I remember watching the Democratic debates and I was amazed that none of the candidates thought that English should be our official language. They didn’t suggest any other language, so I guess everyone can speak what they want. Sessions of Congress will eventually look like the UN, with everyone wearing headphones to hear their translator.
I can’t think of a country that doesn’t have an official language. Approximately sixty countries have English as their official language, including Hong Kong.
This American says English is our language. Do we need a law to spell it out? In what other country in the world can you expect everything to be in your native tongue? Not only can you expect this in the USA; you can come here illegally and demand it.
The PBGC Newsletter has a section in Spanish. You would think that if you have been here long enough to get a pension, that you could speak English. The same applies to Social Security. I guarantee that if I lived in China it would take me no longer than one day to learn “your check is in the mail” in Chinese. When illiterate slaves were brought to America over 200 years ago they learned English. What is wrong with the immigrants today? Are they stupid?
Sitting on the toilet the other day I was reading the label on the toilet paper. The label was in three languages, English, Spanish, and French. Why only Spanish and French? Do all other ethnic groups know toilet paper when they see it? In Brasil packaging labels are written only in Portuguese. During the two years I lived there I never sprayed Windex in my eyes and I always wiped my ass with the proper paper.
I don’t have anything against immigrants; my grandparents came from Italy. They came here for a better life and I'm sure they found it. Unless you are an Indian we all descended from immigrants.
I lived in Brasil for two years. (I spell Brasil with an “S” as they do in Brasil.) I did learn one thing about the USA. It is a great place to live. I don't blame anyone for risking life and limb to get here. Before I went to Brasil I was excited about learning another language. I studied Portuguese before I went and continued after my arrival. Every word I learned made life that much easier. I'm sorry, but I just can't understand the attitude of those who refuse to learn English.
English is the nation language of the USA. We don't need a law to make it official. Let's stop catering to the immigrants by putting everything from Citizenship tests to the CPA exam in a foreign language. On my last visit to Target I noticed the sign for the bathrooms. Under the word bathroom was “Banos.” When I moved to Brasil; how long do you think it took me to learn the word for bathroom? If you guessed more than one minute you are still not getting it. Target also has the signs for the departments in English and Spanish; e.g. shoes/zapatos. Do you honestly believe that if Juan was standing in front of a rack of shoes with only the English sign “shoes” that he wouldn’t know what it was?
English is the official language of Kiribati. If they can do it we can too.
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Hello, please note that in the event of an emergency you will.." etc. Then in Spanish, the translator stepped forward and began "Hola, por favor..." etc. Then the French translator stepped fprward, drew in smoke from his cigarette, exhaled, then elbows in to his ribs he flopped his hands outward in a "so what" gesture and said through his nose "Eh!" Drew in another drag then walked off.
WT?
The DUI suspect from the Fort Hall reservation, knew only American not English.
BTW, the multilingual toilet paper package was made for sale all over the Americas. French for Quebec and Spanish for everywhere south of the US except Brazil. One package design saves you money.
You can speak or croak any language you want. When I'm flying into the USA I want my pilot to speak English. I don't want one penny of federal, state or local government money spent on any written or verbal communication in another language. And I certainly don't want to pick up the phone and hear "1 for english"
I don't see any need to have a legally mandated official language just because you prefer English. As long as English is the majority language in the US, the free market is going to dictate that it's going to be the primary language. We don't need government intervention on this one.
I love the point being that you learned to use toilet paper early on and DON'T need instructions..
But...... there are people who didn't learn... and they get instruction in the Sierras on how to properly 'shit in the woods' using WAG bags..