re: OT: SB Coke Commercial

I fully expect people to come to the US from other countries and potentially not be able to speak the language. But, I expect them to learn it over time if they want to settle here.

Everything we do here is in English. We sometimes add signs and literature in Spanish (I'm not 100% on board with this) due to the large portion of Spanish-speaking people here. But, we don't have everything in French, German, Italian, Arabic, Kirundi, Russian, Hindi, and so on. In fact, most countries around the world have English as a 2nd language if not a 1st language. It's the language of business (for now), so it's pretty common for people to learn it before even coming to the US.

I'm in favor of immigrants coming to this country (legally). I'm in favor of them celebrating their heritage. I'm in favor of them remembering where they came from and making it a part of their lives. But what I'm not in favor of is not assimilating into the culture, not learning the native language, not obeying the laws, and not making an effort to being a true part of this country by paying their taxes, voting, and investing in American business through commerce.

United we stand and divided we fall Brothers and Sisters!

We live in an era where this principle is being tested by selfish wills of people who want to create change. What's being lost is the fact that this country guarantees safety for ALL people to live their lives how they want to live without the burden of a government forcing the ideals of one (or a few) on the people (the masses).

This country made that happen because "We the people" were one in purpose, but that is being tested on so many levels. Our freedom manifests itself by having strong moral principles and values upon which a collective people believe in together. The government is a tool "We the people" use to defend those rights and privileges. The government and businesses and all other activities this country sees fit to use in an effort to bring to fruition our hope for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness flows smoothly and freely when we all understand eachother. This understanding comes best when through communication that is understood and conveyed by all in one single form of language.

Although we are not all Christian, I'll use the story in the Bible about the "Tower of Babel" in making my point. Shortened version...

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When the world was new, everyone spoke the same language. One day, in the city of Babel, the people decided to build a tower so high it would take them up to Heaven. God thought: “Hmmm. The people think they can do anything.”

So God taught the people a lesson. He gave them many different languages. Then they couldn’t work together and finish the tower. And that is why people speak many different languages today.

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shortstoriesshort.com

I say this brothers and sisters because our country is slowly being divided by the idea that all the ideals and laws that have made this country so great would be better if all cultures were represented in our national way of life. If and when this happens our fall will quickly hasten.

So live your life but beware of pride. There is a reason immigrants are coming to this country and having diversity is a value even God recognized, but that doesn't mean their way of life brought them TOTAL happiness hence thier exodus from their own country.

The gist of the Coke commercial was that "we're all American". It was supposed to be a patriotic message to sell their product. Their view of what makes an American, "American", is what is in question here.

Some don't even think citizenship is necessary. I think assimilation is what makes someone American, which is in addition to citizenship.

Those who claim there isn't enough time to think about these sorts of things are kidding themselves. I think people don't take enough time to really think anymore. We spend too much time letting others think for us.

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Some don't even think citizenship is necessary. I think assimilation is what makes someone American, which is in addition to citizenship.

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Well put that into law and until then aim your outrage at the federal gov't. Coca-Cola is just reacting to market dynamics: lotta people in this country w/ purchasing power who have a strong ethnic identity.

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Those who claim there isn't enough time to think about these sorts of things are kidding themselves. I think people don't take enough time to really think anymore. We spend too much time letting others think for us.

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Agreed, but let's be real, if you're pushing people to think harder a/b things I wouldn't suggest they start by parsing the subtext of Super Bowl commercials (or doing a passive activity like watching television).

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Coca-Cola does not sell sugar water.

At least, not in the United States. Which is because of the federal goverment's Sugar Tariffs which artificially keep the price of american sugar higher than it would naturally be.

End Result: In an effort to reduce costs caused by this government intervention, Coca-Cola uses a poison called High-Fructose Corn Syrup in their american non-diet brands instead of natural simple basic sugar.


Kind of off-topic, i know, but it's an equally bizarre chapter of our Twilight ZOne reality as that fricking multi-cultural pie-in-the-sky commercial.......

