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| Should English Be the Official Language? | |
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| Topic Started: Jan 30 2006, 10:37 PM (3,296 Views) | |
| Post #21 Jun 21 2007, 10:39 AM |
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| What do we stand to gain for making English an official language instead of maintaining the status quo? |
Civilian
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| Post #22 Jun 21 2007, 01:22 PM | hamsters |
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Ok, I've gotta chime in here on this discussion. Having been born and raised in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley I just moved to Washington state. One of the big reasons? I didn't recognize my hometown anymore. I don't think most of you really understand what is happening to change the culture of our country (unless you lived in a large city like I did) It's not about liking my neighbors or not. I like everyone and their culture. Speaking English and making English the offical language of our great country is about establishing cohesiveness. I'm not just speaking politics--can you imagine how many languages are on the ballots in Los Angeles? For me and my family this is about: 1) when I went to enroll my son in kindergarten in 1998, 80% of the incoming class in our neighborhood was Spanish speaking. (And by the way, I lived in an upper middle class area). Would you want your child 'learning English' in kindergarten? I had to fake an address in my Mom's neighborhod 9-miles away to get him in a class with 80% English speakers. (Most people with money just opted for the $20K/yr privates). 2) When I would go to the local doughnut shop I had to order in Spanish or not walk out with my doughnut. Why would the employee not learn English? Not required. 3) My husband had the best employee for 15-years and never spoke to him in English--the man was here for close to 30-years and never learned English. Yea, we contributed to it by not insisting he speak English. But we liked him, his work, his family--provided him an excellent wage, medical and retirement benefits, etc. Can you imagine trying to transact business, in your own business, not being able to converse and give instructions in English? 4) Too many illegals coming to try to make a living to support families in Mexico and elsewhere. These are just a couple of examples that may seem unfriendly to some of you. All I can say is try to believe me when I say we enjoy the Spanish-Hispanic cultures. But, there is something wrong about not fully integrating into society by way of speaking the native language. And, there is also something about feeling like your hometown in turning into a foreign country. (Yes I know the 250 year ago native language was Spanish). My grandparents and great-grandparents escaped a nasty Europe came here and somehow made it happen in English. My parents are 1st generation and they only learned English. Our native culture is still strong, just takes place in English. Sometimes I talk to people here in Washington and they are very welcoming to 'diversity'. What that usually means is making things accessible to Spanish speakers--whether it's the Boy Scouts having a translator or a school teacher-parent meeting having that same translator. And interestingly enough, when I have spoken to a couple of very left-leaning people who endorse diversity, they also say they are glad they raised their kids in the wonderfully small, safe schools and sweet community we have. They wouldn't be happy either in what I just left. But, it doesn't sound PC to be anti- Spanish speakers. I guess talking about Diversity is another topic. I love the differences we all have (including our native languages and cultures). I just like MORE what brings us all together as a cohesive country. And I belive making English the offical language endorses that concept. When you say it doesn't matter to you, I believe it is because you are truly not yet impacted enough for you to care. I care and English as the offical language is the way to go. Thanks for listening. |
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| Post #23 Jun 21 2007, 01:30 PM |
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Making English the official language wouldn't make a native-Spanish speaker start speaking English any sooner than making our official language Pig Latin would make me start speaking giberish. I agree that it is important to intergrate immigrants into our culture and that includes speaking English. Making English our official language does not accomplish this whatsoever. I believe it will be counter-product and alienate the people you want to start speaking English. You can bring a horse to water but you can't make him drink. |
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| Post #24 Jun 21 2007, 01:40 PM | Groa |
No it wouldn't. I actually don't want someone who cannot understand English well enough to vote to make decisions about our government. The old laws you refer to were in place to deny an English-speaking minority a vote, based on racism. There was no way a black person could become nonblack, but a non-English speaker can and should learn English. I speak Spanish, French, some Italian, some Russian, some Turkish, and a lot of Teenager. I simply cannot fathom why we'd treat newcomers as too stupid to learn English. If you go to France, trust me, they aren't gonna accommodate you being too lazy to learn French. My daughter's buddy is doing a service trip to work on an orphanage school in India in a couple weeks, and he is taking a huge shipment of donated children's books---in English, because even poor children in India learn English. Not establishing English as the US official language puts us on the slippery slope of having to cover all sorts of language bases to avoid being held responsible for non-English speakers being harmed due to our adherence to English. |
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| Post #25 Jun 21 2007, 01:51 PM |
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We are a nation of immigrants. Declaring an official language would abridge the rights of individuals with limited English proficiency. These are individuals who are paying taxes and who are entitled to the same rights as those who speak English. To protect those rights, there is something called Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Although twenty seven states have declared English as their official language, in order to receive federal financial assistance those states still have to comply with Title VI, which requires that vital materials be available in the language of everyone receiving benefits subsidized by the Federal Government. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the 2000 Executive Order No. 13166 require that public entities receiving federal funds must have all vital documents available in every language that their clients speak; every language, not just Spanish. Why? Because the U.S. has never declared an official language and as such, the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 still applies. |
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| Post #26 Jun 21 2007, 01:55 PM |
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"English Only" laws are inconsistent with the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. For example, laws that have the effect of eliminating courtroom translation severely jeopardize the ability of people on trial to follow and comprehend the proceedings. "English Only" laws interfere with the right to vote by banning bilingual ballots, or with a child's right to education by restricting bilingual instruction. Such laws also interfere with the right of workers to be free of discrimination in workplaces where employers have imposed "speak English only" rules. |
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| Post #27 Jun 21 2007, 02:18 PM | Groa |
Which just highlights the need for a federally declared English as official language law. |
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| Post #28 Jun 21 2007, 02:19 PM | Groa |
