Obama to Americans: "You Need To Make Sure Your Child Can Speak Spanish"

The Patriot Room ^ | July 9, 2008 | Bill Dupray

[Bill Dupray]

Video. He says he is "embarrassed" at Americans who can't speak foreign languages, but he's got no problem with foreigners who can't speak ours. All American boy, that guy.

[DManA]

Only McCain could possible lose to this guy.

[TLI]

Geez, will Mr. Hussein please crawl back in his anti-American hole?

[Lumper20]

And Obama speaks the Koran? I doubt he speaks a single European language. Certainly not Deutsch.

[johnny7]

Only McCain could possible lose to this guy.

We think alike... I've never seen such an anti-American candidate.

[AD from SpringBay]

He-whose-full-name-must-not-be-spoken hath spoken! I wonder if he also believes American children should learn English?

[isrul]

I have a problem with this mulatto Mephistopheles who apes being the messiah.

[EggsAckley]

I would suggest that before anyone worry about their child speaking Spanish, they make damned sure their child can read and write in English.

[Schnucki]

obama already has trouble with English. Does he speak any other language?

[isrul]

And he will. Because that's the intention.

[GOP_Proud]

If the global economy ran in French, I would know French. As it is, the world seems to run in English.

A friend from Belgium once told me how surprised she was that most Americans can’t speak 2 or 3 languages. I pointed out how within a couple of hours she can be in 3 or 4 different countries and she travels to them often just to shop and visit. Thus, they not only pick up the language but they get to use it.

OTOH, the vast majority of Americans live several hours from only 2 different countries. One that speaks English and one that speaks Spanish. Accessibility breeds familiarity.

[isrul]

Wonder what his position is on ebonics?

[mefistofelerevised]

Did he really say that? Yeah jerk, english IS the international language because of the United States. I’m sick of these surrender guys. Why don’t we teach ghetto talk instead?

[HawaiianGecko]

 

For a bit more context of what Obama said:

---

Obama Tells Kids to Stay in School, Learn a Foreign Language

by Bonney Kapp

At his Georgia town hall meeting, Obama cautioned kids not to drop out of school to pursue a far-fetched dream. Addressing a mostly African American crowd outside Atlanta, Obama joked, “You can’t find a job unless you are a really, really good basketball player. Which most of you brothers are not. I know you think you are. But you’re not. You are overrated in your own mind. You will not play in the NBA. You are probably not that good a rapper. Maybe you are the next Little Wayne, but probably not. In which case you need to stay in school.”

On a roll, Obama then said they’d be much more employable if they know a foreign language, and said we should be emphasizing foreign language study in classrooms. “It’s embarrassing when Europeans come over here, they all speak English, they speak French, they speak German. And then we go over to Europe and all we can say is merci beaucoup.”

---

 I may be mistaken, but it seems to me that it would be very hard to argue effectively against what Obama said in a public forum without looking foolish.

[Tigen]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WhGpIzH7N6Y

[Radl]

On election day I hope I cann say to this marxist “Adios Muchacho.”

[ryan71]

Obama needs to worry about black kids who won't learn English.

Obama does not hate America. Obama hates WHITE America.

He believes every word Wright ever preached to him. The only difference in Wright and Obama is their delivery. Obama dishes out his hate in much smaller portions.

[petro45acp]

obamanation can kiss my shiny metal butt!!

spoke spanish in spain and South America,
spoke frog-speak in frogland,
spoke german in germania,
spoke norge in Norway,

Not well, but enough to get around (thank you Dr. Berlitz)......elitist jerk.

[musicman]

Obama to Americans: "You Need To Make Sure Your Child Can Speak Spanish"

[Eurale]

Roughly 80% of Americans don’t have a command of the English language. Seen BET lately?

[massgopguy]

The results at the Olympics are given in three languages. That of the host country, French and English.

[Cecily]

Laura Ingraham played the “it is embarrassing” sound bite this morning. I can’t decide who is more obnoxious and annoying at this point, BO or his wife Angry Shirley Hemphill.

[mewzilla]

In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.

Theodore Roosevelt (1919)

[landerwy]

Well the whole MSM goes crazy over President Bush mispronouncing “nuclear”. Why do they give this guy a pass on his pronunciation of “English”? Listen to that! What a joke!!!

[Melinda]

“And then we go over to Europe and all we can say is merci beaucoup.”

So what foreign language is Obama fluent in? ARRRGGGGGHHH!!! Speak for yourself, Obama, you phony product of affirmative action. Is this what you think we are? Ignoramuses who aren't able to speak anything but English? What, he himself didn't learn a foreign language in school? Too busy primping? 300,000,000 English speaking US citizens on essentially a single language nation in comparison to a few million French, Italian, Dutch or Spanish crammed into a multilingual area. Hmmm. The world learned English because they needed to, it is not the other way around. They are multi-lingual for survival reasons, not because they wanted to learn a second language for fun. What an arrogant, ignorant thing to say, but let's not forget, he is speaking to his dumbed-down electorate.

[abishai]

If the global economy ran in French, I would know French. As it is, the world seems to run in English.

Exactly. English is the language of success.

[God luvs America]

sadly you’re right....

this POS hussien obama turns my stomach- I literally cannot watch him as he makes me sick- he is a disgusting leftist who wants to make sure he exagerates the ills of this country to pander to the lunatics who form his base....what a POS....

