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Wish I'd been there......
During committee testimony this week in Austin, a Texas senator interrupted a Spanish speaker and telling him he should "be speaking in English" during a committee hearing.
Antolin Aguirre of the Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition was testifying against Senate Bill 9 that would help crack down on illegal immigrants in Texas. Aguirre spoke through an interpreter even though he had been in the U.S. since 1988.
Two minutes into Antolin Aguirres testimony, Sen. Chris Harris, a Republican from Arlington, interrupted asking Aguirres interrupter, "Did I understand him correctly that he has been here since 1988?" Harris asked. "Why arent you speaking in English the
Read more: Why Arent You Speaking English? | Houston News - KTRH NewsRadio 740 Houston News, Weather, Traffic
I agree that most Americans believe all citizens should speak English. However, I don't think most people feel as strongly as the Senator. You might be surprised at how many people speak English but choose to use their native language whenever possible. I was in Germany for a number of years and spoke enough German to get by but giving the opportunity, I would speak English because I was far more fluent in English than German. If I had to testify at a hearing, I would certain want to use English if possible.Antonlin Aguirre IS a US citizen. Senator Chris Harris is SUPPOSED to represent Aguirre's concerns and interests. That's why he was voted into office. Harris rudely interrupted Aguirre's testimony and got wrapped around the axle over the fact that Aguirre was testifying in Spanish rather than to first listen to the substance and context of Aguiire's testimony. What does that tell you about the senator?
When Harris said that Aguirre's speaking Spanish was "an insult" to the members of the board, he was essentially saying that Spanish-speakers are outsiders. And that plays right into Aguirre's point all along: passing the immigration bill will result in racial profiling of Spanish-speaking US citizens residing in Texas. By the way, Aguirre was testifying AGAINST the bill, which is similar to the one passed in Arizona, because he says it will result in unfair treatment for US citizens of Hispanic descent. Harris' outbursts tends to suggest that Aguirre's allegation is spot on.
I agree that it would have probably been a better tactical move had Aguirre testified in English. However, I think it may have worked against him if his English was heavily accented or if he mispronounced certain words. It really doesn't matter because the United States has no official language. Aguirre spoke through an interpreter.
How free is freedom of speech if we're going to demand that someone testify in English.
Harris is a dirtbag.
Senator Harris is supposed to represent the wishes of the American people as a whole and not individual third world invaders who feed off the American people. The English language in part of the American way of life. It's a package deal. If you want to be an American you must learn English. We are tired of pacifying these Latin American squatters!
Wish I'd been there......
During committee testimony this week in Austin, a Texas senator interrupted a Spanish speaker and telling him he should "be speaking in English" during a committee hearing.
Antolin Aguirre of the Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition was testifying against Senate Bill 9 that would help crack down on illegal immigrants in Texas. Aguirre spoke through an interpreter even though he had been in the U.S. since 1988.
Two minutes into Antolin Aguirre’s testimony, Sen. Chris Harris, a Republican from Arlington, interrupted asking Aguirre’s interrupter, "Did I understand him correctly that he has been here since 1988?" Harris asked. "Why aren’t you speaking in English the
Read more: “Why Aren’t You Speaking English?” | Houston News - KTRH NewsRadio 740 Houston News, Weather, Traffic
when willl you people realise that speaking more than one language is easy for the brain and in fact has been proven to make your brain more functional.
There are cold hard studies that prove this.
By insisting for some dumb racists reason that Americans speak only one language you insist Americans hold their brain back.
Many in The rest of the world speaks more than one launguage
Recently Reuters did a survey ranking the US as the most unfriendly country to visitors. The survey was aimed primarily at immigration officials. However, I think the unfriendliness of Americans toward foreigners goes a lot deeper than just immigration. I have a friend from Germany that visits us occasionally. He made the comment once, that he would never travel across America unless he spoke good English. Americans seem to distrust or ignore anyone that's doesn't speak English.
