Should English Be The "Official" Language of The U.S.A. ????
View related threads:
(in this forum
| in all forums)
|
Logged in as: Guest
|
|
Users viewing this topic:
none
|
|
|
[Poll]
|
Should English Be The "Official" Language of The U.S.A. ????
|
| Yes/MULTIPLE CHOICE |
|
| No |
|
| Unsure |
|
| I speak English & an(other) language |
|
| I'm naturalized and learned English |
|
| Don't want to see any more ballots, etc. in sev. langauge$$$ |
|
| Other/Explain |
|
Total Votes : 128
|
(last vote on : 12/19/2007 10:35:55 AM)
(Poll will run till: -- )
|
|
Login  | |
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/10/2007 8:00:10 PM
|
|
|
brooklynsblessed1
Posts: 4101
Joined: 5/21/2006
Status: offline
|
U.S. Senate Votes to Make English the National Language 
Measure to reduce government multilingualism passes with strong bi-partisan margin
Washington, D.C. - By a bi-partisan vote of 64-33, the U.S. Senate passed an amendment late last night to make English the national language of the United States and reduce the entitlement to multilingual services. The S.I. Hayakawa National Language Amendment Act of 2007, offered by Sen. James Inhofe to the comprehensive immigration reform legislation currently pending in the Senate, declares that there is no affirmative right to receive services in languages other than English, except where required by federal law.
"If we want to understand what made past waves of American immigrants so successful, we must focus on the language that helped them become Americans - English," said Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of U.S. English, Inc. "I want to thank those Senators who voted to continue America's proud tradition of uniting our diverse people through one common language. In recent years, our nation has gotten away from the strong governmental message sent by operating overwhelmingly in English. This vote indicates that we are ready to leave the failed experiment of government multilingualism and return to increasing English learning."
Under the approved amendment, English would be declared the national language of the United States government, calling upon federal agencies to "preserve and enhance the role of English as the national language of the United States of America." While the measure does not prohibit information and documents in languages other than English, it clarifies that while a government agency can opt to provide services in English, citizens do not have an affirmative right to ask for such services. An exception is made for existing federal law, such as in health care and judicial matters. Sixteen Senators were co-sponsors of the measure.
http://www.us-english.org/inc/
I am 1st generation from immigrant stock most who came here speaking 3 languages, immigrants from Hati & other locales often speak even more than that..I'm tired of seeing official ballots, etc. in Korean, Spanish, etc., it's a waste of our badly needed tax $$$$$$$$$.
Does anyone see a reason this bill is bad ???
I'm almost sure the ACLU will...
_____________________________
BROOKLYN'S BLURBS..Check Us Out W/ Your Morning Joe..& Before You Say Your Prayers @ Night:
Could Obama strike down all state pro-life laws?
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/10/2007 10:22:11 PM
|
|
|
Pamsy
Posts: 158
Joined: 5/4/2005
Status: offline
|
Which countries are they, do you recall?
_____________________________
1 Chorinthians 13 vs. 4-8. Love is patient, love is kind.......Love never fails."
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/10/2007 10:22:37 PM
|
|
|
brooklynsblessed1
Posts: 4101
Joined: 5/21/2006
Status: offline
|
We aren't around to copy other nations . Nor adapt, our culture that is going down the drain along w/ our national i.q. due to open borders.
_____________________________
BROOKLYN'S BLURBS..Check Us Out W/ Your Morning Joe..& Before You Say Your Prayers @ Night:
Could Obama strike down all state pro-life laws?
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/10/2007 10:24:52 PM
|
|
|
_Cinderella_
Posts: 5341
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: Pamsy
Which countries are they, do you recall?
From Wikipedia...
Some nations have more than one official language, such as Afghanistan, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, Finland, India, Israel, Malta, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, Singapore, and Switzerland.
_____________________________
~*Catherine*~ aka ~*PC*~
Proud Army Sister
I  foster kittens... and my new Subaru
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/10/2007 10:40:54 PM
|
|
|
colliefan
Posts: 2473
Joined: 4/12/2005
From: Raleigh, NC
Status: offline
|
Does having French and English as national langauges help unify Canada?
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/10/2007 11:05:29 PM
|
|
|
wing2000
Posts: 921
Joined: 4/14/2005
Status: offline
|
quote:
think that not only should English be the official language, but anyone who wants to become a United States citizen should be required to learn English before being granted citizenship.