[Melinda]

Yesterday, he actually used the term “Yous” to refer to a crowd. I was flabbergasted.

[50sDad]

Barak, if you get in office we need to make sure our children can speak Iranian.

[E. Cartman]

NO, BO. Secure the damn borders, kick out all the illegals, and make sure everyone who wants to become a citizen can speak English.

[silverleaf]

The people who lap this stuff up probably do feel righteuos and superior about learning spanish- so they can communicate better with the maid and gardener

[Havok]

Thats it. I’m saying it.

Obama is such an EFFING A-HOLE.

[Charles Bronson Forever]

OMG, McCain needs to run this clip until eternity. And they say W was a poor orator. Take the Teleprompter away from the Kenyan Marxist, please, and grab the popcorn.

[GCC Catholic]

If the global economy ran in French, I would know French. As it is, the world seems to run in English.

A friend from Belgium once told me how surprised she was that most Americans can’t speak 2 or 3 languages. I pointed out how within a couple of hours she can be in 3 or 4 different countries and she travels to them often just to shop and visit. Thus, they not only pick up the language but they get to use it.

OTOH, the vast majority of Americans live several hours from only 2 different countries. One that speaks English and one that speaks Spanish. Accessibility breeds familiarity.

An excellent explanation. I will have to remember this and use it often.

[TexasGunLover]

We think alike... I've never seen such an anti-American candidate.

All we had to do was nominate someone halfway tolerable, to beat an idiot like Hussein and instead, we nominate McCain... the one guy who stands no chance of beating Hussein.

[TexasGunLover]

OMG, McCain needs to run this clip until eternity

Sorry, no can do... McCain supports the same position and even if he didn't support the position, he is for "get along politics" and would never attack Hussein.

[TexasGunLover]

this POS hussien obama turns my stomach- I literally cannot watch him as he makes me sick- he is a disgusting leftist who wants to make sure he exagerates the ills of this country to pander to the lunatics who form his base....what a POS....

Get used to it, you're going to see this idiot everyday for the next 4.5 years during his first term. We can't beat Hussein with a loser liberal like McCain.. hell they stand for most of the same things...

[EggsAckley]

Yup. But, oh......be SURE they learn Spanish.

Pffffftttttt!!

[mefistofelerevised]

Did he really say that? Yeah jerk, english IS the international language because of the United States. I’m sick of these surrender guys. Why don’t we teach ghetto talk instead?

[Girlene]

“It’s embarrassing when Europeans come over here, they all speak English, they speak French, they speak German. And then we go over to Europe and all we can say is merci beaucoup.”

Well, I find that statement quite foolish. Maybe Obama is embarrassed, but I see no point in being embarrassed. Only an elitist would feel that way. I'll take my American citizenship over being fluent in French any day of the year.

Note to Obama, "Ou est le WC?" is way more important than "merci beaucoup" when travelling to France.

[roses of sharon]

President Hussein is redecorating America's White House.

[SoothingDave]

I may be mistaken, but it seems to me that it would be very hard to argue effectively against what Obama said in a public forum without looking foolish.

What, are you new here? ;-)

[johnny7]

We can't beat Hussein with a loser liberal like McCain.. hell they stand for most of the same things...

We've been dealt a bad hand but we have a duty to preserve the Republic.
OBAMA MUST BE DEFEATED!

[HawaiianGecko]

  Je demanderais ou est la toilette, pas ou est le cabinet d'aisance.  Disparaissent le saut dans le lac serait la reponse.

"I'll take my American citizenship over being fluent in French any day of the year."   What does that have to do with the article or Obama for that matter?  Please point out where he claims he'd rather speak French than be an American.  Is it possible that BDS is evolving into ODS?

[Cecily]

The man is obnoxious, and he makes stupid, shallow, and untrue generalizations about Americans. Many Americans do spend years studying any number of foreign languages, but for reasons mentioned by other posters, most of us don’t have the opportunities for immersion in or practice of foreign languages to attain fluency. The Empty-Suited One could encourage American students to study other languages without the flippant dig at our supposed ability only to be able to say “merci beaucoup” while in France. I for one could manage a fair amount more French than that, and so could a lot of Americans.

In the immortal words of Clint Eastwood, “a guy like him should shut his face.”

[TBP]

So the Mexicans can complete their takeover?

[TBP]

No hablo Espanol.

[radiohead]

As it is, the world seems to run in English.

Yup. I know of academic programs in Europe that are run in English so that they can attract people from all over the continent. They aren't run in Spanish, they aren't run in French. btw, these are regular, foreign university programs, not the 'summer in Europe' American-sponsored stuff.

[Girlene]

"Je demanderais ou est la toilette, pas ou est le cabinet d'aisance. "

Okay. LOL

"I'll take my American citizenship over being fluent in French any day of the year." What does that have to do with the article or Obama for that matter? Please point out where he claims he'd rather speak French than be an American.

He was making fun of/criticizing Americans' limited abilities to communicate when visiting foreign countries, specifically France. I never claimed he'd rather speak French than be an American, that was MY claim. I value being an American (where English is the official language), versus being fluent in some other country's language.

Sorry, if my logic was flawed. Rough day. I think what he said was foolish, and was just one more example of ripping Americans.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

Its just pandering to Latinos who think they speak Spanish. They really speak Splanglish (Slang/Spanish and English) that would get them laughed at in a real Spanish Speaking nation.