This Is Alabama, We Speak English

#7
#7
I agree completely with him. English isn't our written "Official" language, but English is OUR official language..
 
#9
#9
Try not to have heart attacks, but I favor the idea that no matter what country you live in, you should speak the native language.
 
#10
#10
my only objection to non english language instruction in schools and voting is the cost.
 
#11
#11
Do they offer an oral exam for the Alabama illiterate?

This is Alabama, we speak English, even if we don't read it good. Cut it. Cost savings.
 
#12
#12
America is a salad bowl, not a melting pot. I don't get why people get so heated about this. If someone doesn't know how to communicate in social situations with the majority, then that just sucks for them.
People seem proud to be Americans, but unwilling to share it with others who may be a little different. I'm a proud conservative, but it is a little disappointing to see so many people refuse to show patience with others.
My dad is one who gets furious when he sees directions (or anything) written in a place of business in english and spanish. Really?!! How does that affect you?
 
#13
#13
Panthro said:
America is a salad bowl, not a melting pot. I don't get why people get so heated about this. If someone doesn't know how to communicate in social situations with the majority, then that just sucks for them.
People seem proud to be Americans, but unwilling to share it with others who may be a little different. I'm a proud conservative, but it is a little disappointing to see so many people refuse to show patience with others.
My dad is one who gets furious when he sees directions (or anything) written in a place of business in english and spanish. Really?!! How does that affect you?
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We can share it with others, it's just frustrating to see us changing to fit the demands of immigrants. It's also annoying to here the "everyone's an immigrant" crap. Changing the country to fit the needs of people who've been coming here in the last 10-20 years is stupid. You should adapt to the country you go to, the country and people there shouldn't have to adapt to you. I think making English an official language will help encourage assimilation. No problem with that.
 
#14
#14
VolInMn said:
Try not to have heart attacks, but I favor the idea that no matter what country you live in, you should speak the native language.
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Ideally, but easier said than done.....particularly having lived in China, Vietnam and Venezeula in the last 10 years.
 
#15
#15
I don't mind the thought of this when conducting business. The thing I get tired of is when people speak in other languages in their private lives. There is at least a small group of those who think "English only, all the time" (and no it's not the TP people LG)
 
#17
#17
utvolpj said:
I don't mind the thought of this when conducting business. The thing I get tired of is when people speak in other languages in their private lives. There is at least a small group of those who think "English only, all the time" (and no it's not the TP people LG)
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I also don't see anything wrong with that. I just don't like the idea of American citizens being affected negatively by people who have been in this country for a short amount of time. It's in no way racist or intolerant to have an official language. It's not like you're banning other languages.
 
#18
#18
tvolsfan said:
I assume you living there was probably work related, and you didn't go about trying to change the country to fit your needs.
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most other countries speak some English because they will need it when they come in contact with a uni-lingual American
 
#19
#19
tvolsfan said:
I also don't see anything wrong with that. I just don't like the idea of American citizens being affected negatively by people who have been in this country for a short amount of time. It's in no way racist or intolerant to have an official language. It's not like you're banning other languages.
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hey I get you. Try taking a material order from the 1 guy at a jobsite who everyone says can speak English. Real fun getting yelled at by your customer because the guy lied on his job app
 
#20
#20
utvolpj said:
most other countries speak some English because they will need it when they come in contact with a uni-lingual American
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That's the way it is a lot of places, and there's nothing wrong with that. When we need to learn other languages for more success in business, we will. The reason Americans are mostly uni-lingual isn't that we're against other cultures, it's that it's not that necessary at the moment.
 
#21
#21
utvolpj said:
hey I get you. Try taking a material order from the 1 guy at a jobsite who everyone says can speak English. Real fun getting yelled at by your customer because the guy lied on his job app
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I know, I agree with you. I'm just supporting the idea that being tolerant of other languages doesn't require you to be inconvenienced.
 
#22
#22
tvolsfan said:
That's the way it is a lot of places, and there's nothing wrong with that. When we need to learn other languages for more success in business, we will. The reason Americans are mostly uni-lingual isn't that we're against other cultures, it's that it's not that necessary at the moment.
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it is necessary sometimes. Even the day labor that speaks some English ends up being a whole lot less than is desired. I learned some (thanks to a couple of guys who liked me) that really helped getting work.

Funny but I had a guy tell me he wouldn't buy from me because I was a white guy and couldn't take orders from his guys who didn't speak English (which was all of them). I think his actual words were "I don't buy from white people." Thank goodness for me bilingual inside sales guy or I might have gone hungry. :)
 
#23
#23
utvolpj said:
it is necessary sometimes. Even the day labor that speaks some English ends up being a whole lot less than is desired. I learned some (thanks to a couple of guys who liked me) that really helped getting work.

Funny but I had a guy tell me he wouldn't buy from me because I was a white guy and couldn't take orders from his guys who didn't speak English (which was all of them). I think his actual words were "I don't buy from white people." Thank goodness for me bilingual inside sales guy or I might have gone hungry. :)
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It is, and that's why more people are learning them, especially Spanish. My Spanish isn't too bad, and I don't mind speaking it, I just think English should be the official language. I agree with your story. Being bi-lingual is very useful skill.
 
#24
#24
tvolsfan said:
It is, and that's why more people are learning them, especially Spanish. My Spanish isn't too bad, and I don't mind speaking it, I just think English should be the official language. I agree with your story. Being bi-lingual is very useful skill.
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I had to take German to get into a better HS. Wouldn't trade it (since I work with Germans all the time now) but Spanish would have definitely helped. Actually a class in Spanglish would be even better
 
#25
#25
utvolpj said:
I had to take German to get into a better HS. Wouldn't trade it (since I work with Germans all the time now) but Spanish would have definitely helped. Actually a class in Spanglish would be even better
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Das hast du recht mein Freund.
 
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