What cites do you have to support that? |
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| Post #29 Jun 21 2007, 02:22 PM |
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Cut and paste from the attached link. http://www.lectlaw.com/files/con09.htm |
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| Post #30 Jun 21 2007, 05:46 PM | Groa |
| Thanks for the link. It's a paper that describes what the ACLU "thinks." I think they need some legal basis for their thoughts, besides what seems "fair" to them as they interpret the Constitution. |
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| Post #31 Jun 21 2007, 06:40 PM |
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| It seems obvious to me that it violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Ammendment. I get the feeling that you're dimissing the position stated simply because of who stated it and not on the merit (or lack there of) of the position. |
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| Post #32 Jun 23 2007, 12:01 PM | marinewife72 |
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English should be the official language of the United States for the sake of order more than anything. I grew up in a bilingual house (my Dad is American, my mom was born in Mexico). If you allowed for more than one official language, particularily Spanish since it's the second most spoken language in the U.S., it seems you would be allowing for all public institutions to be Spanish speaking (in addition to English). Inherently there is nothing wrong with this, I think Americans should speak at least a couple foreign languages, but I just think it would be a hamper to order. Also, and more importantly, language is a unifying force of identity and culture. People are supposed to learn English before they are naturalized citizens and allowed to vote (therefore, there theoretically should be no need for Spanish ballots!). For the sake of trying to preserve common identity among Americans, English should be made the official language. This should not extend to anything outside the public domain - if a store owner in the Rio Grande Valley (Southernmost Texas - about 85% hispanic, where I'm from) wants to run his business in Spanish that is his perogitive. But he should be able to travel around the country and talk to his fellow citizens in English, and go to court and vote, etc in English. In such a diverse society I think it is good we keep some things stable, like the government so that everyone has access to them. Foreigners who want access to them should assimilate. It doesn't mean they lose their culture, it just means they learn to become an American. |
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| Post #33 Jun 23 2007, 12:15 PM |
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| Why do we need an official language? It seems that most everyone's goal is to get immigrants to speak English and not rely on their native language. I'm all for that too. I just don't understand how a law passed in Washington DC will make people start speaking English. I think it's important to remember that these are US citizens we're talking about and are afforded all of the protections of the Constitution. If they cannot speak English, the government is obligated to provide a translator, etc if that person is in court, voting, etc. |
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| Post #34 Jun 23 2007, 01:45 PM |
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Nothing makes anyone do anything. The best we can hope for is to motivate learning English. As it stands right now, we are motivating no one to learn English. If most government services and most education was provided almost exclusively in English, and if we protected private enterprise from lawsuits stemming from not operating in a wide variety of languages, immigrants who want their lives to expand beyond the ghetto (in the traditional sense of "ghetto") will be motivated to learn English. Again, I would refer everyone to my earlier post (Link). I think that proposal handles the need to ensure certain key services are not denied because of a language barrier, while disencumbering government, corporations, and individuals of the hassle or having to routinely deal in multiple languages. Immigrants ought to learn English soon after arriving and before gaining resident (let alone citizen) status. If they choose to not, then they are also choosing the consequential hassles. |
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| Post #35 Jun 24 2007, 07:58 AM | theboyzmom |
| I agree with eye - one national language would keep it simple. Think about it - when warnings said simply "do not put your foot under mower" we all read it and understood it. Now there are three pages of warning just counting the English versions - many more if you count all the additional languages - and no one reads them all much less remembers them all. Also, I hate calling a government agency that I pay for and have to choose a language. I think a single language as the national language would be wonderful - allowing local - either state or smaller- units of governement to choose an additional language is good too - flexability. |
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| Post #36 Jun 24 2007, 10:07 AM |
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| I won't "Press 1 for English." If I have any choice in the matter, I will simply do business with someone else. I wish there were a National Don't Press 1 for English Campaign!" |
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| Post #37 Jun 25 2007, 02:53 AM |
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| Don't have time to read all the responses, but I just wanted to add something I happened to see on CMT. Larry the Cable Guy said that he watched an episode of Star Trek and they ran into these goofy alien beings from outer space. But ya know what? Every darn one of 'em spoke perfect English! :lol: |
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| Post #38 Jun 27 2007, 08:56 PM | enquiringinfoman |
| Yes, English should be the official language of the United States. Why? Countries are defined by three things, borders, culture and language. Also, it's financially insane to make taxpayers pay for accomodating people who refuse to learn it when they move here. California has to support 250 languages in their schools, public offices and so on. The Federal Government has to hire people who speak other languages for service agencies for this reason. How insane is that? It isn't the only state faced with that expense and dilemma. Another reason is making English the official language promotes unity amongst our citizenry. We're called the "United" States for a reason. Promoting diversity is a politically correct way of promoting division. Other countries mandate migrant children learn the language of that country, eg: France and Germany. Lastly, refusing to learn the language of the country you are going to make your home is rude and arrogant which only further promotes division. |
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| Post #39 Jun 27 2007, 09:03 PM | enquiringinfoman |
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To protect those rights, there is something called Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Although twenty seven states have declared English as their official language, in order to receive federal financial assistance those states still have to comply with Title VI, which requires that vital materials be available in the language of everyone receiving benefits subsidized by the Federal Government. I think it's time we overturned bad law like this portion of Title VI. Part of the citizenship test requires learning English. Of course then we have to cut off the Uncle Sugar money to illegals. I'm all for that too. |
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| Post #40 Jun 28 2007, 12:16 AM |
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I agree. I hate having to push "1" to speak the language of my country. Why isn't it "push X" if you don't speak English? |
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