Applicants for US Citizenship are required to learn basic English:
Naturalization is the process by which U.S. citizenship is conferred upon a foreign citizen or national after he or she fulfills the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The general requirements for administrative naturalization include:
- a period of continuous residence and physical presence in the United States;
- residence in a particular USCIS District prior to filing;
- an ability to read, write, and speak English;
- a knowledge and understanding of U.S. history and government;
- good moral character;
- attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution; and,
- favorable disposition toward the United States.
HERE
[Edited by moderator to fix formatting]
< Message edited by Ps103 -- 6/11/2007 8:57:56 AM >
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/10/2007 11:27:49 PM
|
|
|
Pamsy
Posts: 158
Joined: 5/4/2005
Status: offline
|
quote:
Does having French and English as national langauges help unify Canada?
I am hopining you will clarify your point. Thanks.
_____________________________
1 Chorinthians 13 vs. 4-8. Love is patient, love is kind.......Love never fails."
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/11/2007 2:08:17 AM
|
|
|
Booklvr
Posts: 39
Joined: 5/19/2007
From: Sunny So Cal!
Status: offline
|
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/11/2007 9:17:24 AM
|
|
|
Evangel70
Posts: 418
Joined: 10/28/2006
Status: offline
|
quote:
Does having French and English as national langauges help unify Canada?
Is Canada divided?
It's not language that divides people in the United States, it's political and religionous idealism and racism that divides us here. How incredibly lazy have we gotten that listening to 10 seconds of "if you would like to continue in English, press 1" has become a lightening rod? JUST PRESS 1 AND MOVE ON! You really DON"T have to listen to the rest of the menu. The same goes for ballots or applications in languages other than English. What agency is forcing you to use a ballot or fill out an application in a language you don't understand?
Come on, people, we live in a diverse society and having someone speak another language on the subway or while waiting on line in a department store shouldn't cause anyone to go into convultions. Spend some time in Europe and you'll hear various languages spoken and signs in multiple languages as well -- and the respective countries have no collapsed from the experience. Are AMERICANS so simple minded that they can only handle ONE language? Despite what Republicans and right wingers may think, the United States is NOT the center of the universe. We do our children an grave injustice by not preparing them to live in a global environment. How are we to economically with China, Japan and other competing industrialized nations if we only want to learn English? Even many of the apostles in Jesus' time spoke various languages.
More importantly, what should we do with the millions of American citizens are illiterate and do not read or write English even though they were born and raised here? Should we revoke their citizenship? Not allow them to vote or drive?
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/11/2007 12:23:33 PM
|
|
|
brooklynsblessed1
Posts: 4101
Joined: 5/21/2006
Status: offline
|
^^^Probably every high school and college and certainly now w/ the internet and learning cds every young person can learn multiple langauages, moot point there.
And why should taxpayers pay for ballots, drivers manuals, etc. be put out in a myriad of languages @ our expense?????
My legal Mexican friend who came here speaking little English and speaks it very well now , has translated for ministries and obtained the American dream of opening up his own computer repair business, which he could never have done w/ out a grasp of English. As a matter of fact he says in Mexico high schools teach English, and the reason the majority of illegals end up dishwashers and so on is that they are high school drop-outs.
Speak as many languages as you want in the department store check out line, but don't force Mr. & Mrs. Front Porch to put out multi-language materials for your convienence.
_____________________________
BROOKLYN'S BLURBS..Check Us Out W/ Your Morning Joe..& Before You Say Your Prayers @ Night:
Could Obama strike down all state pro-life laws?
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/11/2007 12:41:04 PM
|
|
|
uncabeeil
Posts: 5896
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Joisey. Got a problem wit dat?
Status: offline
|
quote:
I'm tired of getting instructions for electronics and other items in more than one language. Not to throw a damper on your rant, but didja ever think that maybe the product is being sold in more than one country? And to keep costs down only one manual, with many languages, was printed? Not saying this is the case every time, but the possibility does exist.
_____________________________
Sniglet of the day: Snargle (snar' gul) - v. To lessen the visual impact of a horror movie by filtering it through one's fingers.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/11/2007 12:47:56 PM
|
|
|
brooklynsblessed1
Posts: 4101
Joined: 5/21/2006
Status: offline
|
^^^Yes of course but not a Calif. voters handbook or NYC printed ballot.
_____________________________
BROOKLYN'S BLURBS..Check Us Out W/ Your Morning Joe..& Before You Say Your Prayers @ Night:
Could Obama strike down all state pro-life laws?
