Offical Lanuage for the US

The issue is not communicating conversationally with people. The issue is dealing with federal bureaucracy and paperwork.

And note I am not saying that people should not learn English. I am saying that English should not become the only lang. the U.S. government uses. I am totally scandalized that the vote is running more than 3:1 in favor of English-only. On what possible grounds?

 

Because this is America and we speak english. And what you will find is this is the view of most Ameircans.

 

Amity --

I lived in my home area for almost 22 years.

Not once do I recall ever having heard of any Amish or Mennonite folks ever having a bit of trouble filling out either Federal or PA govt forms.

And, believe me, the Amish had to fill out quite a few legal forms due to their ongoing (or it least it was ongoing when I left PA) battle [i.e., court suit(s)] with the PennDOT bureaucrats over the Amish folks' contention that requiring their buggies to display a traingluar-shaped reflective sign constituted a violation of their First Amendment guarantees of freedom of religion.

To the Amish, those signs were considered to be "graven images."

 

On what possible grounds?

On the grounds of Americans speak English no matter how many times you claim they don't.

English should be the official language of America.

Let's just put it to a federal vote.

 

You are going to lose this one, as you know.

As an aside, I went through a hiring process for the IRS the other day, and right there in black and white English was:

"Hiring preference will be given to bilingual candidates."

And Tiny, as you know full well, English is only the primary language of a majority of Americans. For very many it is a second language. That is what we are discussing.

 

It is amazing that people who live in this country do not want an American identity.



[SIZE=+4] Eight Steps To Destroy America

[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]"Turn America into a bilingual or multi-lingual and bi-cultural country. History shows that no nation can survive the tension, conflict, and antagonism of two or more competing languages and cultures. It is a blessing for an individual to be bilingual; however, it is a curse for a society to be bilingual.[/SIZE] [SIZE=+1]"The historical scholar Seymour Lipset put it this way: 'The histories of bilingual and bi-cultural societies that do not assimilate are histories of turmoil, tension, and tragedy.' Canada, Belgium, Malaysia, Lebanon all face crises of national existence in which minorities press for autonomy, if not independence. Pakistan and Cyprus have divided. Nigeria suppressed an ethnic rebellion. France faces difficulties with Basques, Bretons, and Corsicans."[/SIZE]
http://www.rense.com/general62/destroy.htm

 

De modo que resulta que es muy importante que inmigrantes, legal e ilegal, aprende inglés como una condición de la ciudadanía, la posición de huésped-trabajador, la servidumbre de indentured, cualquier. ¿Quién supo que nosotros—significando el gran Crisol la Nación de América—ha estado viviendo en el tiempo pedido prestaddo para los pasados pocos siglos por no imponer estrictamente una regla de inglés Sólo entre las masa apiñadas, el desecho despreciable, y todo los demás que aparecieron aquí?

 

Arrgghh! American identity is not based on the English language!

And David Horowitz needs to work on his comprehension of international events! Language in no way plays even the most tangential role in many of those conflicts he is enumerating.

 

Why are you tying it to David Horowitz?

 

Sorry. Read your post too fast. That excerpt was inane.

 

American identity is based on a number of things English being one of them. Just having returned form India i can tell you that America is viewed not only as an english speaking nation but as a Christian one as well. We are seen as patriotic and giving. And these views come from many who do not care for us. The english language is very much a part of our identity as it should be.

 

I disagree. And frankly I don't know what you base that statement on. Just the fact that the majority speak English? Does that necessarily entail intolerance of those who do not? I mean, the majority are white, too. Does that mean everyone has to be?

 

What lacks substance is the idea that we should choose diversity over unity.

 

Just think of it. If we make English the official language we will have to change the name of the state of Colorado to "reddish-colored.
And California will become "hot furnace". Its largest city? "The Angels".
Massachusettes will become "large hill".
Connecticut will become "long tidal river".
Florida will become "flowery".
Nebraska will be known as "flat water".
Oklahoma? "red people" (uh oh)
Montana, from now on will be called "Mountain".
Nevada will be known as "covered in snow".

The list goes on.

 

... and Texas will be "Friendship."

Yes, "unity" scares me! It has historically been a code word for "we are going to do it the way the elite group wants." In this case it is a sort of ill-informed "nativism."

But the days of placing formal disabilities on people because of language are done, over with, finito. Just like the days of white supremacy are over. Just like the days of plutocracy are over.

Amen.

The English language is a badge of nationhood only in England. Here it is a badge of ethnicity, and that is all it ever was.
Now we have to get our attitudes and values straightened out. And just like race and class it will take a couple of generations.

 

formal disablities onpeople because of language?

 

You don't think it is a disability when your government will no longer communicate with you in your primary language?

 

The primary language in America is english. Any disablity that arises as a result of not speaking english is self inflicted.

 

Yes, I know; it is the "universal language."

1. Tell me how you will deal with this issue if we elect you king. How are YOU going to govern the millions who do not communicate effectively in written English?

2. What are you going to do in a few decades when the "average American" is Hispanic? Resurrect apartheid in America? And even the Afrikaaners had to use other languages to deal with their "obstinate minorities" (read "majority").

 

Pretty much an inane reactionary response.