# Coke super bowel commerial



## Raymond James (Apr 15, 2013)

I liked it made me want to hook up the travel trailer and get out and see lots more of this great country. 

I did not see it during the game as I was not watching. I saw several negative comments about it last night so I went and found it to watch. 

Cannot believe the number of people complaining about the "National Anthem" How it was not sung in English. Went back and watched again thinking I must of missed something as I did not hear the Star Spangled Banner. Seems the complainers do not know what our national anthem is.


I thought it showed the beauty and diversity of this great country and enjoyed hearing the song America the Beautiful sung in all those languages.


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## Glade Runner (Aug 1, 2013)

I know you are trailing your coat here but I will respond. Of course it wasn't the National Anthem but the politically correct BS of singing America the Beautiful in multiple languages was enough to put me off Coke products for a while. I don't know it qualifies as an outrage but I know that I didn't like it.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Both Dh and I thought it was disgusting. People that want to come here need to come for the real reasons that make America great. Learn our language, don't come here for a job or a handout,then expect us to change or adjust to your ways.This is no different than a city person moveing to the country and then expecting the pig farm to not smell.
PS, "diversity" is another stinken PC word.


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## KnowOneSpecial (Sep 12, 2010)

First of all, there is no "Official Language" of the US. 

Secondly, if we were to go with the languages that were first spoken here, we'd all speak in a Native American or Russian dialect. English showed up late to the party. 

I loved the commercial.


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## Ozarks Tom (May 27, 2011)

Had to click on the thread, wondered if Coke had gotten into the laxative business.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

At least you got the thread title correct.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

KnowOneSpecial said:


> First of all, there is no "Official Language" of the US.
> 
> Secondly, if we were to go with the languages that were first spoken here, we'd all speak in a Native American or Russian dialect. English showed up late to the party.
> 
> I loved the commercial.


Great, kill them with "kindness" and "understanding" (that stupid word diversity again). You really think having them unable to speak the language of where they live is going to offer them a better life? One good way to keep them in poverty and ofcourse they will vote for a Dem/lib.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Mercy!!! It's just one of many commercials! No big deal...at least in my opinion!

I was born in an area that was populated by a certain group of people. They spoke the language of their native country. Yes, all my relatives did too. Sometimes half a sentence was in English and half in the other language. It didn't kill me or make me less of an American!


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

I thought that the commercial was beautiful. America is a melting pot of so many cultures and each one brings something different to the fold. This would be a mighty boring place if everybody assimilated to just one person's American ideal. What would that ideal look like and who would get to decide what the standard would be? 

Who is to say that the people in the commercial were unable to speak English? Maybe they chose to express their love of country in their native tongue or in the language that they felt most comfortable. Should they have also been forced to wear Levi's to complete someone's vision of the American ideal?


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

TheMartianChick said:


> I thought that the commercial was beautiful. America is a melting pot of so many cultures and each one brings something different to the fold. This would be a mighty boring place if everybody assimilated to just one person's American ideal. What would that ideal look like and who would get to decide what the standard would be?
> 
> Who is to say that the people in the commercial were unable to speak English? Maybe they chose to express their love of country in their native tongue or in the language that they felt most comfortable. Should they have also been forced to wear Levi's to complete someone's vision of the American ideal?


I agree. America IS the melting pot of Every Culture on the planet. That is what makes America different. And I loved it that it was in many different dialects.
Like already has been said there Is NO official language for the USA. That was a good thing Coke did and I will not only continue to buy Coke Products but may even step up and buy other things they sell as well.
And besides Coke WAS until this last year the most recognized BRAND on the Earth, not just in the USA, but around the world~!


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## susieneddy (Sep 2, 2011)

I guess the outrage over the language made you miss the gay fathers skating with their daughter. eep: Go ahead and complain about that now


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

We may not have an "official" language, but we've spoke English here for 200 years or more... Now is not the time to change that.

As far as saying America is the melting pot, take a look around at other countries now... Canada is made up of a lot of different nationalities.. Look at England.. same thing.. people from all over the world there. .

BUT, I bet you don't find Spanish on all the boxes you buy at the store in England..


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

I didn't care for it. If they had sung their verses with an accent but in English I think it would have gone over better. Also some of our most influential cultures WERE English speaking. English, Irish and Scots.

We aren't so much "multi cultural" as we are a melting pot. Influences from different cultures but a common language and the immigrants are influenced by the American culture, too. What has made America such a success in the past is that people wanted to BECOME Americans. Not simply live in America and keep their culture they originated from 100% intact, they wanted to be *Americans* and adopt its culture while bringing their own into it. If we ever stop being a melting pot, we will fracture and splinter apart!


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

simi-steading said:


> We may not have an "official" language, but we've spoke English here for 200 years or more... Now is not the time to change that.
> 
> As far as saying America is the melting pot, take a look around at other countries now... Canada is made up of a lot of different nationalities.. Look at England.. same thing.. people from all over the world there. .
> 
> BUT, I bet you don't find Spanish on all the boxes you buy at the store in England..


After reading your post I took a look at a bunch of the English products in my cabinets, all were in only English except my tea bags, which also had French.

I grabbed some random American products and all of them had English exclusively, no Spanish.

As to your first comment, we've spoken more than just English here in all of that 200 years. 100 years ago many of the schools here in Michigan were German language schools and many communities spoke only German for example. That didn't change until WWI.

What about Cajuns? Does the "English only" crowd object to them speaking French?


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Guess you live in a different kinda place.. around here you have to hunt to find the English on a box... I'm sick of pressing one.. 

You don't see Cajuns trying to force others to accept their language. Yes, we've had other languages spoken in the US, but when it gets down to it, we all speak English so we can understand each other.. 

I see around here in DC, Asians and south Americans trying to speak English to each other so they can figure out what each other wants.. 

You travel around the world, and English is pretty much the universal language people use when they want to understand each other.. 

