English as the Official Language

[Unkotare]

The biggest problem with this is that for all practical purposes it wouldn't really change anything.

Yeah no shit. Elected officials are interested in reaching out to their constituents, not selectively trying to deny them. That's what this is about... trying to make the lives of non English speakers more difficult.

It's all about letting them know they are not real americans

No it's not. Don't be stupid.

 

[there4eyeM]

It sounds like Congress regulating speech to me since it involves communication by language, so it is Constitutionally prohibited.
Naturally, anyone is only using his/her intelligence to learn to use English in a country everyone knows to be English speaking. No one who is aware of the US is ignorant of what the dominant language is.
Of course, conservatives have to be against this law since it increases government involvement in daily life, implies more government enforcement, and risks even if in the slightest way to infringe on the First Amendment. Only someone from the extremest left (I mean, Mao wouldn't even speak to them) could possibly support such a draconian invasion of individual choice and rights.

 

[Cowman]

So what do you assholes think about the idea of Esperanto or some other manufactured language suddenly becoming the "Official Language" of the United States?

Would you be happy about an Official Language able to be written into law then?

Yeah, I ******* thought so.

 

[Unkotare]

That makes no sense. Calm down.

 

[Dick Tuck]

Reasonable accomodations do not include licenses in 300 different languages.

Licenses, or tests and instruction manuals? Isn't that a state issue? If a state chooses to publish in some languages, so what? If they choose not to, so what? All these things are available in American English, are they not?

 

[Mac1958]

.

When you relax standards for immigrants to learn English, you hurt them by retarding their assimilation into our country. Get it done now, ASAP, and it's best for them. Socially, economically, every way.

When you relax standards in public schools for immigrants, you hurt the other children in the class by slowing down the education process to accommodate the immigrant children.

Relaxing standards sounds nice, it certainly sounds like you "care", but it's ultimately hurting the people you're trying to help. Look a little deeper than the first layer. Give them the credit for being intelligent and resourceful enough to learn our language.

.

 

[there4eyeM]

"Licenses, or tests and instruction manuals? Isn't that a state issue? If a state chooses to publish in some languages, so what? If they choose not to, so what? All these things are available in American English, are they not?"

English teachers might think you are insulting the language, but you are generally correct.

 

[there4eyeM]

If it isn't apparent to someone that they should learn the language everyone around them is speaking, how much do you think she/he can be helped?

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Of course, conservatives have to be against this law since it increases government involvement in daily life, implies more government enforcement, and risks even if in the slightest way to infringe on the First Amendment.

Or so you’d think.

When you relax standards for immigrants to learn English, you hurt them by retarding their assimilation into our country. Get it done now, ASAP, and it's best for them. Socially, economically, every way.

When you relax standards in public schools for immigrants, you hurt the other children in the class by slowing down the education process to accommodate the immigrant children.

Relaxing standards sounds nice, it certainly sounds like you "care", but it's ultimately hurting the people you're trying to help. Look a little deeper than the first layer. Give them the credit for being intelligent and resourceful enough to learn our language.

What constitutes ‘relaxed standards’?

Who determines what those standards are and by what criteria?

What evidence can be provided documenting providing government forms in Spanish or a Vietnamese translator will in someway be ‘harmful’?

‘Tough love’ sounds nice, but is this the type of activity we want government involved in, its constitutionality notwithstanding.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Why in the **** would a country that was built on immigration, and depends on immigration to sustain what's left of its agro-industry would FORCE people to learn a language? Honestly, that's the kind of shit that makes me laugh about Conservatives. They're all for keeping government out of their homes, unless it's telling them who to **** and what language to speak.

hey Derp.....there are MANY of your brethren out here who are all for English being made THEE Language......so cut the bullshit about it being all on Conservatives....

 

[Mac1958]

Of course, conservatives have to be against this law since it increases government involvement in daily life, implies more government enforcement, and risks even if in the slightest way to infringe on the First Amendment.

