Many of us in the United States have watched the Super Bowl last Sunday, February 2nd. Some of us tuned in for the game; others tuned in for the commercials.
Although the commercials did not have that "wow" factor for me, there were a lot of cute commercials as well as controversial ones. On the controversy category, the commercial that got the most talked about was a Coca-Cola commercial title "America is Beautiful". The commercial started off singing the song "America the Beautiful" in English, but then throughout the song, it was sung in 6 more languages. During the video, it showcase the many faces of America of different backgrounds and nationalities, representing the many immigrants as well as many generations of folks who have been here in the United States.
The reaction to this commercial were a mixed of "oh, I don't like this, I hate this, sing in English" to "It's a beautiful video of many languages and backgrounds".
As a Chinese, with parents who were immigrants, being naturalized into being a citizen of the United States, I clearly understand both sides of the fence. (It's the beauty of freedom of speech. Voice your opinions one way or another, it's your opinion.) On the one hand, this song was written in English and originally meant to be sung in English about America. I wholeheartedly believe this song should be sung in English. On the other hand, this song was sung by many people of different cultures and languages, representing the demographic of the United States, which I applaud Coca-Cola for that.
What's confusing for me is the main message of the commercial. What is it selling or saying? As the customer, what are we supposed to buy or do or act upon? This not only goes for products that we buy, but also non-profits and services.
(In case you're wondering: My real life job is within engineering and sales. I am an engineer by education. But I am not only a technical support in my company. I am part of the sales department, concerning about how I market the product, as well as sell the product within the market price but have the responsibility to obtain accurate cost to build the pricing. Messaging is key to selling. What is the video/picture/motto saying or representing?)
There is so many angles to talk about with this commercial. We all clearly know, this is a Coke commercial, as people were all drinking Coke. So, we got that clear.
The second underlying message is that this video is meant to show the diversity of America. That part is clear too which is something I don't mind. I am a Chinese, raised in the South. Although there is not much diversity in the South as there are in New York or California, there is diversity, nonetheless. I'm in the Asian community as much as I am in the Caucasian and African-American community. And I think with my background and education and international experience, I tend to draw others (such as Germans, French, British, etc). So, whether you see it or not, there is diversity in North Carolina.
I think probably the one thing most people are upset about is the multilingual aspect of the commercial and I think for me, it's one of identity and the message of "What does it mean to be American".
Here's my story of being a child of a immigrant and my opinions about speaking English here in the United States. I'm not sure if my parents wanted us to find our way in America, to identify with a country where we are the minorities. But my parents made sure we knew English even if for them it's a language they are not comfortable with. They understood that it's not only a common language of the United States, it's a language spoken in most parts of the world. And their reasoning might have been that to be a good speaker, go to a country that speaks it.
One way I learned English is through singing. Songs not only are good to listen to, it affects our moods and emotions and shapes our psychology. I learned a lot of American songs such as America the Beautiful, Star-Spangled Banner, Yankee Doodle, the songs of the Armed Forces, and probably tons more that I can't named right now. I think the more I sang these songs, the more I felt I was American. America is truly beautiful and I wholeheartedly believe that.
To take it a step further, I often truly believe all immigrants who chooses to stay here and become a U.S. citizen should learn English, enough to have conversations, read road signs to drive a car, and enough to take the citizenship test. My parents had to do it. My relatives had to do it. Many immigrants had to do it.
Most importantly for me, English is a form of identity and unity in the American culture. However, the United States is probably one of a few countries with no declared national language. In my honest opinion, that is very unfortunate. Not just from the identity/unity standpoint, but the practical point of communication in media, road signs, and others. It's virtually impossible (and expensive) to have 20 different languages represented in the United States. (They do it at some major airports in the United States... That's enough for me...) I believe language is just as important to bind people together in a nation, just as much as experiencing the freedom of this nation.
Many countries have a declared national language. Parisian French are very proud of what they see as the purest form of French. Most French folks are also proud of their national language. It's what makes them French. Spaniards are the same way. So are the Germans. And in knowing quite a few Germans now, they really expect those who choose to work and live in Germany to speak some German. Or you're just lost in the countryside. China is the same way. They believe Beijing has the purest form of Mandarin. You are truly lost in China if you can't speak their language. You are perfectly okay in Shanghai and Hong Kong and some parts of Beijing. You will be totally lost in Jiamen (where my aunt lives). But what I find also interesting in these countries is their sense of patriotism within their own countries. I don't know if it is attributed to their language but that is probably a huge part of it.
America is a big melting pot, mosaic, or however you choose to call it. I do embrace diversity here, don't get me wrong. I have Caucasian friends, African-American friends, Indian friends, Latino friends, and of course, Asian friends. But if you truly love the United States, and call yourself American, and either born here or naturalized here, at least know English.
I am not saying to forsake your mother tongue or your culture if you live in the U.S. Trust me, I speak at least 2 languages (maybe 3 or 4, if you count that I took French and Spanish). I eat real authentic Chinese foods and understand enough about the Chinese culture to know when to celebrate certain Chinese holidays and to know some of the customs if I go to Hong Kong or China. I have been to New York City and seen 3rd and 4th generation Chinese. Most have learned to speak English but haven't forgotten their Chinese roots. I've fully embraced my heritage.
So going back to "America the Beautiful", it's already a beautiful song sung in English. I would not have a problem if all these people were to sing it in English. There are some songs I don't mind being sung in another language, which Coca-Cola could have done. But those that show patriotism for America, with the intended purpose of being sung in English, the song should not be touched.
I asked that you please respect my opinions here. It comes from my own experience growing up in the United States, in the South, but also have traveled the world.
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