Why should immigrants in America learn english?

[Annie]

I totally agree with you there. I just don't think that the government should require people to speak any particular language.

I don't think I did say that. On the other hand, it's getting way out of hand with how the immigrants, especially illegals, are acting entitled. There is certainly going to be a backlash, this would be a minor one, IMO.

 

[Hobbit]

I totally agree with you there. I just don't think that the government should require people to speak any particular language.

I don't think you're getting the threat here. We turn down legal immigrants all the time because we think they would be detrimental to this country. Nothing is more detrimental, though, than a bloc of immigrants who REFUSE to integrate. Integration is all but impossible if they don't know the language of the land, but instead of encouraging them to fit in, the government, via lawsuit rulings, ensures that nobody has to know English. If we'd plug up the border tighter than Pelosi's sphincter and then strictly enforce English requirements for high school graduation, this wouldn't even be an issue, since we wouldn't have anybody entering this country without at least one English speaker at the head of the household and any high school graduates would have to have at least basic English proficiency. You're talking about the U.S. government enforcing English as if they're breaking into people's homes and testing them when, in fact, what we want is for the government to stop enforcing bilingualism on our society.

For an individual, multilingualism is a virtue. For a society, it is a cancer, and we need to purge this one before it metasticizes.

 

[Gunny]

Not true, I know many 3rd and 4th generation Greeks here who speak fluent Greek.

Lets face it, many immigrants who come here at an advanced age 30+ have a very hard time picking up the language, its just more difficult to do then when you are younger but i'm willing to bet that the majority of immigrants who come here know that they have to learn some English and try and have some success albeit broken.

This must learn English and English as the official language crap is a joke, its just red meat for the base that has zero effect on any perceived immigration problem.

Anyway i'd like to see some of you guys move to lets say, Russia, and be speaking decent even within 5 years. Wouldn't happen. Hell many Americans won't even bother to learn basic shit like hello and goodbye when on vacation in a foriegn country, we just expect everyboody should be able to speak English.

When I lived in Greece, I tried to learn enough Greek to get by. Same in Japan. I did not expect the entire nations of Greece, Japan, and everywhere else I have been in the world to learn to speak English so I could visit their country.

The problem is, you aren't speaking of the biggest violators. Mexicans come to this country, legally or illegally, and refuse to even attempt to speak English, nor do they require their children to learn it. They have this attitude that we all have to change to accomodate them.

There are entire communities in the Southwest where you may as well piss in the wind as expect anyone to understand you in English. It wasn't that way around here when I was a kid. Immigrants did their best to assimilate. Now instead, they "celebrate their heritage" by refusing to.

I'm pretty fair at Spanish, but I REFUSE to speak it here. When I go to Mexico, I do.

 

[CrimsonWhite]

But should the government have the power to decide what languages we can and cannot use? I don't think so.

I totally agree with you there. I just don't think that the government should require people to speak any particular language.

In a personal capacity, no. The government should not have any say in what language you use in your home or personal life. On the other hand, one language is much more effiecient. It is not out of the realm possibilities to assume that a person can be bilingual. Why should we spend money training government workers to speak other languauges so that the individual that comes here doesn't have to? Immigrants used to gladly learn the English language in order to embrace their new home and heritage. Why has this changed. Emma Larzarus said of America, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore, send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door." We have built a nation of the poor and indigent. The oppressed have come here to be free of oppression. We give them that. We give them healthcare. We give them homes, jobs, and money, ie. Social Security. Granted we don't give them the keys to Fort Knox, a mansion on a hill, or cushy air-conditioned offices, but we provide more to those that come here illegally than to those that follow proper channels. My question to statement is this:

Is it to much to ask that these people learn to speak English?

 

[kurtsprincess]

As a business owner I want my staff to speak English. I would not want to hire someone who speaks Spanish, or Russian, or Chinese, or Farzi, etc. It would be too expensive to have all the interpreters on staff in case someone should enter and need to speak. If everyone were requied to speak at least one language then we only need one person to speak to customers!

I have no problem with the goverment dictating that the official language of America should be "English" which is currently spoken by the majority of decision makers in this country anyway.

 

[Jennifer.Bush]

:rotflmao: @ me having a -2 rep-

people i believe they should HAVe to speak english!!!!!!

 

[dilloduck]

:rotflmao: @ me having a -2 rep-

people i believe they should HAVe to speak english!!!!!!

Taken care of---next problem? I'm easy this AM.