Posted on 02/24/2008 5:10:32 AM PST by connell
By Burt Prelutsky
For a long time, there has been a controversy brewing in America over whether or not to make English our official language. The arguments in favor seem overwhelmingly compelling to me. Doesn’t it seem absurd that when so many people living in foreign countries see obvious advantages in learning English, that millions of those who actually reside here, who make their livings and raise their children here, and who vote in our elections, can neither read nor write the language?
Yet, most Democratic politicians and even some Republicans balk at the idea. All this time, I have assumed that their objection was predicated on their fear of being labeled racists, and worried that it might cost them votes in future elections. But I am beginning to wonder if their reluctance isn’t based on the fact that for so many of those in public life, basic English skills are simply beyond them.
For instance, have you ever listened to Robert Byrd give a speech on the floor of the Senate? Have you ever heard Barbara Boxer try to answer a reporter’s questions? You would think these people had just been introduced to our mother tongue last Thursday.
Even though it pains me as a conservative to say so, we’re not always any better than the liberals. Take President Bush. I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but how many times over the past seven years has some White House spokesman had to step forward after the president has given an address to explain what the Commander in Chief really meant to say? The president, whichever party we belong to, speaks for all of us. In Bush’s case, though, as often as not, he misspeaks for all...
(Excerpt) Read more at modernconservative.com ...
That’s all right. We’ll miss his “Misspeaking for All” when his term is up.
And for anyone coming here to live, they have to learn English. If I were moving to another country, I'd learn their language. Please do the same.
Estoy de acuerdo. Sin dudo, tener dos (or mas) lenguas es mejor.
Misspeaking just means that the liberals didn’t like what he said and didn’t really understand what he said so that’s why someone had to come after him and explain and that’s the name of that tune.
¡But in United States we speak English FIRST!
¡But en Estados Unidos hablamos inglés PRIMERO!
I recently had the chance to visit Colombia for a short time. I quickly concluded that if I were to go there for more than a couple of weeks, I’d try to learn Spanish ASAP.
I see nothing wrong with expecting Mexicans to learn English, if they are going to visit the US for more than a few weeks. What really pisses me off is that I’ve met Mexicans born and raised here who don’t speak English (yes, I know if you are born here you are, by definition, an American - I just find it hard to believe someone born here who speaks only Spanish has any loyalty at all to the USA!)
After hearing Obama’s smooth talk, I cherish even more President Bush’s tangle-tongue. Let’s just say, perhaps his mind races ahead of his tongue, but he is real. Obama’s ‘gift’ hides many nefarious plans. Give me tangle-tongue any day.
Ditto.
Yes.
You would think these people had just been introduced to our mother tongue last Thursday.
I have no idea what this is about. Robert Byrd is getting old, not everyone agrees with his politics, and he may have been in the Klan, but he can certainly speak English better than most people.
Bush would have trouble lying to us.
Even Obama’s “truths” are lies.
> I believe that learning other languages broadens
> a person’s horizons and opens many doors.
Quite. And the candidates’ comments in the Dem debate about the value of our children learning other languages are completely correct. As an employer, I’d love to be able to hire people for engineering and marketing position who also had language skills. The only problem is, Spanish is probably low down the list of languages I’d be looking for. French, German. Chinese even. Those would make more sense.
I'm sure that Chinese will be a very sought-after language in the future. I took Spanish in high school and learned some Russian as an adult. I am considering learning a little Arabic, but it looks pretty difficult.
Estoy de acuerdo.
¡But en Estados Unidos hablamos inglés PRIMERO!
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Yeah ,, What you said...
I’d love to see some reporter ask the president a question in a language nobody understands and when he gets the “can you give me that in English” response hammer him on making English the official national language.
> Right now, Spanish is probably the most
> sought-after language for job placement.
Service jobs, perhaps. But not in my industry.
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