English only

Cloud · 10-02-2007, 11:28 AM

I was watching CNN last night, and they were having a segment about places trying to get "English only" laws passed; i.e., only English in official government docs, taught in schools, etc.

HEATED arguments ensued between opposing viewpoints. What do you think of this?

I will give you my opinion, and remember, I'm an Anglo living in an area with an 80% Hispanic population.

--first, I really don't think that "English only" is a good, practical, or beneficial idea. It's not a requirement that citizens speak English, and second and third generations always lose most of their old language anyway.

--second, and this is really the kicker-- I don't care how many times they deny it, to me the "English First" stuff is nothing but thinly disguised bigotry and hatred, and I won't have anything to do with that.

I am so tired of institutionalized fear, bigotry, and hatred.

I know this issue is related to the illegal immigration problem, too, but not exclusively. Plenty of legal aliens and citizens in my town speak only Spanish.

ETA: Here's the CNN page covering this stuff:

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/hispanic.heritage/

piercehawkeye45 · 10-02-2007, 11:50 AM

Going to an "English only" society will only cause problems and heat up racial tensions. America will never become a Spanish speaking country, never.

SamIam · 10-02-2007, 12:02 PM

What's wrong with the US having a couple of languages? Why not three or four? What's the BFD? Will what's left of our democracy completely collapse if someone dare to communicate in a "foreign" tongue? Where I live, I am treated to two Navajo language radio stations which broadcast over hundreds of miles. Is this an insult to the English language? Maybe since the Navajo were here first - the "REAL" Americans, we should have Navajo Only campaigns. I also have Spanish speaking friends who trace their families back to the days when this part of the US was still a part of Mexico. The conquerers always impose their language on the conquered, right?

Then I have a neighbor who thinks New Mexico is still Mexico, and everyone from New Mexico is in this state illegally. JEEZ! Will this stupidity never end?

wolf · 10-02-2007, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

Going to an "English only" society will only cause problems and heat up racial tensions.

Seems like we have those already.

Quote:

America will never become a Spanish speaking country, never.

I hope that you are right, but we seem to be heading more and more in that direction.

Happy Monkey · 10-02-2007, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf

I hope that you are right, but we seem to be heading more and more in that direction.

If we enact a "single language" law, then that language can change with the demographics.

piercehawkeye45 · 10-02-2007, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf

Seems like we have those already.

And English only wouldn't make it a lot worse?

xoxoxoBruce · 10-02-2007, 05:22 PM

How is people not being able to communicate with each other going to reduce racial tensions?

lumberjim · 10-02-2007, 11:54 AM

Sounds like a waste of time, money, and effort. not to mention reactionary, and fear motivated. I'm all for it.

Habla Espanol, cloud?

jinx · 10-02-2007, 11:59 AM

I'm not offended by having to push the "English" option at the ATM, but I am offended by the amount of money wasted on printing govt. forms in numerous languages.
And I wouldn't want to see ESL programs go away - but immersion works. Graduating kids who can only speak Spanish handicaps them - they become future landscapers instead of future whatever they want to be's.

Cloud · 10-02-2007, 12:01 PM

I kinda agree with you there, Jinx, about the expense for printing extra languages. I wish it wasn't necessary.

Yes, LJ, I speak decent Spanish. In fact, I should speak better Spanish than I do. I've studied it all my life. My accent is perfect, but I still don't consider myself fluent.

HungLikeJesus · 10-02-2007, 12:14 PM

I think we should all speak German.

lookout123 · 10-02-2007, 12:42 PM

i don't support english only legislation because i think it will only create more bureacracy. that being said, i absolutely hate seeing ads for government agency jobs that require foreign language fluency.

if i moved to mexico, legally or not, and i had to go to a government office i wouldn't expect them to be fluent in english. if they are, great, but if they aren't it isn't their fault that i didn't bother to learn the dominant language in the area i chose to move to.

Crimson Ghost · 10-02-2007, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

I think we should all speak German.

I agree wholeheartedly!!!

wolf · 10-02-2007, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

I think we should all speak German.

Seems as I recall hearing that we almost did.