My neighbor said he was going to skip going to the Grand Canyon this year because there are just too many damn foreigners there. I think we all need to remember that foreign visitors bring over 120 billion dollars each year to our economy and a little friendliness can make a very big impression.
Recently Reuters did a survey ranking the US as the most unfriendly country to visitors. The survey was aimed primarily at immigration officials. However, I think the unfriendliness of Americans toward foreigners goes a lot deeper than just immigration. I have a friend from Germany that visits us occasionally. He made the comment once, that he would never travel across America unless he spoke good English. Americans seem to distrust or ignore anyone that's doesn't speak English.
My neighbor said he was going to skip going to the Grand Canyon this year because there are just too many damn foreigners there. I think we all need to remember that foreign visitors bring over 120 billion dollars each year to our economy and a little friendliness can make a very big impression.
You're right. I tried many times to make friends in USA. I have friends over the Americas, in Argentina, Dom. Rep., Mexico etc. But in USA is damn too hard, you know! People just stop talking to you and all that stuff. It's stranger to me, because we receive foreigners here as they were home.
And it's that we have a bad impression about USA when something like this happens. Brazilians, for an example, spend more than 5 billion in USA every year. If we're not well receveid and don't feel home... well I think that many will choose Canada or Mexico or Europe, or China... anywhere but not USA, in the next vacations. The true is that when brazilians (I don't know about the mexicans) go there, they wanna dream, and they wanna see that Brazil is a BIG piece of shit and have a wonderful time there. It's usual between tourists. For them, anywhere is better than Brazil. So if they can make their dreams there, they'll leave much more money and won't regret. Or, as I said, they'll visit somewhere else. It happens very much. These 5 billion could easy, at least, 8 billion.
Almost giving up of making USA's buddies.
You do realize that he doesn't speak ENGLISH enough to have even a basic conversation and is saying he prefers his NATIVE language is a weak attempt to hide the fact that he doesn't know it correct or did that go over your tiny head?
Second, if you are speaking in front of a government body, then you should speak the language of the land, WHICH IS ENGLISH!!! Would a gringo citizen of Mexico go into the Mexican Parliament and speak ENGLISH? Absolutely not!when willl you people realise that speaking more than one language is easy for the brain and in fact has been proven to make your brain more functional.
There are cold hard studies that prove this.
By insisting for some dumb racists reason that Americans speak only one language you insist Americans hold their brain back.
Many in The rest of the world speaks more than one launguage
Recently Reuters did a survey ranking the US as the most unfriendly country to visitors. The survey was aimed primarily at immigration officials. However, I think the unfriendliness of Americans toward foreigners goes a lot deeper than just immigration. I have a friend from Germany that visits us occasionally. He made the comment once, that he would never travel across America unless he spoke good English. Americans seem to distrust or ignore anyone that's doesn't speak English.
My neighbor said he was going to skip going to the Grand Canyon this year because there are just too many damn foreigners there. I think we all need to remember that foreign visitors bring over 120 billion dollars each year to our economy and a little friendliness can make a very big impression.
You're right. I tried many times to make friends in USA. I have friends over the Americas, in Argentina, Dom. Rep., Mexico etc. But in USA is damn too hard, you know! People just stop talking to you and all that stuff. It's stranger to me, because we receive foreigners here as they were home.
And it's that we have a bad impression about USA when something like this happens. Brazilians, for an example, spend more than 5 billion in USA every year. If we're not well receveid and don't feel home... well I think that many will choose Canada or Mexico or Europe, or China... anywhere but not USA, in the next vacations. The true is that when brazilians (I don't know about the mexicans) go there, they wanna dream, and they wanna see that Brazil is a BIG piece of shit and have a wonderful time there. It's usual between tourists. For them, anywhere is better than Brazil. So if they can make their dreams there, they'll leave much more money and won't regret. Or, as I said, they'll visit somewhere else. It happens very much. These 5 billion could easy, at least, 8 billion.
Almost giving up of making USA's buddies.
I'm really sorry you feel that way.
