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Should the government provide ballots in languages other than English?

Should the government provide ballots in languages other than English?


  • Total voters
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Finally, by your own standards, since you cannot express yourself proficiently in written English and are therefore most likely not a citizen and have no right to vote in the first place, how about leaving this to actual Americans to discuss?

You are aware that most Americans are not grammar Nazis like you.So I'll ask you again

How does you being a grammar Nazi change the fact that if you are a naturalized(english proficiency is one of the requirements to be a naturalized citizen) or a natural born citizen change the fact that you are already able to proficiently write, speak and read english(look I didn't capitalize "english" again)?



Seeing how only American citizens can vote there should not be anyone at the polls who can't read a english ballot seeing how naturalized citizens have to take a english proficiency test and natural born Americans already speak english. If we allowed green card holders and any another immigrants to vote you have a point that there is a need for multilingual ballots. But we only allow American citizens to vote in our elections.
 
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It's not even close to the same. Why don't you attempt to "honestly" relay how it is...in 2010, instead of presenting some predictable leftie obfuscation hoping to once again throw folks off the scent of your putrid agenda.

Well, your list of examples, treatises, and history certainly has convinced me! "It's not even close to the same." Such clarity! Such knowledge of the era! I bow to your expertise.
 
Well, your list of examples, treatises, and history certainly has convinced me! "It's not even close to the same." Such clarity! Such knowledge of the era! I bow to your expertise.

Well, thank you!....I think;) Now, please continue attempting to form your opinion....there are a few gaps in reality that need addressing :)
 
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As much as I'd love all U.S. citizens to speak one language, that is an unreasonable expectation. Immigrants come from all over the world and their English can be very broken.

You shouldn't be able to become a US citizen until you can read and write english. If you were born in America and cannot, you are too stupid to vote and should be DQ'd as a matter of law
 
Currently it should probably be provided in several languages. However I think we should make English the official language of the U.S.

I think a successful society needs to have a common language. Learning or knowing others is a great thing and commendable, but every American should have an understanding of English enough to successfully vote or do other official state business.
 
Any documents from either the Federal or State Government should be in English only. If private business want to print material in other languages, who cares.
 
What's the point of providing a ballot in a different language? It's not like we don't already know they are just going to vote for the D. I am personally for deporting anyone who has been here a couple years and can't speak basic english. After all, how much can you really contribute to any society if you can speak the language?
 
My state offers ballots in:

Additional Languages and Formats
Choose your language:

» Chinese
» Spanish
» Cambodian
» Korean
» Laotian
» Russian
» Vietnamese

How do you feel about this? If ballots are offered in these languages, does that discriminate against immigrants that speak different languages? Should ballots in the U.S. be offered in any language other than English?
i don't think we can discriminate against legal voters. what about a brand new citizen, who has not yet mastered our language. wouldn't you want them to be informed when they vote?
 
What's the point of providing a ballot in a different language? It's not like we don't already know they are just going to vote for the D. I am personally for deporting anyone who has been here a couple years and can't speak basic english. After all, how much can you really contribute to any society if you can speak the language?

Are you not paying attention? We're discussing things like ballot questions, not the name of the politician, which doesn't get translated anyway. Sheesh.
 
We do this in NL, I'll never forget the anger of my Turkish neighbour when he received his electric bill in Turkish. He phoned them and showed his ability to voice his outrage in dutch slang while threatening to pay with dinars.
 
Got this in an email. Source unknown.


I bought a bird feeder. I hung
it on my back porch and filled
it with seed. What a beauty of
a bird feeder it was, as I filled it
lovingly with seed. Within a
week we had hundreds of birds
taking advantage of the
continuous flow of free and
easily accessible food.

But then the birds started
building nests in the boards
of the patio, above the table,
and next to the barbecue.

Then came the poop. It was
everywhere: on the patio tile,
the chairs, the table. Everywhere!

Then some of the birds turned mean.
They would dive bomb me and try to
peck me even though I had fed them
out of my own pocket.


And other birds were boisterous and loud.
They sat on the feeder and
squawked and screamed at
all hours of the day and night
and demanded that I fill it
when it got low on food.

After a while, I couldn't even
sit on my own back porch
anymore. So I took down the
bird feeder and in three days
the birds were gone.. I cleaned
up their mess and took down
the many nests they had built
all over the patio.

Soon, the back yard was like
it used to be, quiet, serene
and no one demanding their
rights to a free meal.

Now let's see.
Our government gives out
free food, subsidized housing,
free medical care, free education
and allows anyone born here
to be an automatic citizen.

Then the illegals came by the
tens of thousands. Suddenly,
our taxes went up to pay for
free services; small apartments
are housing 5 families; you
have to wait 6 hours to be seen
by an emergency room doctor.
Your child's 2nd grade class is
behind other schools because over
half the class doesn't speak English.

Corn flakes now come in a
bilingual box; I have to
'press one' to hear my bank
talk to me in English, and
people waving flags other
than 'Old Glory' are
squawking and screaming
in the streets, demanding
more rights and free liberties.

Just my opinion, but maybe
it's time for the government
to take down the bird feeder.
 
Look.