If you are singing a song about America, then you should sing it in English since that's universal language of the country.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Someone needs to dig up the study , IIRC it was the UN did, it isn't helpful for any person to go to any Country and not learn and use the common language.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

Who said the people in the video do not speak English?


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

> If you are singing a song about America, then you should sing it in English since that's universal language of the country.


That's just downright silly, music is art and art is infinitely more universal than language.

There are no rules that the language a song is sung in should be dictated by its content, nor should there be...should "Oh little town of Bethlehem" never be sung in English then?


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## KnowOneSpecial (Sep 12, 2010)

simi-steading said:


> We may not have an "official" language, but we've spoke English here for 200 years or more... Now is not the time to change that.
> 
> As far as saying America is the melting pot, take a look around at other countries now... Canada is made up of a lot of different nationalities.. Look at England.. same thing.. people from all over the world there. .
> 
> BUT, I bet you don't find Spanish on all the boxes you buy at the store in England..


So when is the time to change it?

Canada...are you talking about the French speaking part or the English speaking part? 

And you do find a lot of Spanish on foods in England. Besides, they are a land who can tell where you're from just by your dialect.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

> Besides, they are a land who can tell where you're from just by your dialect.


Very true, my SIL's accent is very different than mine and we grew up 3 miles from each other.


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## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

Tiempo said:


> Who said the people in the video do not speak English?


And did anyone say they were even in America?


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

LOL

When I saw the commercial, the very first thing I thought of, was this forum.

Never disappointed.


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## unregistered353870 (Jan 16, 2013)

Wow...it's a COMMERCIAL...meaning they are trying to SELL stuff by appealing to a wide audience. Coke did the math. A lot more people speak multiple languages in the U.S. than are offended by any language other than English. They're not forcing anything on anyone...they're just trying to sell more of their high fructose corn syrup.

I thought the commercial was nice...I still won't have more than a few Cokes a year, but it was nicely done.


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## Glade Runner (Aug 1, 2013)

TheMartianChick said:


> *America is a melting pot *of so many cultures and each one brings something different to the fold.


It's supposed to be melting pot but a lot of people are trying to turn it into a salad bar.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

susieneddy said:


> I guess the outrage over the language made you miss the gay fathers skating with their daughter. eep: Go ahead and complain about that now


Did they have a sign on them?


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Glade Runner said:


> It's supposed to be melting pot but a lot of people are trying to turn it into a salad bar.


They don't want to melt, they want us to.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

Glade Runner said:


> It's supposed to be melting pot but a lot of people are trying to turn it into a salad bar.


Indeed, where the unwanted are left to shrivel in the back, shunned and then discarded.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

simi-steading said:


> We may not have an "official" language, but we've spoke English here for 200 years or more... Now is not the time to change that.
> 
> As far as saying America is the melting pot, take a look around at other countries now... Canada is made up of a lot of different nationalities.. Look at England.. same thing.. people from all over the world there. .
> 
> BUT, I bet you don't find Spanish on all the boxes you buy at the store in England..


You probably find 10 different languages on the boxes because they belong to a economic union. 

And in Britain they have a de facto national language - English - but not an official one. In fact Welsh is the second most spoken language and Polish is third and then there are the other living languages of the country. 

Languages don't have to divide a country. Look at Switzerland with four official languages. 

And the US when it was building itself had many languages. Louisiana was French speaking.


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## Oggie (May 29, 2003)

"I'm all for diversity, as long as everybody is like me."


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

7thswan said:


> They don't want to melt, they want us to.


Just who is us? Time to advance into the 21st century. The world is also becoming a melting pot. The US had about 180 million people when people of our age were growing up. Now it is over 300 million and the complexity of the nation is changing. White/Europeans are only one part of the make-up now. Other Americans (and this is not even counting illegals) of different races, ethnicities, and original nationalities have a lot to say about how America will develop.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

emdeengee said:


> Just who is us? Time to advance into the 21st century. The world is also becoming a melting pot. The US had about 180 million people when people of our age were growing up. Now it is over 300 million and the complexity of the nation is changing. White/Europeans are only one part of the make-up now. Other Americans (and this is not even counting illegals) of different races, ethnicities, and original nationalities have a lot to say about how America will develop.


Ya, I know all about it,it's called Adjenda 21. That's why we have a communist for a president that is making us into a 3rd world country. Can't get there as soon as he'd like unless he rips upart and make the Great Country we were, go to pot., spread out our/disolve wealth and punish us. 
No sense in "developeing" into anything if the government is going to take it away and then tell me "you didn't build that".


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## susieneddy (Sep 2, 2011)

7thswan said:


> Did they have a sign on them?


nope but it was obvious in the commercial they were. You may have been to distracted by the language to notice. 

I thought it was a great commercial but it seems a lot of here don't


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

Kind of makes me wish I liked coke products more. Growing up I heard my mother and aunt speaking their native tongue-German. I had friends where just as much Italian or Greek was spoken at family gatherings as English. I was lucky enough while in college to visit in friends homes where Spanish, Ukrainian and Swedish were used freely. This country has been and always will be a stew pot.


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## jacqueg (Feb 21, 2010)

My word, a commercial on a program that is televised internationally has people speaking/singing in more than one language???!!!!????? And they are running it on your very own personal TV?????!!!!! Heavens to murgatroyd!


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## SunsetSonata (Nov 23, 2006)

Some of you offended patriots need a reminder that some of the most patriotic people in the US are the immigrants who studied and paid and struggled to be here.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

susieneddy said:


> I guess the outrage over the language made you miss the gay fathers skating with their daughter. eep: Go ahead and complain about that now


It's especially appropriate when you consider that the woman who wrote America the Beautiful was a lesbian.

http://www.biography.com/people/katharine-lee-bates-21181439?page=1


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

SunsetSonata said:


> Some of you offended patriots need a reminder that some of the most patriotic people in the US are the immigrants who studied and paid and struggled to be here.


And many seem to think that because an immigrant still speaks their original language to like back-grounded friends and family, or that they might relate to a commercial where they hear their native tongue, that they don't know how to speak English.

