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“Why Aren’t You Speaking English?”

Renae

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During committee testimony this week in Austin, a Texas senator interrupted a Spanish speaker and telling him he should "be speaking in English" during a committee hearing.
Antolin Aguirre of the Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition was testifying against Senate Bill 9 that would help crack down on illegal immigrants in Texas. Aguirre spoke through an interpreter even though he had been in the U.S. since 1988.
Two minutes into Antolin Aguirre’s testimony, Sen. Chris Harris, a Republican from Arlington, interrupted asking Aguirre’s interrupter, "Did I understand him correctly that he has been here since 1988?" Harris asked. "Why aren’t you speaking in English then?"


Read more: “Why Aren’t You Speaking English?” | Houston News - KTRH NewsRadio 740 Houston News, Weather, Traffic



BRAVO Senator, bravo.

"Excuse me, did I hear that right, he's been here for 23 years?"

Just, beautiful.
 
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Being completely incapable of learning a second language myself, I can sympathize with the gentleman, assuming he has the same issue. Even if he doesn't, he may have been concerned that poor mastery or a thick accent might distract from what he was trying to explain to the committee.

On a separate note, there is nothing wrong with this bill. The idea that it violates the "rights" if an illegal alien or leads to profiling are ridiculous. Citizenship status is checked in relation to being arrested in the commission of a crime, or in suspicion of having committed a crime.
 
Being completely incapable of learning a second language myself, I can sympathize with the gentleman, assuming he has the same issue. Even if he doesn't, he may have been concerned that poor mastery or a thick accent might distract from what he was trying to explain to the committee.

On a separate note, there is nothing wrong with this bill. The idea that it violates the "rights" if an illegal alien or leads to profiling are ridiculous. Citizenship status is checked in relation to being arrested in the commission of a crime, or in suspicion of having committed a crime.

The guy speaks English, you hear him in the video, he's a immigrant rights activist trying to show he'll make a stand. The Senator was spot on.
 
The guy speaks English, you hear him in the video, he's a immigrant rights activist trying to show he'll make a stand. The Senator was spot on.

I can't watch videos from my phone without draining the battery before 10am, so I was only able to go off of the information originally posted. If he spoke English in a clear, understandable manner at some point during the meeting then I agree, he should have been speaking English from the beginning. If only because much can be lost in translation.
 
The senator is a douche. We don't have an official language in the United States, he can speak in whatever language he wants and he feels more comfortable speaking in Spanish, then whatever. People need to stop getting "insulted" when others speak another language.
 
"When in Rome do as the Romans do" I took classes on own time & money to help teach ESL. The classes are available for free across the nation. (atleast they were when I was teaching them as an assistant to the PHD) He started out speaking English fine. Interpreter was not needed. I was in line in clinic whern a PG immigrant showed up & they had to get an interpretor. Waste of time & money.
 
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The senator is a douche. We don't have an official language in the United States, he can speak in whatever language he wants and he feels more comfortable speaking in Spanish, then whatever. People need to stop getting "insulted" when others speak another language.

A, knee jerk liberalism at it's finest! Thank you TPD! The Senator wasn't upset the gentleman was speaking spanish, he was upset he's been here 23 years, is before the committee as an immigrant rights supporter, speaking spanish. You might not get that fine distinction, but most of us I believe, DO.
 
The senator is a douche. We don't have an official language in the United States, he can speak in whatever language he wants and he feels more comfortable speaking in Spanish, then whatever. People need to stop getting "insulted" when others speak another language.

What a load of BS.

This was a formal hearing, and the language of this country and the people in that room is English. How are these state senators supposed to address his issues if he won't communicate in their language?

Do we need to have 150 translators in the room in case someone comes in speaking some 4th dialect of a Tanzanian tribe?
 
A, knee jerk liberalism at it's finest! Thank you TPD! The Senator wasn't upset the gentleman was speaking spanish, he was upset he's been here 23 years, is before the committee as an immigrant rights supporter, speaking spanish. You might not get that fine distinction, but most of us I believe, DO.
Great. Again, we don't have an official language here, he can speak whatever language he wants.
 
What a load of BS.

This was a formal hearing, and the language of this country and the people in that room is English. How are these state senators supposed to address his issues if he won't communicate in their language?
We don't have a language of "this country".

Do we need to have 150 translators in the room in case someone comes in speaking some 4th dialect of a Tanzanian tribe?
Didn't he bring his own translator? I don't see your point.
 
Great. Again, we don't have an official language here, he can speak whatever language he wants.

Right on, keep driving home my points for me TPD! I'm gonna stop trying to help you now as you make... your point.
 
Great. Again, we don't have an official language here, he can speak whatever language he wants.

when the bulk of the people speak a certain language, if you want to be taken seriously you should speak their language. sure, he could speak Klingon if he wanted to.
 
Great. Again, we don't have an official language here, he can speak whatever language he wants.

In a senate hearing?

If you've been in a country 23 years, and you can't speak the language, you're dumb as a bag of hammers and have no business addressing a state senate.
 
In a senate hearing?

If you've been in a country 23 years, and you can't speak the language, you're dumb as a bag of hammers and have no business addressing a state senate.
He can speak the language, so your comment doesn't apply. Again, we don't have an official language.
 
Great. Again, we don't have an official language here, he can speak whatever language he wants.

