McFeely: Subverting American culture, right here in N.D.

Dear Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa),

I read with interest your recent comments about immigration and its effect on this country. Your belief is that immigrants and liberals are trying, and I quote, "to break down the American civilization, the American culture and turn it into something entirely different."

You seem to believe that if somebody comes from a different nation and doesn't immediately assimilate to our way of life, it is a threat to America. You've said we need to have a homogenous culture based on American traditions, with no room for immigrant languages, traditions or lifestyles.

You have stated several times you are not referring to race, but culture. "It's never been about race," were your exact words. Your goal is to advance American culture.

That's why I feel confident writing to you today to let you know about subversive activity occurring here in North Dakota that's promoting a culture that is not American. Tens of thousands of people are gathering every year to speak different languages, eat food from their homelands, wear their native clothing, play music with foreign roots and generally do everything they can to openly celebrate and promote a culture different from ours.

It is a full-frontal assault on our American way of life.

It's called the Norsk Hostfest.

Every year in Minot, people come to "celebrate Scandinavian culture and heritage of the five Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden." It's all right there on the festival's web site.

The Norsk Hostfest's stated mission is to "raise funds to preserve, improve and share Scandinavian culture, heritage and educational programs."

Isn't it frightening, Rep. King? We have a cell of U.S. residents scheming to spread a culture other than our own, and openly attempting to indoctrinate others by raising money for so-called "educational programs." This would be, by your definition, anti-American.

Instead of celebrating delicious American food, these culture saboteurs are serving foreign dishes like rommegrot, lutefisk, mojakka, knoephla, lefse, kuchen and lapskaus. Real Americans, as you know, would've long ago stopped eating these weird foods if they truly wanted to assimilate to our culture.

There's more. The Hostfest inducts people into a Scandinavian-American hall of fame. The gall. Everybody knows the proliferation of "hyphenated Americans" has watered down our greatness as a culture. To make matters worse, "deserving individuals of other ethnicities may be honored with special awards as well." Perhaps as a sitting congressman you could suggest to the Norsk Hostfest that they simply honor American-Americans of American ethnicity.

Speaking of which, I thought you should be aware: In your congressional district in Iowa this weekend there is a St. Patrick's Day celebration in the town of Emmetsburg. According to the town's web site, "harsh British rule and famine forced many Irish families to leave their homeland in search of a better life in the United States" and Emmetsburg was settled almost entirely by Irish immigrants. You should tell them to get over it and stop celebrating their Irishness. This is America. We must not turn our culture into something entirely different. Agree?

Readers can reach Forum columnist Mike McFeely at (701) 241-5215.