Sure, some don't learn English, but they are in the minority and also irrlevant to the discussion of this commercial because there's nothing to suggest that the people in the commercial don't speak English or that the commercial is aimed towards people who don't.


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## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

Maybe it was showing that people around the world look to America as a beacon of hope in a world filled with discord.


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## unregistered353870 (Jan 16, 2013)

Tiempo said:


> And many seem to think that because an immigrant still speaks their original language to like back-grounded friends and family, or that they might relate to a commercial where they hear their native tongue, that they don't know how to speak English.


Do you still speak British when you call your family back home? The horror!


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

jtbrandt said:


> Do you still speak British when you call your family back home? The horror!


My husband laughs about how quickly it comes back when I get on the phone with them


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

Thanks jt, now I'm offended that Coke didn't have any Lancastrians in their commercial


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## Paumon (Jul 12, 2007)

KnowOneSpecial said:


> First of all, there is no "Official Language" of the US.
> 
> Secondly, if we were to go with the languages that were first spoken here, we'd all speak in a Native American or Russian dialect. English showed up late to the party.
> 
> I loved the commercial.


Or Spanish or French. Even they preceded the latecomers who spoke English.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

By 'eck America's reet gradely.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Tiempo said:


> By 'eck America's reet gradley.


I think I need that translator device from the movie, Mars Attacks! :huh:


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

simi-steading said:


> We may not have an "official" language, but we've spoke English here for 200 years or more... Now is not the time to change that.
> QUOTE]
> 
> And there were other languages spoken here for thousands of years before that.
> ...


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

We shop regularly at a huge grocery store in the city. It actually has two aisles for "international foods and products". The customers are very diverse in the entire store. It is nothing unusual to hear at least three languages and I find it enjoyable to listen to.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Did anyone notice the lady singing The Star-Spangled Banner in sign language? What's up with that? Next thing you know they'll be reading The Bible in English.


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## craftychick (Nov 11, 2013)

vicker said:


> Did anyone notice the lady* singing The Star-Spangled Banner in sign language*? What's up with that? Next thing you know they'll be reading The Bible in English.


It's ok, it was AMERICAN Sign Language. :smack:nana:


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## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

Overreaction from both sides.
It was a commercial, selling a product
Nobody is anti immigrant, but we should all be anti illegal immigrant.
You people will fight over anything
Just the way the government wants to fight over anything


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## potatoguru (May 6, 2013)

This is AMERICA. We speak ENGLISH.

That is all...


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## Paumon (Jul 12, 2007)

Cornhusker said:


> *Overreaction from both sides.*
> It was a commercial, selling a product
> Nobody is anti immigrant, but we should all be anti illegal immigrant.
> *You people will fight over anything*
> Just the way the government wants to fight over anything


:hysterical:

Truer words were never spoke. I think everyone must have cabin fever.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Is no one offended that Budweiser sells beer on the backs of our fighting men and women?


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

vicker said:


> Is no one offended that Budweiser sells beer on the backs of our fighting men and women?


I know some veteran families that love those ads and some who feel they are exploitative.

I have mixed feelings about them.


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## susieneddy (Sep 2, 2011)

potatoguru said:


> This is AMERICA. We speak ENGLISH.
> 
> That is all...


yes we do but Americans also also speak Spanish, Chinese, French or French Creole, Hindu, Korean, German, Tagalog....etc,etc


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

potatoguru said:


> This is AMERICA. We speak ENGLISH.
> 
> That is all...



TÃ³ha&#331;ni wa&#331;Å¾Ã­la iyÃ¡pi iyÃ³hi s&#780;ni (yelÃ³)


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

craftychick said:


> It's ok, it was AMERICAN Sign Language. :smack:nana:



Would you believe that ASL is closer to many other languages (almost any other) than it is to English?


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## Tobster (Feb 24, 2009)

*Coca-Cola's America Is Beautiful ad: why liberals should be upset*

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/03/coca-cola-america-is-beautiful-ad

Coke's Super Bowl ad tugged at our heartstrings with its diverse US portrait, but the goal is to get minorities hooked on soda


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## unregistered353870 (Jan 16, 2013)

Tobster said:


> *Coca-Cola's America Is Beautiful ad: why liberals should be upset*
> 
> http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/03/coca-cola-america-is-beautiful-ad
> 
> Coke's Super Bowl ad tugged at our heartstrings with its diverse US portrait, but the goal is to get minorities hooked on soda


Hmmm...not sure why liberals should be upset about Coke trying to get minorities hooked on their product...if liberals should be upset about anything, it's that Coke ignored those minorities for so long and didn't even try to get them hooked before.

This part of the article caught my attention:


> But perhaps those of us who care about inequality and racism should be angry, too. *Coca-Cola's diversity ad wasn't purposed just to celebrate the reality of a multi-ethnic America. It was to sell soda to rapidly-expanding* but vulnerable *populations*, even if that means contributing to serious health problems, exploiting divides in class and education, and exacerbating racial inequality.


I pretty much made the point in bold in my first post in this thread, but calling them "vulnerable" seems pretty condescending. It sounds like the author is suggesting liberals should be concerned with protecting minorities and poor people from themselves, since they aren't strong enough to resist getting hooked on Coke's unhealthy product.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

> I pretty much made the point in bold in my first post in this thread, but calling them "vulnerable" seems pretty condescending. It sounds like the author is suggesting liberals should be concerned with protecting minorities and poor people from themselves, since they aren't strong enough to resist getting hooked on Coke's unhealthy product.


Agreed


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Tiempo said:


> After reading your post I took a look at a bunch of the English products in my cabinets, all were in only English except my tea bags, which also had French.
> 
> I grabbed some random American products and all of them had English exclusively, no Spanish.
> 
> ...


 Cajuns speak English because they were taught English but speak French between themselves. 

big rockpile


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

vicker said:


> Would you believe that ASL is closer to many other languages (almost any other) than it is to English?


