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“Why Aren’t You Speaking English?”

ludahai said:
The Senators have that perogative in a Senate hearing... Have you ever seen or attended a Senate hearing in Washington before? Happens all the time...
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So they're rude all the time -- that doesn't make it anything but rude.

Prerogative my ass. It's called "manners."
 
theplaydrive said:
De nada.


You just contradicted yourself. The fact that I spoke French in France shows that I do, in fact, have "common respect". Try again.
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In your opinion did the spanish speaking witness ( who can speak english and has been in the US over 20 years), show respect?
IMO, this witness is an example of someone not wanting to fully assimulate into the US way of life.

Yes, the US population is made up of people of different places. IMO, it helps a country to have a common language. I also see the benifits of knowing how to speak more than one language into todays world.
 
mike2810 said:
In your opinion did the spanish speaking witness ( who can speak english and has been in the US over 20 years), show respect?
IMO, this witness is an example of someone not wanting to fully assimulate into the US way of life.
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I don't think that's the case, he speaks English and I've already said he may not speak it well enough to address his first legislative committee using it.

That aside, even if this is an example of someone not wanting to fully assimilate into the US way of life, so what?
 
mike2810 said:
In your opinion did the spanish speaking witness ( who can speak english and has been in the US over 20 years), show respect?
IMO, this witness is an example of someone not wanting to fully assimulate into the US way of life.
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Sure he showed respect. He had a translator.

Yes, the US population is made up of people of different places. IMO, it helps a country to have a common language. I also see the benifits of knowing how to speak more than one language into todays world.
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I agree it helps to have a common language. Good thing he had a translator.
 
TacticalEvilDan said:
That aside, even if this is an example of someone not wanting to fully assimilate into the US way of life, so what?[/QUOTE]

With this statement I see why the US is starting to fall apart. Your ok with someone not fully embrasing the values, culture, etc. of the US? Another reason why I don't understand some liberals.
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mike2810 said:
With this statement I see why the US is starting to fall apart. Your ok with someone not fully embrasing the values, culture, etc. of the US? Another reason why I don't understand some liberals.
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The problem with this statement is that you assume all American values, cultural aspects, etc. should be "fully" embraced.
 
For a society to thrive, it must be able to communicate within itself. This stats with a shared language, and culture.

"The Great Melting Pot" idea. Now we have the "Great Salad Bowl", where no one has to actually meld into a cohesive society, is it any wonder this thread has gone on so long over such silly notions of "It's his rigth to speak spanish". No it was rude, it was a political stunt, and the Senator was SPOT ON in hammering them for their silliness.
 
mike2810 said:
TacticalEvilDan said:
That aside, even if this is an example of someone not wanting to fully assimilate into the US way of life, so what?[/
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With this statement I see why the US is starting to fall apart. Your ok with someone not fully embrasing the values, culture, etc. of the US? Another reason why I don't understand some liberals.
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1. I'm not a liberal.
2. Apparently you can't answer the question.
 
I would like to see the day again when official govt. publications (local, State, and Fed) would be printed in nothing but english.

As far as this witness, I would have greater respect for him if he would have spoke in english. He could have stated, something like:
"My native language is spanish, and my english is not so good. It has been and is difficult for me to learn english. I will do my best to express my thoughts in english. I may ask the intrepreter to assist at times to help me find the rights words in english. I know the importance of learning and speaking english in America. ...."
 
MrVicchio said:
For a society to thrive, it must be able to communicate within itself. This stats with a shared language, and culture.
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The dude was communicating just fine, and in the absence of an interpreter he was, in fact, capable of speaking English to whatever extent he is fluent.

MrVicchio said:
"The Great Melting Pot" idea. Now we have the "Great Salad Bowl", where no one has to actually meld into a cohesive society
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This nation hasn't had one homogeneous culture or language since it was born.

MrVicchio said:
No it was rude, it was a political stunt, and the Senator was SPOT ON in hammering them for their silliness.
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The guy was addressing a legislative comittee for the first time in his life on an issue near and dear to his heart, and he wanted to make sure he got it right the first time. As such, he spoke the language which is his first language and had a professional do the translating. What about that is rude?
 
