Senate votes on national language

[cranny]

Yesterday Senators voted 63-34 to make English the national language. It's about time. Actually, they didn't exactly use the words "national language." Instead, they chose to call it a "common and unifying language." Whatever.
This is a start. If you want to come to the United States and be a part of the culture, you should have to learn English. For too long, we have coddled people who expect to come here and continue speaking Spanish. So now we have English being taught as a second language. We have signs in both English and Spanish. And who can forget the most annoying thing of all: when you call a customer service line, being told to press a button if you speak English.
In fact, before you are granted citizenship into this country, you should be given a simple language test. If you cannot demonstrate your ability to speak the native language, you're out. Go home, learn English and then try again. It really is as simple as that.

 

[dullboy]

dullboy never understood how a person could live in this country for any extended period of time and not know one fucking word of english?

how is that even possible?

 

[Delinquent]

About fucking time!!!

 

[Cynical Simian]

If you cannot demonstrate your ability to speak the native language, you're out.

Fuck. I need to brush up on my Uto-Aztecan.

 

[AAP]

dullboy never understood how a person could live in this country for any extended period of time and not know one fucking word of english?

how is that even possible?

You never been to Miami then. Bitches been here 10 years and still "no speaky ingles". Yet they got drivers licenses, cell phones, college grants, and the bitches vote.

 

[Phenom78]

dullboy never understood how a person could live in this country for any extended period of time and not know one fucking word of english?

how is that even possible?

They must have attended the US public school system.

I'd be impressed if we could teach native born Americans to speak english.

 

[saint808]

Seriously... it really is about time to have an official language... although being bi-lingual is going to help with the near future.

 

[Phenom78]

Ethnic neighborhoods have been a long term part of the American experience. They don't call them Little (insert name of foreign country) because they ran out of other things to call those neighborhoods.

Not all immigrants will learn to speak english. That has never been the case. The first generation does and by the time they reach the second or third generation barely anyone can still speak the foreign tongue.

This country has had this same argument since the outset. The Germans, Italians, Irish.....etc have all taken their turn at being the reason the country would soon collapse. One would imagine in some 200+ years the "sky is falling" crowd would get a clue. No such luck.

 

[dullboy]

Ethnic neighborhoods have been a long term part of the American experience. They don't call them Little (insert name of foreign country) because they ran out of other things to call those neighborhoods.

Not all immigrants will learn to speak english. That has never been the case. The first generation does and by the time they reach the second or third generation barely anyone can still speak the foreign tongue.

This country has had this same argument since the outset. The Germans, Italians, Irish.....etc have all taken their turn at being the reason the country would soon collapse. One would imagine in some 200+ years the "sky is falling" crowd would get a clue. No such luck.

dullboy doesn't think the sky is falling, he just wants to know how someone could actually live here and not learn one fucking work of english, even it was by accident.

you have to really be trying to be that flipping ignorant.

 

[Phenom78]

dullboy doesn't think the sky is falling, he just wants to know how someone could actually live here and not learn one fucking work of english, even it was by accident.

you have to really be trying to be that flipping ignorant.

Much depends on the age, means, and environment of the immigrant. People migrate to ethnic communities precisely because it allows them to function at a high level with others who share their ethnic tongue. Those who have access to such communities tend to be less likely to learn english. Their children however do.

If necessity forced otherwise I'm certain they would learn if for no other reason than basic survival. But I don't see the issue. I don't see these studies showing we are raising native generations incapable of speaking english. Comparing it to French Canada as many do is absurd. The difference being they've always spoken French and refuse to adopt another. Or at least some vocal miniority. Here the "problem" is self correcting by the first or second generation at maximum.

 

[Phenom78]

I think the reality that needs to be acknowledged, around which a great deal of rationalization has sprung, is that the real issue is the many who feel the South American immigrants are inherently inferior. I don't claim that all who raise objections share the sentiment, but neither am I oblivious to the transparent racism underneath much of this debate.