 Even in America there is several variations. But still is fairly easy.

big rockpile


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

TheMartianChick said:


> I thought that the commercial was beautiful. America is a melting pot of so many cultures and each one brings something different to the fold. This would be a mighty boring place if everybody assimilated to just one person's American ideal. What would that ideal look like and who would get to decide what the standard would be?
> 
> Who is to say that the people in the commercial were unable to speak English? Maybe they chose to express their love of country in their native tongue or in the language that they felt most comfortable. Should they have also been forced to wear Levi's to complete someone's vision of the American ideal?


America used to be a melting pot. That's not as true today. It used to be that people came to America and different ethnic groups came together to form one community. That's just not as true today. 

I worked trying to educate people about their health problems. One thing I've noticed is that people who do not learn English when they move here are isolated from everybody other than their families or small groups. They have problems going to the store and getting jobs. That can increase the need to get public assistance. 

If we moved to Mexico, we'd need to speak Spanish. If we moved to France we'd have to learn French. If you don't know the language of the people then you're making it really hard to melt into the larger American culture.

The commercial bothered me. In order for Americans to function we should know English. If Canadians want to function well they should speak English or French. The Coke commercial looked like a PC feel good commercial.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

How do we know that it was Filmed entirely in America? How do we know it was't filmed from around the world spliced together celebrating a AMERICAN Company~! A American Company that is ALL OVER the World called Coca-Cola?
We Don't.
But a lot sure do on this post think everyone singing in this COMMERCIAL was IN America I guess. After all a 60 second commercial like that one cost Coke a cool 6 Million Dollars. That ain't chicken feed my friends. And BTW Coca-Cola plans to debut a 90-second version of the spot during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

It was a song not a job application that they were singing. How anyone can get upset at people singing in what may be their native language is beyond me.The more languages you can speak(and sing) the more opportunities you will have in life. Maybe that is what they are really upset about, their own lack of opportunities.


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## dixiegal62 (Aug 18, 2007)

They should have showed the people drinking it from a big gulp cup.:whistlin:


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## JillyG (Jan 6, 2014)

This thread is a very sad commentary of America.

Unless you are an American Indian you should be ashamed of you attitude. You have a right to that attitude but should be ashamed of it.

Ever since Europeans stepped foot on this continent they have abused, killed and tortured the natives.

You can't even stand the thought of someone singing one of America's songs in a different language.

Disgusting show of bigotry and intolerance!


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## Glade Runner (Aug 1, 2013)

vicker said:


> Is no one offended that Budweiser sells beer on the backs of our fighting men and women?


Budweiser is a class act and I have no problem with them honoring those who serve.


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## Glade Runner (Aug 1, 2013)

JillyG said:


> This thread is a very sad commentary of America.
> 
> Unless you are an American Indian you should be ashamed of you attitude. You have a right to that attitude but should be ashamed of it.
> 
> ...


Yes, I will freely admit you are making a disgusting show of bigotry and intolerance. 

I always thought it was too bad that the Europeans showed up and stopped the native Americans from torturing, killing and eating one another. What spoil sports.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

JillyG said:


> This thread is a very sad commentary of America.
> 
> Unless you are an American Indian you should be ashamed of you attitude. You have a right to that attitude but should be ashamed of it.
> 
> ...


 Has nothing to do with anything. My Dh is AI, my Mom came here from Russia at 10. She HAD to learn English, so they put her back in school,she WORKED hard to learn English,caught up. To become a citizen she had to take a test that is WRTTEN in English. That test, She had to learn the Constitution, all of the Presidents ect.
Nowdays, people want to go around commen sence, evade Laws and make excuses for Others. They make excuses for Others Because they feel sorry for Themselves. It's the PC way, Excusers have been too brainwashed to recognize it.


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

Glade Runner said:


> Budweiser is a class act and I have no problem with them honoring those who serve.


You do realize that Budweiser is now owned by InBev, a Belgian/Brazilian multinational? Buy American!


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

The assumption is being made that because they can sing or speak in another language that they DON'T speak English.
Why??

There are plenty of people who can speak more than one language.
Though America is waaaay down on the number of people who are multi-lingual in comparison to other countries.

And at least one of those girls is Native American and was asked to sing in her ancient language which she and her family know.

I am guessing that most of those girls are America-born and speak English perfectly well. They just happen to also kow another language.

And I am not all pro-Coke over this, I am just commenting on the over-reaction of a certain segment of the population.
It is just unbelievable.


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## Glade Runner (Aug 1, 2013)

mmoetc said:


> You do realize that Budweiser is now owned by InBev, a Belgian/Brazilian multinational? Buy American!


Which has exactly nothing to do with this discussion but then that's par for the course.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

E pluribus unum


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I didn't know anything about the commercial until I saw this thread, but as usual I can see both sides of the argument, lol.

I think Coke was probably just trying to expand on the idea that, no matter what nationality we are, people are not that different, sort of like they did with their 1971 commercial "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib-Qiyklq-Q[/ame]

Even though they were all singing in English in that commericial, they showed people from lots of different nationalities. They were trying to show that we all share common traits and that we CAN come together in love and harmony, if people are willing. Although the commercial had some detractors back then, overall it was seen as an uplifting, positive experience, and people sang that song for many months, even years maybe from that one commercial. 

We embraced our diversity as part of our heritage and yet all tried to come together into the melting pot that America still was back then, and part of that was keeping your heritage while still learning to live within the boundaries and social mores of American culture, including speaking the predominant language, just as you would if you moved to any other country.

However, a lot has changed since 1971 and, whether intentionally or unintentionally, the new "America is Beautiful" commericial just tends to point out the ways we have failed to evolve over the years and how our differences are alienating us more and more rather than bringing us together. It also just seems to underline the whole "new world order" or Agenda 21 manifesto, which goes against everything America has always stood for. So I can certainly understand the negative response to it.

Even though I think the two commercials were meant by Coke to represent the same feeling and imagery, I think the old one succeeded admirably and the new one failed miserably. And before anyone starts in about how English isn't America's native language, I'm part Indian from two different tribes, so that argument won't fly with me. English may have never been "officially" named the language of America, but it has been the universally recognized language ever since the Mayflower landed.