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/11/2007 12:49:22 PM
|
|
|
tacitus
Posts: 345
Joined: 5/12/2005
Status: offline
|
So should we force all Native Americans (you know, the ones who got here thousands of years before anyone else) to learn English before they can be considered good Americans?
I don't recall the Constitution saying anything about speaking English being a requirement to be an American citizen. Where did all the originalists go all of a sudden?
Countries only have official languages where there is a sizable minority who has a different native tongue. If the US was ever to adopt English as an official language, it would only be because Spanish was made one too.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/11/2007 12:54:29 PM
|
|
|
brooklynsblessed1
Posts: 4101
Joined: 5/21/2006
Status: offline
|
^^^How can an American Indian not know English since they've been required to go to school since before the Civil War???
_____________________________
BROOKLYN'S BLURBS..Check Us Out W/ Your Morning Joe..& Before You Say Your Prayers @ Night:
Could Obama strike down all state pro-life laws?
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/11/2007 12:57:03 PM
|
|
|
tacitus
Posts: 345
Joined: 5/12/2005
Status: offline
|
Are all Native Americans required to learn English? That's news to me if they do.
Again, where in the Constitution does it say that you must be able to speak English to be an American citizen?
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/11/2007 1:03:09 PM
|
|
|
Jhud
Posts: 7132
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Lake Wobegon
Status: offline
|
quote:
Again, where in the Constitution does it say that you must be able to speak English to be an American citizen?
Where in the Constitution does it say you have to obey the speed limits?
What possible difference would this have to do with what the Constitution says or doesn't say?
_____________________________
Jack
“I mean to live my life an obedient man, but obedient to God, subservient to the wisdom of my ancestors; never to the authority of political truths arrived at yesterday at the voting booth”
William F. Buckley Jr. 1925-2008
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/11/2007 1:05:44 PM
|
|
|
brooklynsblessed1
Posts: 4101
Joined: 5/21/2006
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: tacitus
Are all Native Americans required to learn English? That's news to me if they do.
Again, where in the Constitution does it say that you must be able to speak English to be an American citizen?
^^^Who says American Indian youth and adults speak the Native Language; I am 1st generation American born & do not speak the language of my parents, my African-American friends don't speak African, Irish-Americans & likewise??? But also the US Constitution itself wasn't put out in several languages either.
It does give congress the right to legislate and that's what they are attempting to do.
_____________________________
BROOKLYN'S BLURBS..Check Us Out W/ Your Morning Joe..& Before You Say Your Prayers @ Night:
Could Obama strike down all state pro-life laws?
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/11/2007 1:06:36 PM
|
|
|
bzirk
Posts: 2995
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Where the deer and antelope play
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: tacitus
Are all Native Americans required to learn English? That's news to me if they do.
Again, where in the Constitution does it say that you must be able to speak English to be an American citizen?
That's the point -- it needs to be changed.
A few thoughts on the subject:
When a country makes a language "official," that doesn't mean anyone is precluded from speaking another language.
If you study history, language is a key to uniting a country. Not the only key but definitely one of the keys. Where there are countries that have more than one "official language" there is a division along those lines. Whether there are other divisions in those countries is peculiar to the country in question, but there is most definitely a division along the lines of who speaks what.
I come from Texas originally, and there are very few Texans who do not speak some Spanish. I see nothing wrong with this, but to make it an official language or to have it trump English? No, that's divisive, because it distances people from each other when they don't share a common language. That's common sense, but don't take my word for it. Study history.
_____________________________
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)
Great quote: I just ain't God and don't know it all. -- SonInMe1
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/11/2007 1:10:30 PM
|
|
|
ResidentAlien
Posts: 14
Joined: 2/16/2006
Status: offline
|
My economics professor was French-Canadian. She speaks English well enough to teach a college course. However, quite naturally, she understands French better than English. What's the problem with giving her the ballot that she understands best?
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Should English Be The "Official" Language... - 6/11/2007 1:12:33 PM
|
|
|
tacitus
Posts: 345
Joined: 5/12/2005
Status: offline
|
The odds of getting a Constitutional amendment to make English the official language are minuscule. Can you imagine a Presidential candidate campaigning in Florida with that in his platform??
Even if it has the all the merits you say it does (which I doubt) then practical and political considerations would still make the whole thing well-nigh impossible.
(And I still fail to understand upon what moral grounds we should require Native Americans to have to deal in English).
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Tools
Printable Version
Should English Be The "Official" Language of ... - 
Schools and colleges shouldn't require English speaking students to learn a foreign language either.
