Pressure building for national language

Washington Times ^ | Tuesday, March 15, 2005 | By Stephen Dinan

[JohnHuang2]

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

America is awash in foreign languages, even in rural areas, and some members of Congress say that is building support to declare English the nation's official language. U.S. English Inc., an advocacy group working for a declaration that English is the official language, says it found that 322 languages are spoken in the country, and 24 of those languages are spoken in every state and the District. California has the most languages spoken, with 207, while Wyoming had the fewest with 56. Click to learn more... Their report, released last week, follows closely Rep. Steve King's introduction of an official-English bill in the House, and sets the stage for Mr. King's renewed push for the legislation. The Iowa Republican says the time is right to move forward.

[Route101]

DUH????

[.45MAN]

I have gone to the website and signed the petition. This is something that we all need to support if not we will end up with sections of the country where english is not spoken or written. A good example is little Cuba in Miami.

More than one language in a country can and will be divisive

[tjwmason]

If you start speaking and spelling English properly, that would be a good start. ;-)

[Quix]

ABSOLUTELY!

WELLLL DUH!!! HOW LONG OVERDUE IS THIS!!!

SHEESH.

Pluralist idiots.

[KidGlock]

Good idea. But in practical terms, I am curious what will it accomplish.

[notigar]

How about Cherokee?

[jiggyboy]

In practical terms, your tax dollars will not be spent duplicating every conceivable language in:

- voting and ballot information
- DMV booklets
- translators in criminal trials
- bi-lingual teachers in public schools

Also, I personally believe it will make us less of a magnet for illegals who can just blend right in, in their little un-assimilated area.

[null and void]

More than one language in a country can and will be divisive

Comments from our Swiss FReepers?

It's been what? 714 years so far?

[Khuey]

Write your representatives and tell them to support H.R 997!

[AFPhys]

Tower of Babel --- bring anything to mind?

[bigsigh]

political masterbation. You may feel better while you're doing it, but really doesn't effect anyone or do anything in the long term. The effort should be on sending illegals back and stopping them at the border.

[k2blader]

Making English our official language is the least the Congresscritters could do.

[visualops]

I disagree. Bi-lingual everything costs businesses and taxpayers lots of money. I shouldn't have to choose "English" at the fricking ATM.

[monkeywrench]

"In one case, the IRS produced 500,000 1040 forms in Spanish and got 700 replies back at $157 per form, and this program is growing. I think it is time to stop that." – Rep. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

"Already we are seeing increased attempts by the Federal government to accommodate non-English speakers by printing Federal documents in languages other than English. ... The cost associated with accommodating each of the more than 300 languages spoken is astronomical."

– Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.)

[bigsigh]

your argument is tainted by the fact that you mix government functions and business practices.

[bigsigh]

I think we passed english as official on one of our initiatives awhile back and we still have ballots in half a dozen languages. So, I I said earlier what's the practical point other than to make us feel good.

[bigsigh]

II = as I

[unkus]

And you are the Editor of ?

[unkus]

Thanks John Huang2.