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

Glade Runner said:


> Which has exactly nothing to do with this discussion but then that's par for the course.


Given the jingoism exhibited by many on this thread it seems appropriate.


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## unregistered358967 (Jul 17, 2013)

Don't hate, but Mexican Coke is superior!! Si!


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

Less-is-more said:


> Don't hate, but Mexican Coke is superior!! Si!


That's because they still use sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup, and I agree! I wish they'd abolish that stuff here in the states and go back to natural ingredients. True, too much sugar isn't good for you either, but at least it's a natural substance, and I'll vote for natural over manufactured (especially GMO manufactured) any time! I know we don't NEED soft drinks, but one every now and then won't kill you, everything in moderation.

Sorry for the drift, lol!


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## unregistered353870 (Jan 16, 2013)

It's the cane sugar AND the glass bottle...sadly they are switching to HFCS for Mexican Coke.

ETA: Further research shows our Mexican Coke is safe! They're keeping cane sugar in the stuff they produce there for export, but will be using HFCS for the Coke they sell in Mexico. Ironically, the reasoning for switching is a new tax on sugar intended to curb obesity.


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## JillyG (Jan 6, 2014)

Glade Runner said:


> Yes, I will freely admit you are making a disgusting show of bigotry and intolerance.
> 
> I always thought it was too bad that the Europeans showed up and stopped the native Americans from torturing, killing and eating one another. What spoil sports.


Yes and some one once tried to tell me that we saved the Africans from starvation by enslaving them.
I think some folks need a refresher course in American History.
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1011-27.htm


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

mmoetc said:


> You do realize that Budweiser is now owned by InBev, a Belgian/Brazilian multinational? Buy American!


But the plants that are in America, hire Americans, and this has nothing to do with the OP in the first place.


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## unregistered353870 (Jan 16, 2013)

Joshie said:


> America used to be a melting pot. That's not as true today. It used to be that people came to America and different ethnic groups came together to form one community. That's just not as true today.
> 
> I worked trying to educate people about their health problems. One thing I've noticed is that people who do not learn English when they move here are isolated from everybody other than their families or small groups. They have problems going to the store and getting jobs. That can increase the need to get public assistance.
> 
> ...


I agree with you completely except the commercial didn't bother me. I don't think it had anything to do with people not knowing English. More likely than not, everyone in the commercial knows English. Learning a new language doesn't mean you have to forget the old one.

My first language is English and I have traveled the world a lot in my life. There is something about being in a place where English isn't spoken much, and you haven't heard your language for days, then you hear a few English words from across the room...just a warm feeling like being "home." Maybe that's what Coke was going for...just giving people that warm feeling of hearing their native tongue and associating the good feeling with drinking Coke.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

> To become a citizen she had to take a test that is WRTTEN in English. That test, She had to learn the Constitution, all of the Presidents ect.


Which hasn't changed. I'm getting ready to file for mine.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Here is another video that goes behind the scenes of the commercial. All of the people featured are American citizens and they do speak English. It is a shame that so many people decided to start an uproar over a commercial that features American Citizens expressing their positive feelings about this country in words and song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ReHUMUb9gY#t=55


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

TheMartianChick said:


> Here is another video that goes behind the scenes of the commercial. All of the people featured are American citizens and they do speak English. It is a shame that so many people decided to start an uproar over a commercial that features American Citizens expressing their positive feelings about this country in words and song.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ReHUMUb9gY#t=55


Excellent. Those complaining about not singing in English should watch it twice.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Musicians also know that music is a language. It's a separate language that transcends the spoken languages of people. Musicians from around the globe can sit down in any symphony and play the same piece. It doesn't matter whether they speak English, German, French or Chinese. The notations are universal. Many of the "instructions" that tell you how to play a piece are in Italian and other languages.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

TheMartianChick said:


> Here is another video that goes behind the scenes of the commercial. All of the people featured are American citizens and they do speak English. It is a shame that so many people decided to start an uproar over a commercial that features American Citizens expressing their positive feelings about this country in words and song.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ReHUMUb9gY#t=55


I'm interested to know if this video changed the opinion of any of the detractors?


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

Calliemoonbeam nailed it. The 1971 commercial was a masterpiece, this new one just missed the mark somehow.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

To me, the difference between the 1971 commercial and the new one is that the original celebrated one ideal: The notion that it would be a wonderful thing for all people to sing/live in harmony. 

The new one celebrates the diverse make-up of our nation. That is a reality and not just an ideal.


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## Glade Runner (Aug 1, 2013)

JillyG said:


> Yes and some one once tried to tell me that we saved the Africans from starvation by enslaving them.
> I think some folks need a refresher course in American History.
> http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1011-27.htm


Anyone who refers to common dreams doesn't know one thing about American history other than than the Marxist propaganda version. Long since consigned to the dust bin of history where it belongs.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

TheMartianChick said:


> To me, the difference between the 1971 commercial and the new one is that the original celebrated one ideal: The notion that it would be a wonderful thing for all people to sing/live in harmony.
> 
> The new one celebrates the diverse make-up of our nation. That is a reality and not just an ideal.


 This is the Group that sang it and the song writers for that group did the words to it. The Hilltop Singers. 
Also The Seekers had a big hit with around that same time period.
[YOUTUBE]?v=vBeDm9ac38o[/YOUTUBE]
This is the song === Not the Coke ad.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

arabian knight said:


> This is the Group that sang it and the song writers for that group did the words to it. The Hilltop Singers.
> Also The Seekers had a big hit with around that same time period.
> [YOUTUBE]?v=vBeDm9ac38o[/YOUTUBE]
> This is the song === Not the Coke ad.


Thanks for posting the original version. It sounds different than the one that I remember hearing on the radio as a child, so I'm thinking that I'm more familiar with the Seekers' version.


