Singer's remark riles Hispanics -- Greeley debates 'English' comment

Denver Post ^ | July 9, 2002 | Michael Riley

[glc1173@aol.com]

Thank God for some celebrity willing to say it.

Quebecization is being pushed on Americans - from coast to coast - but only for the convenience of one minority. Your kid isn't having to learn Russian in school before he can write his name "so he can communicate with his Russian classmates"; your state troopers aren't being forced to become fluent in Russian or Hmong just because a bunch of Russian Jews or Hmong refugees moved to your state.

Get the sticker!

[Dead Corpse]

Do these guys have to apologize as well?

[Razz Barry]

O.K. - - newcomers should learn to speak English. Any problems with people making the slightest effort to fit in here or are we all supposed to become multi-lingual to accomodate them?

Well, he!!, you know you have time to learn 200+ languages. hehehe.

[Dakmar]

"Public funds should not be used to foster hatred, division and prejudice in this community," said Roberto Córdova, a Hispanic studies professor at the University of Northern Colorado.

If Hispanic studies are anything like Womyns Studies or African Studies programs, wouldn't that be exactly what Prof Córdova is doing?

[GSWarrior]

It's not like they are being asked to totally divest themselves of their culture. Just learn English, dammit.

[phasma proeliator]

"...then they should keep right on going until they pass over the river Rio-Grande into the promised land.... I don't see a reason why we should surrender our heritage in the interest of kissing immigrant ass."

AMEN

[Texas_Jarhead]

And it was some Native American dialect long before that. So what!

[stanz]

I'm lucky I have the time to post to FR!
Addio, adios, au revoir, sayonara, ciao, fi m'Allah, shalom and bye!

[B Knotts]

This garbage will contiune as long as people like the mayor are too cowardly to just point out how stupid it is.

Also, note that the article uses the term "white leaders." Many Hispanics are "white." Hispanic is not a race. Neither is the Spanish language.

[varon]

......or are we all supposed to become multi-lingual to accomodate them?

If so, then which language(s) in addition to English do we learn?

Americans speak English. Naturalized American citizens should have minimum proficiency in English. Non-citizen residents are guests and Americans are hosts. It is not a host's responsibility to accomodate the guest.

I wish more people on more occasions would remind these demanding illegals of their status. Many of them think they're cats and can do as they damn well please ;-)

[mhking]

Any problems with people making the slightest effort to fit in here or are we all supposed to become multi-lingual to accomodate them?

Don't get me wrong - I've got no problem with learning a foreign language; and if I had my druthers, I would probably learn more than one. I have an interest in cultures that speak Japanese, Spanish and French (Hey, sue me - I like Canada!). But if we moved to any part of Latin America, they would demand that we learn to speak their language in order to do any sort of business with their government for things as simple as getting mail or getting a driver's license. As a result, they shouldn't have a problem with conforming to the local language (i.e., English) when they move here.

[Joe Brower]

Si. Que dice el verdad. Sin duda.

(Did I get that right? $;-)

[San Jacinto]

"You are coming to our country. ... We speak English here,"....

Hispanic leaders said "offend" doesn't even begin to cover it.
... "His comments were bigoted, inflammatory and hateful," said Roberto Cordova, a local college professor

Oh yeah, he should be thrown under the jail! How dare he!

[Dakmar]

Well, do you think it's racist that we demand Brits drive on the right side of the road when they come over here?

[tophat9000]

The illegal newcomers tried to turn New Mexico into an English speaking state during the 19th century.

Yes but by that logic New Mexico should talk what....Apache?.. and Mexico Aztec?

English and Spanish are both imported European language and nether is native to North American.

When in Mexico I should accommodate the common imported European language of the nation

When in the U.S. I should accommodate the common imported European language of the nation

[Constitution Day]

Many of them think they're cats and can do as they damn well please ;-)

Bwahahaha!!

[mhking]

Well, do you think it's racist that we demand Brits drive on the right side of the road when they come over here?

We do? [g]

The whole thing is nuts - while there is no "official language" per se in the US (save some specific municipalities), the de facto language is English. Government forms are in English, everything of any official nature is conducted in English. That is as it should be. Those that come here must conform. We have no business trying to conform to their norms.

And no, that is not a racist attitude.

[stanz]

When I traveled in Europe, as well as having studied Spanish and Italian, I took along a French and German dictionary. I made myself understood when the situation called for it.
When I traveled to Egypt in the 80's as part of a study group, I took a course in Arabic beforehand. (Although Egyptian Arabic is quite different from the Classical Arabic taught in the classroom.)
Why can't I, in my own neighborhood in New Jersey, be understood when I speak English in stores, restaurants, on the phone with Cablevision, in banks and, especially, when I try to call a cab? I think it's disgusting that my local telephone directory is divided in half so that if you pick it up the wrong way, the entire thing is in Spanish and you have to turn it over to find information.
I blame this on politicians who are so eager to grab votes that they legislate in favor any group who happens to have taken over a neighborhood,county,city or state. They have created "political correctness" by a**-kissing and we all have to suffer for it.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Yes. But if it is also a mark of non-standard English at some Northern Universities.

[Bikers4Bush]

They should be forced to learn english. They are coming here, therefore they learn our language period.