I've been behind the idea of legislating English as our National Language since I was in elementary school. That was a good bit of a while ago. I have chosen to become proficient in a language other than English, but I wouldn't require that any business be conducted in the language of my forebears. I am an American, not a hyphenated one.

We don't need to rebuild the tower of Babel.

dar512 · 10-02-2007, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

I think we should all speak German.

There's more than a bit of German (from the Saxons):

"English is the result of Norman men-at-arms attempting to pick up Saxon barmaids and is no more legitimate than any of the other results."
- H. Beam Piper

10-02-2007, 11:28 AM	#1
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	English only I was watching CNN last night, and they were having a segment about places trying to get "English only" laws passed; i.e., only English in official government docs, taught in schools, etc. HEATED arguments ensued between opposing viewpoints. What do you think of this? I will give you my opinion, and remember, I'm an Anglo living in an area with an 80% Hispanic population. --first, I really don't think that "English only" is a good, practical, or beneficial idea. It's not a requirement that citizens speak English, and second and third generations always lose most of their old language anyway. --second, and this is really the kicker-- I don't care how many times they deny it, to me the "English First" stuff is nothing but thinly disguised bigotry and hatred, and I won't have anything to do with that. I am so tired of institutionalized fear, bigotry, and hatred. I know this issue is related to the illegal immigration problem, too, but not exclusively. Plenty of legal aliens and citizens in my town speak only Spanish. ETA: Here's the CNN page covering this stuff: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/hispanic.heritage/ __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!" Last edited by Cloud; 10-02-2007 at 11:41 AM.

10-02-2007, 11:54 AM	#8
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	Sounds like a waste of time, money, and effort. not to mention reactionary, and fear motivated. I'm all for it. Habla Espanol, cloud? __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

10-02-2007, 11:59 AM	#9
jinx Come on, cat. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area Posts: 7,013	I'm not offended by having to push the "English" option at the ATM, but I am offended by the amount of money wasted on printing govt. forms in numerous languages. And I wouldn't want to see ESL programs go away - but immersion works. Graduating kids who can only speak Spanish handicaps them - they become future landscapers instead of future whatever they want to be's. __________________ Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.

10-02-2007, 12:01 PM	#10
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	I kinda agree with you there, Jinx, about the expense for printing extra languages. I wish it wasn't necessary. Yes, LJ, I speak decent Spanish. In fact, I should speak better Spanish than I do. I've studied it all my life. My accent is perfect, but I still don't consider myself fluent. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

10-02-2007, 12:14 PM	#11
HungLikeJesus Only looks like a disaster tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: above 7,000 feet Posts: 7,208	I think we should all speak German. __________________ Keep Your Bodies Off My Lawn SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.

10-02-2007, 11:50 AM	#2
piercehawkeye45 Franklin Pierce Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,695	Going to an "English only" society will only cause problems and heat up racial tensions. America will never become a Spanish speaking country, never.

10-02-2007, 12:02 PM	#3
SamIam Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Not here Posts: 2,655	What's wrong with the US having a couple of languages? Why not three or four? What's the BFD? Will what's left of our democracy completely collapse if someone dare to communicate in a "foreign" tongue? Where I live, I am treated to two Navajo language radio stations which broadcast over hundreds of miles. Is this an insult to the English language? Maybe since the Navajo were here first - the "REAL" Americans, we should have Navajo Only campaigns. I also have Spanish speaking friends who trace their families back to the days when this part of the US was still a part of Mexico. The conquerers always impose their language on the conquered, right? Then I have a neighbor who thinks New Mexico is still Mexico, and everyone from New Mexico is in this state illegally. JEEZ! Will this stupidity never end?

10-02-2007, 05:22 PM	#7
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	How is people not being able to communicate with each other going to reduce racial tensions?

10-02-2007, 12:42 PM	#12
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	i don't support english only legislation because i think it will only create more bureacracy. that being said, i absolutely hate seeing ads for government agency jobs that require foreign language fluency. if i moved to mexico, legally or not, and i had to go to a government office i wouldn't expect them to be fluent in english. if they are, great, but if they aren't it isn't their fault that i didn't bother to learn the dominant language in the area i chose to move to. __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

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