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## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

Tiempo said:


> TÃ³ha&#331;ni wa&#331;Å¾Ã­la iyÃ¡pi iyÃ³hi s&#780;ni (yelÃ³)


IyÃ©&#269;hi&#331;ki&#331;ya&#331;ka &#269;ha ki&#331;yÃ¡&#331; mit&#543;Ã¡wa ki&#331; hokÃ¡ oÅ¾Ãºla (yelÃ³)!


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

TheMartianChick said:


> Here is another video that goes behind the scenes of the commercial. All of the people featured are American citizens and they do speak English. It is a shame that so many people decided to start an uproar over a commercial that features American Citizens expressing their positive feelings about this country in words and song.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ReHUMUb9gY#t=55


Good find TMC! Too bad they couldn't have shown this along with the other one, it might have calmed down a lot of the uproar. Like I said, I think their intention was good, they just didn't anticipate the impression it would give a lot of people or else they just have their heads buried in the sand about how divisive our country has become. They certainly wouldn't be alone in that. 

This video would dispel a lot of the misconception, but I wonder how many people will see it compared to all those who saw the Super Bowl video?


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

Cornhusker said:


> IyÃ©&#269;hi&#331;ki&#331;ya&#331;ka &#269;ha ki&#331;yÃ¡&#331; mit&#543;Ã¡wa ki&#331; hokÃ¡ oÅ¾Ãºla (yelÃ³)!


:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical: Good one!


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

calliemoonbeam said:


> Good find TMC! Too bad they couldn't have shown this along with the other one, it might have calmed down a lot of the uproar. Like I said, I think their intention was good, they just didn't anticipate the impression it would give a lot of people or else they just have their heads buried in the sand about how divisive our country has become. They certainly wouldn't be alone in that.
> 
> This video would dispel a lot of the misconception, but I wonder how many people will see it compared to all those who saw the Super Bowl video?


I think that Coca Cola knew that there'd be an uproar, given the current climate. They didn't put this behind the scenes video together yesterday... It was likely completed at the same time as the commercial. They knew that it would create a furor with folks hurling accusations about the participants. 

Everyone has been talking about Coke since the Super Bowl. The ad worked. The minority grew vocal and took to social media. The majority had no issue with the commercial's content and vowed to buy more Coke products (even if they don't drink them often). Coke released the behind the scenes video to quiet the minority and they will now resume their usual consumption of Diet Coke.

From a marketing standpoint...This was an EPIC win for Coke! This example will be featured in college Marketing 101 classes across the country and for years to come!


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

JillyG said:


> This thread is a very sad commentary of America.
> 
> Unless you are an American Indian you should be ashamed of you attitude. You have a right to that attitude but should be ashamed of it.
> 
> ...


Hmmm, some of may well be Natives. Some of us may be related to them who share the same ideas. Some of us may be or be related to immigrants who are proud to a part of the melting pot. I know of at least one of us to whom these things apply. Assumptions, well, you know what they say about them?

Why is it that when somebody expresses a more conservative outlook the bigotry and intolerance cards get played? I've not seen anybody say anything bad about any of any of the cultures shown in the commercial. What I've seen is people wondering why newer immigrants aren't interested in becoming a part of the American melting pot. 

My German ancestors (among others from other places) left Germany to become Americans. They'd have stayed in Germany if they had wanted to continue to retain a German only identity. Let's _all_ be Americans.

What Europeans did to the natives was wrong in today's way of thinking. I have a close and particular reason to find this personally tragic. We should not, though, ignore that this sort of thing has happened throughout history. Think about the Greeks and the Romans. Think about how Native populations took over the territory belonging to other tribes and how they killed the original tribe. In my opinion, there's little difference.

When Ancient Greece spread it overpowered and eliminated the peoples who first lived there. During Alexander the Great's time, his influence was spread all the way to Asia. Do you really think the Greeks let the native people keep their original culture? Roman influence was spread throughout eastern and western Europe. Germanic peoples led, in part, to the fall of the Roman empire. I could go on but this sort of thing has happened since the beginning of time.

Jilly, Common Dreams is a leftist propaganda site. 



chickenista said:


> The assumption is being made that because they can sing or speak in another language that they DON'T speak English.
> Why??
> 
> And I am not all pro-Coke over this, I am just commenting on the over-reaction of a certain segment of the population.
> It is just unbelievable.


My problem with the ad has little to do whether the specific people in the commercial speak English or not. The commercial is a reminder of the fact that way too many immigrants don't try to learn English. This isn't an overreaction. I find it sad. I don't agree with your position but don't make comments about "a certain segment of the population." It's OK for you to see things the way you do but it's OK for me to do the same. Intolerance goes both ways. 

It is true that most people must take the citizenship exam in English. If you're over 50 and have had a green card for at least 20 years or are over 55 and have been a permanent resident for 15 years you don't have to take the test in English. If you're over 65 and have been a permanent resident for over 20 years you might not even have to take the civics test (in English or in your native language).


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## Vash (Jan 19, 2014)

JillyG said:


> This thread is a very sad commentary of America.
> 
> Unless you are an American Indian you should be ashamed of you attitude. You have a right to that attitude but should be ashamed of it.
> 
> ...


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## Oggie (May 29, 2003)

I'm pretty sure that this whole Coke commercial kerfuffle was created to draw attention away from the fact that God is punishing the Denver Broncos for trading away Tim Tebow.


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## Ozarks Tom (May 27, 2011)

Has anyone else notice the OP has disappeared after throwing the chum in the water?


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## unregistered358967 (Jul 17, 2013)

Yep. And the irony of the misspelled title is not lost on me.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Ozarks Tom said:


> Has anyone else notice the OP has disappeared after throwing the chum in the water?


He hasn't posted anything since posting this yesterday morning. Isn't it possible that he's just busy? I know that I often go days without posting.


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## Raymond James (Apr 15, 2013)

TheMartianChick said:


> He hasn't posted anything since posting this yesterday morning. Isn't it possible that he's just busy? I know that I often go days without posting.