TacticalEvilDan said:
1. I'm not a liberal.
2. Apparently you can't answer the question.
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Good grief, You see no reason why a US citizen should fully assimulate. IMO, our values and way of life will change for the worse.
How about you answering why its ok not to.
 
mike2810 said:
Good grief, You see no reason why a US citizen should fully assimulate.
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Absolutely true.

mike2810 said:
IMO, our values and way of life will change for the worse.
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How?

mike2810 said:
How about you answering why its ok not to.
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Because this country hasn't had a single homogeneous culture since it was born. It has shifted and changed over time in part because of what new people bring to the table when they come here.

Aside from that, I'm a big fan of individual freedom and personal privacy. I tend to keep to myself and leave others to their own business. I don't give a damn whether they assimilate or not, so long as they don't try to trip me up or disrespect me. I have neither the time nor the care to shove my nose in someone else's business.
 
TacticalEvilDan said:
The dude was communicating just fine, and in the absence of an interpreter he was, in fact, capable of speaking English to whatever extent he is fluent.
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He was trying to make a scene about immigrant rights by speaking spanish.

TacticalEvilDan said:
This nation hasn't had one homogeneous culture or language since it was born.
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Revisionist history.


TacticalEvilDan said:
The guy was addressing a legislative comittee for the first time in his life on an issue near and dear to his heart, and he wanted to make sure he got it right the first time. As such, he spoke the language which is his first language and had a professional do the translating. What about that is rude?
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What set off the Senator was this guy was before them to testify about a law being proposed, and he'd been in country for 23 YEARS, but chose to use an interrupter for political theater and THAT was not gonna fly.
 
MrVicchio said:
He was trying to make a scene about immigrant rights by speaking spanish.
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I entirely object to your characterization about making a scene -- but if he was trying to make a point, so what? If you're not going to make a point on an issue important to you when speaking to a group of elected officials, just when the hell are you going to?

MrVicchio said:
Revisionist history.
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Um, no, just the simple truth.

MrVicchio said:
What set off the Senator was this guy was before them to testify about a law being proposed, and he'd been in country for 23 YEARS, but chose to use an interrupter for political theater and THAT was not gonna fly.
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If he wants to be an idiot and call the guy out for using an interpreter, that's fine -- he did it very rudely, and then had the audacity to lecture the other fellow about "insult." That Senator's an embarrassment.
 
OscarB63 said:
"I think the question you have to ask is, do you have a civic duty to learn English if you want to live in this country?" said Tim Schultz, Director of Government Affairs for US English, a group working to make English the country's official language. "This man had lived in this country for more than 22 years, and I think most people would think that is a reasonable request."
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Most people thinking that does not make it correct.
 
mike2810 said:
TacticalEvilDan said:
That aside, even if this is an example of someone not wanting to fully assimilate into the US way of life, so what?
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With this statement I see why the US is starting to fall apart. Your ok with someone not fully embrasing the values, culture, etc. of the US? Another reason why I don't understand some liberals.
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What precisely are "US values?" Do such values even exist? It's a free country, by the way. People are free to practice whatever and values and lifestyles they wish to (and THAT, in my opinion is the essence of what America is supposed to be), as long as they don't break the law. If you want everyone to speak English, then I suggest you campaign for legislation that would make English the official language of the United States.
 
TacticalEvilDan said:
No. It's rude to speak a different language specifically for the purpose of excluding someone else. It's not rude to speak a different language and use a translator when you're in a situation where you're nervous or feeling pressured or want to make sure you get it right the first time.

It's also absurd to accuse someone of being rude while you yourself are being rude, as that Senator did.
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If you are likely to be better understood through a translator why would you put the listeners through the torment of trying to understand a broken English without a translator. Is it just so they can get warm fuzzies about forcing others to conform to a language that is not official?
 
Make English the official language then bitch about it. Until it is the official language deal with it and stop whining about whatever language someone speaks.
 
How about this. If we are going to give a rat's ass about someone's opinion before a government committee, it will be spoken directly in English, unless voted otherwise.
 
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