Apparently, his choice of Spanish and the use of an interpretter were a stunt to promote the "rights" of illegal immigrants, not a legitimate need for aid in communication. Your right, of course. He CAN speak any language he wants. But something most people learn very quickly when taking a second language is that you lose a LOT of the original intent in translation. You can even see this online when you translate a Spanish statement to English and then back to Spanish. 9 times out of 10 you won't get the same thing you started with.

We don't have an official language, but we definitely have an overwhelmingly common one. Learning the intricacies of any language BUT English is usually only provided two years of academic focus in most states, so it's safe to say that English is the understood language of the country. If you want to assimilate into our culture and be successful then you need to know enough English to communicate your needs and inquiries. Unless you're able to afford a translator to follow you around (or willing to use your young children as your personal translator) you won't be able to communicate here without learning some of the language.

Will that change in the future? With many states now inititating Spanish-language learning in Pre-K it's very probable that over the next 15-20 years we'll see a more bilingual society. At the moment, it's still essential for a successful Hispanic immigrant to learn at least the basic tennants of English (I'd say enough to communicate with health professionals, police, and understand traffic signs).
 
He can speak the language, so your comment doesn't apply. Again, we don't have an official language.

it does apply. if you are addressing people who speak english and you speak english but you choose to speak another language and use a translator....you are either an arrogant prick or a dumbass. take your pick
 
when the bulk of the people speak a certain language, if you want to be taken seriously you should speak their language. sure, he could speak Klingon if he wanted to.
I agree that he would more likely be taken seriously (by certain people) by speaking English. However, it's really dumb to be "insulted" as the senator was by someone speaking Spanish.
 
I agree that he would more likely be taken seriously (by certain people) by speaking English. However, it's really dumb to be "insulted" as the senator was by someone speaking Spanish.

so, other than a stupid stunt...what was the point of this guy speaking spanish to the english speaking senate hearing?
 
Apparently, his choice of Spanish and the use of an interpretter were a stunt to promote the "rights" of illegal immigrants, not a legitimate need for aid in communication. Your right, of course. He CAN speak any language he wants. But something most people learn very quickly when taking a second language is that you lose a LOT of the original intent in translation. You can even see this online when you translate a Spanish statement to English and then back to Spanish. 9 times out of 10 you won't get the same thing you started with.

We don't have an official language, but we definitely have an overwhelmingly common one. Learning the intricacies of any language BUT English is usually only provided two years of academic focus in most states, so it's safe to say that English is the understood language of the country. If you want to assimilate into our culture and be successful then you need to know enough English to communicate your needs and inquiries. Unless you're able to afford a translator to follow you around (or willing to use your young children as your personal translator) you won't be able to communicate here without learning some of the language.

Will that change in the future? With many states now inititating Spanish-language learning in Pre-K it's very probable that over the next 15-20 years we'll see a more bilingual society. At the moment, it's still essential for a successful Hispanic immigrant to learn at least the basic tennants of English (I'd say enough to communicate with health professionals, police, and understand traffic signs).
I agree with everything you said. Nonetheless, I think it's ridiculous to be "insulted" as the senator claimed to be in the video and I also think it's ridiculous to applaud the senator for being insulted as Mr. V. did. There are obviously many practical reasons to speak English instead of Spanish and yet it's also understandable to me why someone would want to speak Spanish in such a hearing as a statement. To me, it's just arrogant and silly to be insulted by something that isn't insulting.
 
so, other than a stupid stunt...what was the point of this guy speaking spanish to the english speaking senate hearing?
The point of it isn't my concern, it's the idea that people are insulted by the "stunt" - it's so ****ing stupid. There's nothing insulting about it.
 
I agree with everything you said. Nonetheless, I think it's ridiculous to be "insulted" as the senator claimed to be in the video and I also think it's ridiculous to applaud the senator for being insulted as Mr. V. did. There are obviously many practical reasons to speak English instead of Spanish and yet it's also understandable to me why someone would want to speak Spanish in such a hearing as a statement. To me, it's just arrogant and silly to be insulted by something that isn't insulting.

Arlington isn't known for making smart political choices. They'll take whatever the Vanergriffs spoon feed to them. I'm betting this guy was bought and paid for by the V family.
 
The point of it isn't my concern, it's the idea that people are insulted by the "stunt" - it's so ****ing stupid. There's nothing insulting about it.

sorry, but I get "insulted" when people do pointless, stupid stuff. :shrug:
 
sorry, but I get "insulted" when people do pointless, stupid stuff. :shrug:
That's your choice. It's also your subjective judgment that it's pointless and stupid. This just reinforces my argument that being insulted has no valid basis.
 
That's your choice. It's also your subjective judgment that it's pointless and stupid. This just reinforces my argument that being insulted has no valid basis.

so help me out and tell me his "point". ... oh that's right, even you agree there wasn't one :roll: ;)
 
so help me out and tell me his "point". ... oh that's right, even you agree there wasn't one :roll: ;)
Again, his "point" is irrelevant to my criticism of the senator's problem with him speaking Spanish. Regardless of the "point", being insulted is dumb and nonsensical since we have no official language in the country...and also since it isn't insulting except to those who choose to be insulted.

Nonetheless: 1) The man states in the video that he felt more comfortable speaking Spanish since it's his first language and he could communicate better with it. 2) He also likely was using it as a symbol of the idea that Spanish speaking immigrants are a part of the country as well and have the same right to speak in their first language as English speaking Americans. It's not that hard to piece together.
 
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