shaDEz Report This Comment
Date: May 14, 2007 05:17AM

well said

jgoins Report This Comment
Date: May 14, 2007 07:39AM

I believe it is only the illegals who do not learn english. The people who legally enter this country are generally appreciative and eager to learn our language and have a genuine desire to succeed and prosper in their new country. The illegals only desire is to send money back to Mexico while trying to position themselves in this country to create disention and drain our resources while waiting for commands.

Onyma Report This Comment
Date: May 14, 2007 12:42PM

No, it's not a 'crock of shit'. What would be is if you had to push TWO to proceed in English.

It's a completely misguided statement. In 1903 they would have headed to a neighbourhood that was populated largely by people from their own country so they could communicate while they learned the language. That is how they would have obtained basic necesities until they learned English. Little Johnny didn't have to use a phone and probably had hardly ever seen one.

Today, if you can't use a phone system you can't obtain basic needs so what this is implying is that his grandfather got to learn English AFTER he came to America but now people have to learn it before. That's a crock of shit.

MrsBlah Report This Comment
Date: May 14, 2007 09:18PM

Onyma Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No, it's not a 'crock of shit'. What would be is
> if you had to push TWO to proceed in English.

What does that mean?
>
> It's a completely misguided statement. In 1903
> they would have headed to a neighbourhood that was
> populated largely by people from their own country
> so they could communicate while they learned the
> language.

What if you were the first family?


That is how they would have obtained
> basic necesities until they learned English.
> Little Johnny didn't have to use a phone and
> probably had hardly ever seen one.
>
> Today, if you can't use a phone system you can't
> obtain basic needs

There are plenty of people in America without phones. And probably some that have never used them. Do you not go outside, drive a car, or talk to people face to face?

so what this is implying is
> that his grandfather got to learn English AFTER he
> came to America but now people have to learn it
> before.

It is not required to learn English either before or after entering our Country, however, to become a naturalized citizen you do.


That's a crock of shit.

As an American you should know these things,

Without the immigrants there would be no USA We are ALL immigrants with exception of the native Indians.

In a way, we, our fore fathers, were the first "illegal aliens".

Think about it.

Onyma Report This Comment
Date: May 15, 2007 04:23AM

> What does that mean?

It means the people who complain should also note that English is still the primary language in the country. They are all upset that there are multiple languages in use in the country and that they have to choose on a phone system which they prefer. They should however take some solice (if they are this bothered by it) that English is still choice #1.


>It is not required to learn English either before or after entering our Country, >however, to become a naturalized citizen you do.

Of course it's not but I think you're missing the point of the sign in the photo. The person on the sign is ranting that they have to put up with a multi-lingual country when their Grandfather learned English and thus they expect every other immigrant to as well just to save them the hassle of an extra button push on the phone. I am pointing out that this is a pretty extreme form of intolerance against new immigrants to expect them to know English before coming to the country. (because God forbid we cater to them at all while they are learning and inconvenience the already English speaking)

>As an American you should know these things,

I am not an American

>Without the immigrants there would be no USA We are ALL immigrants with exception >of the native Indians.
>In a way, we, our fore fathers, were the first "illegal aliens".
>Think about it.

All you're doing is making the exact same point I was making. New immigrants are what formed the US and as such it's pretty high-and-mighty to rant about having to choose your language on the phone when your own grandfather was an immigrant who had to learn the language too. I don't think his family would have survived long in the US had they been completely ostracized because they didn't speak English when they stepped off the boat. Someone helped them along. Too bad the sign author thinks it's such a hassle to offer the same consideration to new residents of the US today.

Mrkim Report This Comment
Date: May 15, 2007 05:50AM

Onyma Wrote:

" It means the people who complain should also note
> that English is still the primary language in the
> country. They are all upset that there are
> multiple languages in use in the country and that
> they have to choose on a phone system which they
> prefer. They should however take some solice (if
> they are this bothered by it) that English is
> still choice #1."



I feel like there may be some misconception here about what the point of this is, and it's not that we as Americans are upset that there are other languages we don't necessarily understand being spoken here on this shore.

The real bone of contention lies with individuals who have come here and made a decision to live here and claim it as their home and yet don't even give a shit enough about this country or its people to make a realistic attempt to learn the common tongue spoken here.

This, at least to me as an American, is insulting. For this reasoning, and all the underlying tones of political correctness that goes along with it, to have gotten to the point in our society that a recorded message should make us, as a country of English speakers, make a choice at all about what language the message will be in seems like a slap in the face.

IF it were that messages such as these were truly available in ALL the languages that are spoken here, then that could held forth as true tolerance to a standard of multilinguality. What's goin on here though is that a blanketly given air of political correctness is being handed out in regard to typically Spanish speakers only because they are most likley the ones who are NOT as likely to make the effort TO learn the common language here.

These self same individuals also just happen to make up the largest segment of the illegal immigrant population here and the need for appeasement linguisticly to a segment of society that has no real right to be here in the 1st place seems totally and patently absurd.




" I am pointing out that this is a pretty extreme form of
> intolerance against new immigrants to expect them
> to know English before coming to the country.
> (because God forbid we cater to them at all while
> they are learning and inconvenience the already
> English speaking)"


Again, it's not that everyone is expected to know the language before they come here, but that once they are here that they make learning the language a priority. Most Mexican immigrants I've known, who have often been here for many years, will feel it's OK to learn just enough to get 'em by at work and as little as possible otherwise and choose instead to immerse themselves in groups of totally Spanish speakers at other times, never putting forth any real effort to learn it at all.

Personally, this seems incomprehensible. If I made a determination to live anywhere I would know that learning their language would be one of my primary concerns as a part of that decision.



"> I am not an American "



That having been said I'm curious, do live here? Not to say that you couldn't understand the perspective being espoused here if you don't, only that without having encountered these things in the way we do here, the personal impact is indeed a bit different sitting at a keeboard in some other part of the world.

jgoins Report This Comment
Date: May 15, 2007 11:51AM

When I was stationed overseas on Crete, the people there were pleased when we showed a desire to learn their language and everytime we used it around them they were very happy and made nice comments about it. I was only stationed there for 6 months but still made an active effort to learn greek. So why should it be wrong for people who come here, to live their lives, should make learning our language a priority?

The issue of language is only secandary though, their legality is primary. They should be here legally and if they are not then they should be made to leave and never return.