I was busy all day Monday 0530 to 1700/ 9 pm when I got home . Thought I was getting a late dinner when the wife said well if you want to go to New Orleans for the Mardi Gras we better get going . Did you see the weather forecast. First I knew that she was agreeing to go. 

Drove to Harrison Ark got there about 0100 Up at 0700 to watch tow trucks pull semis back onto the road and up hills along 65 hwy. Pretty ice and snow covered scenery today sure wish I had a snow cat like they have in Yellowstone NP. 

Got to Lake View Ark about an hour ago. 

Still find it "funny" but not in a good way that people objet to the singing. I think the commercial got a lot of people talking about coke.

Reminds me of a tory I heard - no idea is it is true. Guy tells a woman talking on a phone in the store that she should speak English as this is America . She tells him she is speaking Navajo and he should go l back to England or where ever he came from .


Americans should all believe in the same constitution and form of government that is all that is required to be an American. 

Just because your ancestors gave up their native tongue doesn't mean someone else is wrong to speak there native language. Is it easier to earn a living and get along with others in America if you can speak and read English yes but what is up with the hate?

Many seem to think they should be forced to only use English . That is anti freedom anti American. You have the right in America to speak any language you choose to use. 

As to packages most companies are multi national corporations that make a product and package it for sale in several countries. It makes sense to put the directions/ package in multiple languages. 

I recall having an item that the English directions were lost. Thankfully we still had the German directions and was able to get it put together an working. 

There was a time in America to be considered an educated person one had to be able to read , write and speak at least two languages.


I never knew that a Lesbian wrote that song but the who cares what she was it is a great song.


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## mrsgcpete (Sep 16, 2012)

I would like to know if any of the folks bashing this commercial can name the languages that were spoken.... it makes it really difficult to come here and read the crud that is spewed, and then how the rest of us are supposed to accept it in the name of tolerance. I will give you tolerance, you can be as ignorant as you want to be, but my mother is second generation Sicilian and very few folks in the neighborhood she grew up in spoke English, they spoke Italian.


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## Paumon (Jul 12, 2007)

Raymond James said:


> As to packages most companies are multi national corporations that make a product and package it for sale in several countries. It makes sense to put the directions/ package in multiple languages.
> 
> I recall having an item that the English directions were lost. Thankfully we still had the German directions and was able to get it put together an working.


I use a product made by Revlon. Revlon is a multi-national American company founded in America in 1932. The pamphlet in the box has the instructions printed in English, French, Spanish, German and some Asian language, maybe it's Mandarin or Cantonese, I don't know which. I've been using Revlon products for five decades and they've always had the many languages included on the instructions pamphlets. I don't know if they have the same instructions pamphlets for their products sold in America but I hope they do. I have respect for Revlon for being considerate of their multi-lingual customers in other countries where Revlon products have been sold for so long.


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## gapeach (Dec 23, 2011)

7thswan said:


> Both Dh and I thought it was disgusting. People that want to come here need to come for the real reasons that make America great. Learn our language, don't come here for a job or a handout,then expect us to change or adjust to your ways.This is no different than a city person moveing to the country and then expecting the pig farm to not smell.
> PS, "diversity" is another stinken PC word.


Why choose the Super Bowl for the PC stuff??? Who is responsible for it anyway? Was it an agenda? I love watching football but it is because of the sport not to be political in any way.


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## Oggie (May 29, 2003)

The Super Bowl was aired on the Fox Network. They made a whole bunch of money from the ads.


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## gapeach (Dec 23, 2011)

So Fox chose the ads and approved them?


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

I recently saw some packaging on some Korean snack foods, and there were no fewer than 7 different languages on each package. I find it hilarious 'we' Americans flip out over having to press 1 for Spanish. Oh the horror! :facepalm:


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## Raymond James (Apr 15, 2013)

So am I the only one who ever made a mistake typing or had auto correct "help" you make a mistake? I really should not type on my phone and need to do a better job of ready what I try and type prior to pushing post. 

Sorry for the extra letter in the word Bowl.


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## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

Perhaps I'm coming to this party late, but I'll put in my 2 cents worth.

As I watched the commercial and suddenly the language changed from English to another I immediately thought "What the heck? They are singing America The Beautiful" - so I would have to assume if they are singing America The Beautiful, then all the commercial was filmed in the U.S. And if that is true, why aren't they singing in English? 

I'm pretty sure the United States Constitution was founded by people that spoke English, the Constitution was written in English, when immigrants from other countries came to America, the majority learned English. I mean really, if you would move to Mexico, would you not learn Spanish?

I understand the elderly people that immigrated here long ago, didn't learn English, but the younger generation did. Not only because ENGLISH was taught in school, but because the parents wanted their kids to fit in and wanted them to get a good job. And in order to do that, you kind of have to know the language.

I understand that Coke is a product that is served all over the world. I myself got off the addictive pop stuff, so I won't be buying any soon, but I haven't for about a year now.

Of course, I shouldn't be surprised that some people don't see a problem with the commercial. I mean, the Founding Fathers of our country prayed to God and had God included in many things. But lately people have been taking God OUT because it's "offensive" to them.

America that used to be a "melting pot" - where people tried to fit in, has now become a nation of immigrants who want to retain their original nationality and it is their "right" to do so. They don't want to "fit in", they want to stand out.

I think the commercial was in poor taste, but as has been said, Coke is simply trying to sell an addictive drink to all peoples.


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## unregistered358967 (Jul 17, 2013)

Raymond James said:


> So am I the only one who ever made a mistake typing or had auto correct "help" you make a mistake? I really should not type on my phone and need to do a better job of ready what I try and type prior to pushing post.
> 
> Sorry for the extra letter in the word Bowl.


It made me laugh..I thought it was cute and knew it was a true typo. I equate drinking a lot of coke with having a super-big bowel, if you know what I mean.


