English as official language, RACIST?

[MacUser]

Democrat Reid calls language proposal racist
Democrat Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid called a proposal to make English the official language "racist" on the Senate floor yesterday.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national ... -1805r.htm

[Eva]

So, does that make every other country in the world racist for having an official language? The logic of this totally alludes me.

[Mole_J]

Even if English is the official language of the US government, it will not change much. I think that still publications that are put out in other languages would still have to happen. In practice anyway English is already the official language of the US. All government documents are published in English, they maybe later translated to another language, but they are first avialable in English. To me it is a useless law.

I remember catching on C-Span while flipping through channels some guy was talking about English. It was near the end of the speech and he was talking questions. Someone asked him if the US should make English the official language. He said no, because actually immigrates are learning English at the same speed as immigrates have always done in the US. However, not sure if he was including both illegal and legal immigrates. But he said by the second generation, that they can speak English fluently and in many cases you have children helping their parents overcome the language barrier. This has always happened when people immigrate to a country with a different language.

I would not say anyone who wants to make English the official language of the US a racist though. This is one thing that upsets me in this debate, those who favor strict laws on immigration are labeled as racists, xenophobes, and bigots.

[dolfan]

Harry Reid is a joke and one of the Senate's worst flip-floppers.

That said, I don't see a benefit in making English the official language of America. We've got official everything that really makes no difference. We have official immigration laws that don't get enforced, for example. More rules do not make for better government, and certainly do not make for a better nation. Making English the official language will create more problems than it solves. And, a constitutional amendment or statute making it so will be used societally in a racist way against Hispanics even if the amendment itself is not racist.

[Brenda]

You and me both, Eva.

Does other countries change their language to meet with the foreign people who set up residence in their country.
I think not.
As the saying goes......

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Learn Italian!!

[Pastor Gary]

English is a LANGAUGE, not a race or color. It is spoken by people of every shade and hue and is the universal language of the airline industry. Is it racist to insist that all commercial pilots communicate with air traffic controllers in English, regardless of their race or nationality? They recognize what our congressmen seem to have forgotton --- when we all speak a common tongue clear communication and understanding is easier and things operate safer and smoother.

[dolfan]

And, there's a difference between "official" and "required", which I think is part of Mole's point. Where English is conventional in an industry, craft, skill, etc., it will not change due to any law or constitutional amendment. Where it is used on government documents, Spanish-language documents will not disappear simply because English is official. The Alabama Legislature made English the state's official language a few years ago. Lo and behold, Hispanics are STILL speaking Spanish in public. Don't they know the LAW??!! The whole thing is a bunch of feel-goodism on the conservative side. They won't build a fence or wall across the whole border, but they'll vote to allow changing the constitution of the United States of America to add a completely worthless provision. Whoop-de-doo! Thanks for using the Constitution in your ever-increasing desperation to do something apparently and superficially meaningful for this nation besides spending us into oblivion.

[Eva]

PG, that will preach and dolfan i'm in your amen corner too. I just take offence to the "racist card" being played on everything. It has been used so much and for so many truely unrelated things that the true meaning of the word is lost and it now just incites knee jerk reactions from people.

[dolfan]

Well, in the spirit of the times, perhaps we need to go ahead and get ready to learn to spell some words differently than we do now.

Colour
Flavour
Favour
Realise
Mum

And, also:

Elevators will be lifts
Foreigners will be expats
Soccer will be football
Vacations will be holidays

Who's English will be the official English??

[Bamafan]

Well, I for one think that they should speak english with a southern draw. I think it is rude of hispanics, etc. to be talking to each other in there native tongue, if you will, when only english speaking people are around.

[MacUser]

It's called pandering to the Hispanic vote... pure and simple.. no other reason a Liberal Democrat would support anything since they have zero values or principles.

[RamboPreacher]

eye gotses mee a gud grapsses uv duh inglush langwaug. kant nunbudees ils be a c-in dat?

[Bamafan]

eye gotses mee a gud grapsses uv duh inglush langwaug. kant nunbudees ils be a c-in dat?

[Pastor Gary]

I think it is rude of hispanics, etc. to be talking to each other in there native tongue, if you will, when only english speaking people are around.

On that point I disagree. I was in Waikiki day before yesterday and heard about 20 conversations going on in that many languages, and it bothers me not a bit. What DOES bother me is having to provide Hawaii ballots for citizens to vote for elected officials -- ballots in seven or eight languages. How can a person keep up with the news, issues and positions of candidates if they do not even read, write and speak minimal American English?

[Bamafan]

I feel like a visitor sometimes in my own country.