English language legislation gathers steam across the USA
June 19th, 2008 . by TexasFredUSA Today - English as an official language has gained momentum as proponents keep going to the ballot box with measures that discourage bilingual ballots, notices and documents.
Thirty states now have laws specifying that official government communications be in English, says U.S. English, a group that promotes the laws. This year such bills are under consideration in 19 legislatures.
“It’s multiplying tremendously,” says Mauro Mujica, a Chilean immigrant and chairman and CEO of U.S. English. “We’ve made huge progress.”
Critics do not see progress. Some say the increase in the measures nationwide sends a hostile message to newcomers.
“It just poisons the atmosphere in local communities,” says John Trasvina, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
Full Story Here:
English language legislation gathers steam across the USA
I don’t think there’s anyone that has ever read my blog that has ANY doubt on where I stand on the English as our official language debate, this is the USA, we speak American English, if you don’t, learn it or take an interpreter with you everywhere you go.
Can it be any more simple?
It has been my privilege to have visited many nations of this world, and nearly ALL were nations where English was NOT the 1st, and in most cases, not even the 2nd language, and as such I was at a disadvantage of sorts, and I remedied that disadvantage by hiring an interpreter as I wasn’t planning on being in any of those nations long enough to justify learning that particular language.
There are many in this nation that have been here for many years that have never even bothered to try and learn to speak English, and I know of a very sad case right here in the Dallas area a while back where a Korean couple that had been in the USA for over 20 years died because they couldn’t speak English and were unable to communicate with 9-1-1 operators after they had driven into the Trinity river, the Dallas 9-1-1 operators did have Spanish speakers but Korean wasn’t on the immediate needs list.
There isn’t a non-English speaking nation on earth that goes to ANY trouble to accommodate those that don’t speak their native language, why should we bend over backwards to accommodate those that refuse to learn the English language after having spent MANY years here, working here, earning a living and raising a family here, family members that, for the record, did speak English, but just barely.
Officials have confirmed that a missing couple from Garland are the people whose bodies were found Wednesday morning in a car submerged in the Trinity River in southeast Dallas.
Young Kim, 60, and his 57-year-old wife, Sook Yun Kim, were identified Wednesday afternoon by the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The Kims were last seen about 3 p.m. Monday leaving an office in the 10000 block of Log Cabin Road. They were going to meet an acquaintance in the 4800 block of Sunnyvale Street, according to reports.
The 2006 Hyundai Sonata they drove was found submerged in water near a boat ramp below the Loop 12 bridge that spans the Trinity River, just south of Sleepy Hollow Country Club.
Full Story Here:
Missing Garland couple found dead in submerged car
Had these folks been English speakers the outcome may have been completely different, maybe not, but as I said when this story broke a year ago:
Call me hard-hearted, but if you come to MY nation and spend over 20 years of YOUR life here, making money, enjoying the fruits of this land and ALL it has to offer and you don’t have the motivation to learn to speak English, or you don’t entertain the idea that after all that time you SHOULD become an American, to hell with you, I don’t care WHAT happens to you, you’re nothing but a leech on MY nation.
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Howdy and a hardy “yee-haw!” See that? We agree. English is the one and only language that should be accepted in this country on things like voting ballots, applications for work (especially for legal residents), gun permits, welfare applications and other such things. And its not just people of Hispanic origin who are guilty. I knew a Chinese woman (art director for a printing company) who was born in the US and yet spoke with a heavy, often unintelligible accent. That’s wrong, even though all she spoke in her home was Chinese (Mandarin). I don’t have any problem with country of origin languages being spoken in the home, but in public? If you want to buy a pack of gum, ask for it in English. See that? We agree. However, given that you’re “way up north” and I’m a minority where I am, we should figure out the question of nuance. What do I mean? I wouldn’t shoot people coming across the border. You would, but then again, if they get to where you are and they’re in the gangs of hundreds that you fear, then, yes, we’ve been invaded. If hundreds come across the border in dribs and drabs, that’s not an invasion. If Los Zetas cross the border and shoot at our CBP guys, that’s an incursion and worth shooting at. Its a complicated issue.
I called Cox Communications the other day, and had to “press 1″ for English. I pressed zero and registered my thoughts with the poor sap who answered my call. Maybe we should all do that. Let the companies know that English should be assumed, and other languages are the inconvenience.
When I get some RD world-moon-bat on the phone who thinks he/she speaks English I just keep asking for the next person in charge. You only have to go up a tier or two before you get a real English speaker. If you’re not going to speak English in the US, go back to what ever mud-hole spawned you and speak the gobble-gook they speak there.
Anywhere but the United States and places like UK, Australia and New Zealand, English is goobledy-gook.
What we need is a Constitutional Amendment on this. If that bozo Obama wins in November, he will pack the court with liberals. They will strike down each one of these laws. A constitutional amendment prevents this.
See this: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-06-18-English-laws_N.htm
That is the source OF this thread… Did you miss that??
Yeah, probably (missed it)…that’s what I get for being busy and trying to do three or four things at once. Sorry.
How’bout this: http://www.languagepolicy.org/membership/English-Only.ppt
Howdy Fred keep on telling it like it is. God Bless America & Great Britain in the War On Terror. I pray Obama fails in his bid to destroy America! SOCIALISM SUCKS!!!!
Rogue Gunner, WELCOME fellow warrior, and please, make yourself at home…
Time to get out the English only stuff again.
I really could care less what you speak at home or with family. When you are conducting business in the USA it should be in English. No business or government materials should be spending money on multi-language brochures or forms. Interpretation and variation enters in misunderstandings and business failings. One language with one intent. I am surprised we don’t have more businesses in court being sued because their non English informtion was false or confusing.
Standards people - English
When I came in this country, I didn’t expect to conduct business in my native language. So I learned English. But that’s not my issue. If we look back in history, we can see that the countries that allowed 2 languages being spoken, broke apart. So, we will be called United States of Amexico.
I agree — and allow me to post a link to an absolutely absurd story from ATAW:
http://americantruckersatwar.com/2008/06/10/idaho-touch-screen-testing-for-drivers/
Idaho is offering the commerical drivers license test in Mexican Spanish, Serbo-Croatian and Russian. My favorite FMCSA (if you can have one) is:
FMCSA Regulation 391.11 (b)(2) Can read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records.
How can Idaho be certain that the applicant is able to understand English well enough to drive an 80,000 pound vehicle across America if they are giving the test in other languages?????
What IS Mexican Spanish, anyway?
Sorry for being so late with this. The blackberries are turning and I’ve been spending my “free” time picking and canning…..
By the way - my mother was a LEGAL immigrant. I cannot speak her native German because she felt her children were born in America, we are Americans and refused to speak German even in our home…….