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I was paraphrasing the line Steve Jobs used to get John Sculley to leave PepsiCo and join Apple ("Do you want to sell sugared water for the rest of your life? Or do you want to come with me and change the world?") but your point is valid and well-taken.

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Relax... Is exactly what is going on. We are all relaxed. And while we relax the erosion of American Nationalism continues. It's not going to happen all at once. It's happening right now little by little and has been for some time now. Our country cannot be defeated if we have one strong front. So we are slowly infused with ideals and as we are what makes this country so great is being watered down to nothing. All the while we are relaxing and being lured away from our beliefs, principles, and moral standards by the shiney ways of the worlds.

(CLICHE INFUSION!)Like a moth to a flame and a frog in the frying pan we are slow cooked into non-existance and becoming a non-factor in the world view.

I know I know this sounds so ratical it's just a coke commercial, but this is how you bring change. You feed it to the masses in many different forms. Commercials, Ads, News, Movies, TV. You say it's innocent... Well I say if I want to change the minds of the collective I have to make my idea the norm, and to do that I spread it around in any way I can. Liberal ideas distributed by liberally owned and operated businesses. It's the way it's done. The funny thing is these businesses and corporations are not all owned by Americans. They are owned by foreign countries and not necassarily the ones that are our allies. These are also the same companies that are the squeaky wheel in washington acting as "Interest Groups" to change American policy and laws.

Don't be so naive my friend it's all connected and all a piece of the puzzle no matter the size part it plays in the end game.

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Coca-Cola is a multi-national corporation. If you're looking for them to provide leadership for our country you're going to be sorely disappointed. They are motivated by profits, plain and simple, and will adapt and sell whatever POV necessary to maximize returns. If in 50 years we're all speaking Spanish Coca-Cola will be advertising in the new lingua franca, not lamenting the erosion of America's predominately Anglo-Saxon heritage. Their interests and your interests are not aligned.

So much for "independence" and "individualism." These rights only apply if u speak English and English only. Funny how some of you think we should all assimilate into your narrow minded view of what America is. I bet your the same kind of people that are so proud of your heritage and proudly waive a confederate flag on the back of your pickup.

And on another note, ex-pat communities exist in all parts of the world. Your job is transferring u to Hong Kong? Odds are you are going to choose to live in an ex-pat community, speaking nothing but English.

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Well put that into law and until then aim your outrage at the federal gov't. Coca-Cola is just reacting to market dynamics: lotta people in this country w/ purchasing power who have a strong ethnic identity

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There are plenty of ways that Coke could have "react[ed] to market dynamics" without doing what they did with this particular commercial. They certainly weren't forced to have that song sung in different languages. Private/Public companies do things all the time that cause people to get up-in-arms. Recall the A&E drama from a few months ago with Duck Dynasty? Star Bucks caused some commotion by supporting gun rights (well, following state/local laws on the subject, which ticked off a lot of anti's) then by trying to be neutral (which came across as not supportive of gun rights, which ticked off a lot of 2A supporters). I could go on and on, but corporations can change their tune a lot quicker than governments because their pocketbooks are at stake.

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Agreed, but let's be real, if you're pushing people to think harder a/b things I wouldn't suggest they start by parsing the subtext of Super Bowl commercials (or doing a passive activity like watching television).

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If someone wants to think critically, they can start anywhere. Whether they ponder the meaning of life or patriotism, I don't care. Thinking is good, and I don't think we should say people shouldn't start with a topic like this, when it really doesn't matter; it's all up for discussion and this is as good of a topic as any to think about.

I get that it was a business decision. It was probably signed off on by the BOD because those commercials cost a lot of money to make/air for the SB. They knew what they were doing, and that's fine. They will feel the repercussions of all of their decisions in their wallets, and this ad in particular probably won't cost them a lot of business.

However, this discussion is about what members of the GSB think about the commercial, itself. Not whether or not the company had the right to make/air it, or whether or not the country is diverse.