’t have the guts to say this directly to the two men with their beer in hand who were wallowing in their self-pity and victimhood.  I wish I had said something, but even now, 17 years later, the irony is not lost on me.
I enjoyed and appreciated your post - words to the wise.  Well done.

Thanks, dk. There’s a lot of that attitude, I guess. Over the years, I’ve had the chance to get to know the young people who are in this management training program. We enjoy talking and they share a lot of information. The man who owns the stores is tough and he demands a lot, but he is fair. These young people are there to learn and they are there to work hard to reach their goal. They live just around the corner in some pretty shabby efficiency apartments where there is basically a place to eat and sleep. They work double shifts several times a week and they don’t have cars. They save their money. And while they’re working their behinds off, they really don’t have much opportunity to spend it anyway. They aren’t getting handouts. They are working hard and putting up with a lot of crap from people like those two young neerdowells in your story. At the end of their training, they’ll be ready for their own establishment. They’ll have a bank account with more in it than most American workers. When they do turn up with a car, it’ll be a nice one and it will be paid in full. They have a goal and they put just about everything in their lives on hold to reach it. I’ve got nothing but admiration for that kind of dedication to a dream. They don’t just dream, they work hard to make it happen and they sacrifice a lot to do it. Sometimes I think that they are the real future of this country.

I only know one language as well, and I work in a very large company where many of the employees are still learning to speak English. 

Patience for these new learners is so important.  Thanks for pointing that out.

I cheered when I read your post, it’s so rare that any of us have the courage to speak up in such a situation.

It really makes me angry to see racism toward incomers here in the UK, especially the old “Why can’t they learn to speak English” chestnut.

Both the British and the Americans are notorious for moving to any country they damn well choose to and because economically they often don’t need to learn the host language, pfft, they don’t.

As I’ve grown older, Daisy, I find that I speak out a lot more readily. Probably wouldn’t have even happened 15 years ago. But now all the synapses in my brain seem to explode all at the same time and I have to speak my mind.

Patience is important, Cassie. Being totally immersed in a new culture and language, especially having to deal with the public every day, while learning, is a daunting prospect. I’d be a mess if I was in that position and someone started making disparaging remarks to me. What really inflames me is the attitude of superiority that the impatience seems to be wrapped in. That just sets off fireworks in my noggin.