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

Melting pot has always rung false to me. Melting pot, to me, connotes everything thrown in combining to become something homogenous and indistinguishable. Something that cannot be easily separated back into its individual parts. Think five cheeses thrown into a fondue. They all add different flavors but once melted together you can't really distinguish one from another nor can you easily seperate the Swiss cheese from the melted whole.

I have felt for a long time we are and have been a stew pot where ingredients are continually added and each of those ingredients adds something to the whole but maintains its core identity. The history of large cities isn't one of immigrants arriving and being dispersed widely among the general population. It was and is a process of them coming and establishing their own enclaves, putting down a beachhead where their own food, traditions and churches made them more comfortable. As time went on these areas changed, transformed, and moved as economic mobility allowed movement to better areas and new immigrant groups moved in to replace them. Little Italy, Greektown, Chinatown still exist and have been added to by Little Saigon, Jamaicatown, and pick an Eastern European enclave area. Here in Wisconsin on any summer weekend I can find a town festival celebrating the German, Swedish, Finnish, Italian, Czech, Native American,or countless other heritages that helped to found that town or region. The same can be found all across this great country and new fests are continually added with new foods and dances and traditions. These ethnic identities are not lost in the whole, forced into some homogenous mass. They are celebrated for all the things they've added to the whole while maintaining a readily identifiable identity of their own. The carrots, meat, onions, potatoes, turnips, and whatever else you add to your version of stew never totally disappear even while giving up much of their essence and flavor to make the whole much more than a simple sum of its total parts.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

I know if I were to move to another country, I'd want to keep my heritage, even if I learned to speak the language of the new country. I assume most immigrants to the US want to keep their heritage as well, so I see nothing wrong with them singing America the Beautiful in a language other than English. You can love America and still keep your heritage.


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## gapeach (Dec 23, 2011)

One of the good things about our country, the United States, is that you can speak your mind. We always watch the Super Bowl as well as the games that lead up to it all year. Some Super Bowls have been lousy games and there have been some really good ones. The one saving grace to sitting and watching the Super Bowl if the game was a blow out was the great commercials. This year the game was lousy and the commercials were all about political correctness. Keep the Super Bowl as it has always been. Politics gets in the way of something that is traditional. That is my opinion and I am sticking to it.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

> America that used to be a "melting pot" - where people tried to fit in


This is a myth.


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## Oggie (May 29, 2003)

gapeach said:


> So Fox chose the ads and approved them?


Follow the money.

It ends up in the hands of FOX and the NFL


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

There were 20 or so commercials produced and submitted for airing that the NfL and Fox deemed inappropriate and refused to air this year. It wasn't due to lack money of as some involved big name brands. This happens every year and some of these spots are produced knowing they will never air but will gather a life on the interwebs.


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## Vash (Jan 19, 2014)

gapeach said:


> *One of the good things about our country, the United States, is that you can speak your mind. * We always watch the Super Bowl as well as the games that lead up to it all year. Some Super Bowls have been lousy games and there have been some really good ones. The one saving grace to sitting and watching the Super Bowl if the game was a blow out was the great commercials. This year the game was lousy and the commercials were all about political correctness. Keep the Super Bowl as it has always been. Politics gets in the way of something that is traditional. That is my opinion and I am sticking to it.


Unless it's something "non-PC".


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## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

> Originally Posted by *gapeach*
> One of the good things about our country, the United States, is that you can speak your mind.
> 
> 
> ...


I think this thread has ample evidence that you can.


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## Vash (Jan 19, 2014)

mistletoad said:


> I think this thread has ample evidence that you can.


This thread (on the internet I might add) is privately owned and there are things that cannot be said on it (see forum rules).

It was a [partly] facetious comment on my part anyway.


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## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

I love watching super bowl ads, especially the Budweiser Clydesdale ads, though I am not a beer drinker (anymore). I don't drink coke (anymore). I'm first generation American from Cuban immigrants who actually were allowed to enter this country because I was born in this country and later taken to Cuba. I was "claimed by the U.S. State Dept. along with my Cuban parents and grand parents. The U.S. govt. cared enough about its young citizens that they used to invite the entire immediate family into the county. And we learned English; adults don't learn as quickly because their priorities are very different. My parents held four jobs between them I learned to speak English in school and by watching television so I see this Coke ad from little different perspective. There are children of immigrants and newly arrived non-English speaking children and adults RIGHT NOW who are learning to speak English. What a lovely way to welcome them into our country. What a lovely way to help others get to know a song that means so much to us. I bet they believe in the promise of that song as much as us English speakers. While the U.S. is losing its polish in much of the world, there are still many who believe in the principles this country was founded upon and risk everything and leave everything behind to come here and start all over. This is happening right now- its not a distant past that has melted into a chapter of a history book.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

sigh, the sooner we americans get over our god-complex the better


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

wyld thang said:


> sigh, the sooner we americans get over our god-complex the better


And the same ad was played last night during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. Nothing wrong with that either as many different people that speak different languages were there from all over the world.


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## poppy (Feb 21, 2008)

TheMartianChick said:


> America is a melting pot of so many cultures and each one brings something different to the fold.


Take a look around with your eyes open and you will see the world is indeed becoming a pot, but not of the melting variety.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

poppy said:


> Take a look around with your eyes open and you will see the world is indeed becoming a pot, but not of the melting variety.


How so?


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

Tiempo said:


> This is a myth.


I don't think so. Some of my ancestors even "Americanized" their last name to be easier to spell and pronounce.


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## coolrunnin (Aug 28, 2010)

MO_cows said:


> I don't think so. Some of my ancestors even "Americanized" their last name to be easier to spell and pronounce.


did they or did the intake people at Ellis Island?


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## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

coolrunnin said:


> did they or did the intake people at Ellis Island?


The intake people at Ellis Island did not change people's names, they did not even write lists of people's name. What they did do was check the ship's passenger list and asked the immigrants questions based on what was already entered. It is a common myth that "the name was changed at Ellis Island" but it is very rarely true - I've been a professional genealogist for 20 years and I have only ever seen evidence of one (very interesting) name change at Ellis Island.


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