Originally posted by Flopper
Recently Reuters did a survey ranking the US as the most unfriendly country to visitors. The survey was aimed primarily at immigration officials. However, I think the unfriendliness of Americans toward foreigners goes a lot deeper than just immigration.
Recently Reuters did a survey ranking the US as the most unfriendly country to visitors. The survey was aimed primarily at immigration officials. However, I think the unfriendliness of Americans toward foreigners goes a lot deeper than just immigration. I have a friend from Germany that visits us occasionally. He made the comment once, that he would never travel across America unless he spoke good English. Americans seem to distrust or ignore anyone that's doesn't speak English.
B.S.!!!
My neighbor said he was going to skip going to the Grand Canyon this year because there are just too many damn foreigners there. I think we all need to remember that foreign visitors bring over 120 billion dollars each year to our economy and a little friendliness can make a very big impression.
José;3776645 said:Originally posted by Flopper
Recently Reuters did a survey ranking the US as the most unfriendly country to visitors. The survey was aimed primarily at immigration officials. However, I think the unfriendliness of Americans toward foreigners goes a lot deeper than just immigration.
US immigration officials have a worldwide reputation for being rude to foreigners (specially the ones who speak broken english or no english at all). This is nothing new. My sister witnessed an agent slapping the hand of one of her friends because she took too long to show her passport (JFK if I'm not mistaken). The girl started to cry. She said she wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes.
But this has nothing to do with them being americans and everything to do with group mentality and group behavior. And even if 70% of americans don't like foreigners (which I don't believe) 30% out of 310 million is a hell of a lot of people.
Americans are not supermarket products, people!! Let's not label them!!
We all know that people are the same where ever we go
There is good and bad in evryone
More lyrics: Paul McCartney Lyrics
I think he should have asked the committee if he could use an interpreter explaining that he wasn't fluent in English and he was nervous. The committee would have probably agreed. If not, another member of the group would have addressed the committee or he could have stumble through the talk in English. Of course the Senator wouldn't have his headlines.In the state of Texas it is not "illegal" to speak any language other than English before a Texas Senate committee.
Other than ruffling the feathers of the Senator, the speaker went on with his testimony and the committee allowed him to do so...
Spanish has been spoken in Texas since before there was a Texas...Or US
I think he should have asked the committee if he could use an interpreter explaining that he wasn't fluent in English and he was nervous. The committee would have probably agreed. If not, another member of the group would have addressed the committee or he could have stumble through the talk in English. Of course the Senator wouldn't have his headlines.In the state of Texas it is not "illegal" to speak any language other than English before a Texas Senate committee.
Other than ruffling the feathers of the Senator, the speaker went on with his testimony and the committee allowed him to do so...
Spanish has been spoken in Texas since before there was a Texas...Or US
The whole thing was a nonevent since the bill passed anyway.
Too avoid the confrontation. Stuff like this inflames people on both sides of an issue and leads to more political polarization and hatred.I think he should have asked the committee if he could use an interpreter explaining that he wasn't fluent in English and he was nervous. The committee would have probably agreed. If not, another member of the group would have addressed the committee or he could have stumble through the talk in English. Of course the Senator wouldn't have his headlines.In the state of Texas it is not "illegal" to speak any language other than English before a Texas Senate committee.
Other than ruffling the feathers of the Senator, the speaker went on with his testimony and the committee allowed him to do so...
Spanish has been spoken in Texas since before there was a Texas...Or US
The whole thing was a nonevent since the bill passed anyway.
Why should he have asked permission to do what is permissible?
Too avoid the confrontation. Stuff like this inflames people on both sides of an issue and leads to more political polarization and hatred.I think he should have asked the committee if he could use an interpreter explaining that he wasn't fluent in English and he was nervous. The committee would have probably agreed. If not, another member of the group would have addressed the committee or he could have stumble through the talk in English. Of course the Senator wouldn't have his headlines.
The whole thing was a nonevent since the bill passed anyway.
Why should he have asked permission to do what is permissible?