If a person who wants to vote can't read and understand the ballot, has only a very basic understanding of english and thus probably hasn't understood all the debate heard in recent (as in before the election) days, and doesn't want to take the time to ask the poll staff a question or two, then...

I don't think they should be voting anyway.

As they probably don't understand the issues or take it seriously anyway.
 
Look.

If a person who wants to vote can't read and understand the ballot, has only a very basic understanding of english and thus probably hasn't understood all the debate heard in recent (as in before the election) days, and doesn't want to take the time to ask the poll staff a question or two, then...

I don't think they should be voting anyway.

As they probably don't understand the issues or take it seriously anyway.

There are Spanish language TV stations, Spanish Language newspapers, Spanish language magazines, and lots of Spanish content on the web. To suppose that some one who is better at reading Spanish than English is therefore uneducated solely for that reason is obviously false.

Further, there is no requirement for level of knowledge on issues to vote.
 
There are Spanish language TV stations, Spanish Language newspapers, Spanish language magazines, and lots of Spanish content on the web. To suppose that some one who is better at reading Spanish than English is therefore uneducated solely for that reason is obviously false.
Never claimed any such thing.

I'm saying that if a person won't take the time to learn the native language of the country they have become a citizen of, even if only on a basic level, they will obviously have a more difficult time understanding debates (if said debates are in English) about upcoming elections.

Not to mention, they obviously (to me) don't take their citizenship seriously enough to learn the native language.

Further, there is no requirement for level of knowledge on issues to vote.
Never said there was.

I saying that if they haven't taken the time to learn the necessary skills to understand the voting system, and need it explained in a different language, they probably won't make as informed a decision as I would like.

This applies to people whose families have lived here for 10s or 100s of years, too.

And, if they can't make an informed decision, I don't think they should be voting anyway.
 
Never claimed any such thing.

I'm saying that if a person won't take the time to learn the native language of the country they have become a citizen of, even if only on a basic level, they will obviously have a more difficult time understanding debates (if said debates are in English) about upcoming elections.

Not to mention, they obviously (to me) don't take their citizenship seriously enough to learn the native language.

There are a fair number of people born in this country, citizens by birth, who are more comfortable reading Spanish.

Never said there was.

I saying that if they haven't taken the time to learn the necessary skills to understand the voting system, and need it explained in a different language, they probably won't make as informed a decision as I would like.

This applies to people whose families have lived here for 10s or 100s of years, too.

And, if they can't make an informed decision, I don't think they should be voting anyway.

And yet we explain the voting system to people who speak English if they need it.
 
There are a fair number of people born in this country, citizens by birth, who are more comfortable reading Spanish.
Why?

Spanish isn't the common language, and the majority of media (books, documents, websites, etc) are in English.

Additionally, English is taught in all schools (I assume).

So how can a citizen by birth, having gone to school and learned English as their primary language, having grown up in a country where English is the primary and common language, be more comfortable reading in Spanish?

I obviously lack some information that would lead to my understanding why the situation is as you claim.

And yet we explain the voting system to people who speak English if they need it.
I have a few issues with that.

Either the voting system is too complex, or our school system is not working correctly.
 
Look.

If a person who wants to vote can't read and understand the ballot, has only a very basic understanding of english and thus probably hasn't understood all the debate heard in recent (as in before the election) days, and doesn't want to take the time to ask the poll staff a question or two, then...

I don't think they should be voting anyway.

As they probably don't understand the issues or take it seriously anyway.
You've just described about 70% of American citizens, people who were ****ing BORN here.
 
You've just described about 70% of American citizens, people who were ****ing BORN here.
Yes...And?

How does that change my point?
 
i don't think we can discriminate against legal voters. what about a brand new citizen, who has not yet mastered our language. wouldn't you want them to be informed when they vote?

"Brand new" LEGAL citizens have ample time to assimilate. Our legal immigrants have to jump through a few years of bureaucratic hoops.
 
"Brand new" LEGAL citizens have ample time to assimilate. Our legal immigrants have to jump through a few years of bureaucratic hoops.
Personally, I think that wait time is too long.

Should be a year or perhaps two at most, depending on circumstances, history, etc.
 
Personally, I think that wait time is too long.

Should be a year or perhaps two at most, depending on circumstances, history, etc.

In most circumstances, I agree.

Determining the financial stability... or potential for it, a modicum of emotional stability, criminal history and a hint of sanity....as is required in almost every other country on the planet prior to opening the doors, takes time for a massive bureaucracy. Surely you've been to the DMV. :)
 
In most circumstances, I agree.

Determining the financial stability... or potential for it, a modicum of emotional stability, criminal history and a hint of sanity....as is required in almost every other country on the planet prior to opening the doors, takes time for a massive bureaucracy. Surely you've been to the DMV. :)
Only for an hour or two.

For a 15-30 min test.

Or to register a car.

:mrgreen:
 
"Brand new" LEGAL citizens have ample time to assimilate. Our legal immigrants have to jump through a few years of bureaucratic hoops.

Brand new citizens IE naturalized citizens have to pass a english comprehension test before they can even become naturalized citizens. So the idea that a brand new citizen can not understand english is laughable and absurd.
 
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