Or so you’d think.

When you relax standards for immigrants to learn English, you hurt them by retarding their assimilation into our country. Get it done now, ASAP, and it's best for them. Socially, economically, every way.

When you relax standards in public schools for immigrants, you hurt the other children in the class by slowing down the education process to accommodate the immigrant children.

Relaxing standards sounds nice, it certainly sounds like you "care", but it's ultimately hurting the people you're trying to help. Look a little deeper than the first layer. Give them the credit for being intelligent and resourceful enough to learn our language.

What constitutes ‘relaxed standards’?

Who determines what those standards are and by what criteria?

What evidence can be provided documenting providing government forms in Spanish or a Vietnamese translator will in someway be ‘harmful’?

‘Tough love’ sounds nice, but is this the type of activity we want government involved in, its constitutionality notwithstanding.

What constitutes ‘relaxed standards’? Your examples of printing books in multiple languages and translators are a good start. Multiculturalism in general, because it damages assimilation, as I said.

Who determines what those standards are and by what criteria? Those who are committed to Identity Politics, keeping all of us separated. Their criteria appears to be "feelings".

What evidence can be provided documenting providing government forms in Spanish or a Vietnamese translator will in someway be ‘harmful’? I'm not going to chase down data (I'm afraid this conversation is not important enough to me to put forth the effort), but I'll make you a deal - since you're interested in evidence, you're certainly welcome to prove me wrong. Perhaps you can provide evidence that lowering standards either has no effect or positive effect on immigrant children and non-immigrant children.

.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Steve King is pandering to the far right.

no ....he is not....

 

[Ravi]

The biggest problem with this is that for all practical purposes it wouldn't really change anything.

Sure it will. It will keep the xenophobes voting.

 

[Ravi]

Ha ha. And while that may be true since when does that matter to the govt? We try to "encourage" all kinds of behaviors that are in people's best interests. Certainly COMMUNICATION fits into that category.

If they were really serious they'd give a tax break to people that speak fluent English. Of course, a lot of Republicans wouldn't get it.

 

[Harry Dresden]

White People Problems. I have to press 1 for English, oh noes! Let's legislate!

black people dont have that problem?....

 

[Cowman]

White People Problems. I have to press 1 for English, oh noes! Let's legislate!

black people dont have that problem?....

Sure they do.

 

[Unkotare]

.

When you relax standards for immigrants to learn English, you hurt them by retarding their assimilation into our country. Get it done now, ASAP, and it's best for them. Socially, economically, every way.

When you relax standards in public schools for immigrants, you hurt the other children in the class by slowing down the education process to accommodate the immigrant children.

Relaxing standards sounds nice, it certainly sounds like you "care", but it's ultimately hurting the people you're trying to help. Look a little deeper than the first layer. Give them the credit for being intelligent and resourceful enough to learn our language.

.

Um, who was talking about "relaxing standards"?

 

[Unkotare]

The biggest problem with this is that for all practical purposes it wouldn't really change anything.

Sure it will. It will keep the xenophobes voting.

Oh! You used the magic word! Ten more points on your Lefty Card!

 

[Harry Dresden]

White People Problems. I have to press 1 for English, oh noes! Let's legislate!

black people dont have that problem?....

Sure they do.

so then its a black/white peoples problem....right?.....

 

[JoeB131]

Yeah, we're so uncompetitive in the world...

Well, if you worked in international manufacturing like I do .

I guess you know that we are the world's largest manufacturer then, right lunchbox? That seems pretty darn competitive to me.

Yeah, it'll take China a whole year to suprass us.

Being the largest doesn't make us competitive. Competitive would mean we aren't running 500 billion dollar trade deficits every year. Competitive would mean that companies wouldn't be finding excuses to move their factories to Asia.

Yes, we produce more because 78% of what we produce is for domestic consumption. This does not make us competitive.