| 5/29/2008 4:26:19 AM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | | 
velaine
Valley, NE
age: 41
| This is America! why should people who can’t understand English well enough to follow American political debates be voting in the first place? And, thus, why should they be citizens?
Not everyone need speak English all of the time, but it must be the lingua franca of civic life. Since the voting booth is one of the vital places in which citizens directly participate in democracy, it must be the official language of the election process.
Consider the prospect for mischief and fraud that a two-language system presents in everyday matters like apartment leases, automobile rentals and the like.
Since plenty of room for differing interpretations exists when documents are written in English only, imagine the chaos if multiple contract versions in various languages were in play. 
| | 5/29/2008 4:28:58 AM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | | 
juneahbug
El Reno, OK
age: 41
| Sorry to bust your bubble and not agree with you but, America was founded by many diffrient races. Who's to say what the "official" language is? America also is one of the only Nations to write documents in only ONE language...
xoxoPeaches.
[Edited 5/29/2008 4:29:26 AM]
| | 5/29/2008 4:37:26 AM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | |
velaine
Valley, NE
age: 41
| Let's imagine that all court proceedings must take place in two languages, English and Spanish.
That will require two court recorders, and two official translators, English to Spanish and Spanish to English. Each recording will go through the very expensive process of being translated into the other language.
Which version of Spanish will be used: the one spoken in Mexico, Spain or Argentina?
They’re all different.
Translation requires a remarkable amount of trust in the translator, unless everyone involved is fluent in both languages. A translator with an agenda can be a dangerous person if no one else notices what he is actually doing.
[Edited 5/29/2008 4:45:41 AM]
| | 5/29/2008 4:46:17 AM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | | 
guitaro
Marlton, NJ
age: 33
| Let's imagine that all court proceedings must take place in two languages, English and Spanish.
That will require two court recorders, and two official translators, English to Spanish and Spanish to English. Each recording will go through the very expensive process of being translated into the other language.
Which version of Spanish will be used: the one spoken in Mexico, Spain or Argentina?
They’re all different.
I think our official language is english already.And last time i was in court for a minor traffic violation they did have a transalators.
and if you had 2 transalator ,well by golly that would create more jobs.And we all love more jobs dont we?
I think you see alot of companies using spanish as a marketing tool.They want more money.
in turn they have to print up new ads.which in turn creates more jobs once again.jobs we needem and we lovem
| | 5/29/2008 5:07:58 AM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | | 
theothergman
Michigan, ND
age: 47
| English. Nuff said.
| | 5/29/2008 5:16:11 AM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | | 
1pinkstar
Omaha, NE
age: 54
| English is not our Official Language. It needs to be.
Traffic court? Can you imagine Court held with Sudanese, Dutch, Scottish, German, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Tunisian, etc and all the translators to attend everyone?
That is outrageous. In fact, when I go to the grocery store and the person in front of me DEMANDS a checker who speaks Spanish, I should demand one who speaks Cicaonian, agreed?
Would give everyone more jobs...yep, and Guitaro can pay all their salaries, since he loves them all.
Hey Mark! Good to see you.
[Edited 5/29/2008 5:17:24 AM]
| | 5/29/2008 5:39:34 AM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | |
guitaro
Marlton, NJ
age: 33
| we have computers that transalate these days.its not like the old days granny
[Edited 5/29/2008 5:40:33 AM]
| | 5/29/2008 5:41:51 AM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | | 
catetinab
Clinton Township, MI
age: 35
| I agree! We shouldn`t have to press 1 for English.
"WELCOME TO AMERICA......NOW SPEAK ENGLISH"(Properly)!
[Edited 5/29/2008 5:42:08 AM]
| | 5/29/2008 6:03:57 AM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | | 
osoroho
Mesquite, TX
age: 58
| Learn the language of the land or suffer what comes your way...
| | 5/29/2008 6:27:39 AM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | | 
deserted
Arlington, TX
age: 42
| Here in Tx we give drivers license to non english speaking. Didn't take me long to wonder how they read street signs (maybe we should add spanish to all road signs as well)
Here is a ad I found interesting...
Talk about rubbing it in our face.
| | 5/29/2008 8:11:09 AM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | | 
bubbadt
Kennedy, NY
age: 66
| The English Language has been the predominate language. Here in the USA
Why now do we have to bow to spanish speaking people?
I spent many years in court as a Criminal Investigator, and not once
was there an issue re: spanish. This was in Tennessee though. Now from
what I understand, mexicans are taking over the areas around the Aoto
Factories and again taking jobs away from Americans.
I honestly feel that if you cant understand english fluently, oh well.
Our ancestors wernt given a choice, they learned or went without.
I wont purchase products that the stores set up their displays with
the spanish side facing forward.
There is no more need now for bi-lingual language then there was
when the government abolished Native American Languages. The excuse then
was that if the Natives spoke their own language, they could conspire
against the english speaking troops and revolt.
Native Americans were whipped-starved and more for speaking in their
Native Tounge.
So abolish the bi-lingual system and keep America America.
Go to puerto rico or mexico and try to speak english. They will treat you
like a dog.
| | 5/29/2008 10:42:46 AM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | | 
wolfi
Albuquerque, NM
age: 43
| Switzerland (for example) is tiny - takes about 3 hours to drive from one end to the other - and has 4 (count 'em : 4 )'official' languages.
German, French, Italian and Romansch.
Complete with forms, menus, etc. in any combination of the above.
Going by train from, for example, Bern to Geneva, the conductor will sometimes pretend to no longer speak German (which he spoke fluently just a minute ago...) after having crossed over the imaginary line into the French speaking part.........
And it's about the least 'chaotic' place in the world........
Aside from that, it's kind of debatable what exactly it is Americans speak, 'English' is a little bit of a stretch........
| | 5/29/2008 5:04:50 PM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | |
1pinkstar
Omaha, NE
age: 54
| What about the need for immigrants to meanigfully integrate and prosper in America (ok, I am talking LEGAL immigrants here)--the land of opportunity.
Immigrants from any country who become citizens should be, or should become, reasonably proficient in the English language. Twenty-seven states have already made English their official language. Nine more have English only bills pending. Discussion of a federal law making English language is under way.
Immigrants who turn inward, confining themselves to geographic areas of cities populated by other natives of the county from which they have come and learning but a word or two of English, are trapped in liguistic ghettos, unable to function effectively in the new land to which they have immigrated.
A Country such as Canada struggles to overcome linguistic tensions between French and English-speaking Canadians. So does Belegium with its Flemish and French-speaking factions. US English, a lobbying group promoting English-only, says Canadian government spends more than $260 million per year to do government business in both the nation's official languages.
The ability to speak and understand English as a primary language should be essential for all American citizens. It in no way hampers their use of other, native languages in the home.
| | 5/29/2008 5:53:30 PM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | | 
knightnyte2
Spring, TX
age: 55
| Switzerland (for example) is tiny - takes about 3 hours to drive from one end to the other - and has 4 (count 'em : 4 )'official' languages.
German, French, Italian and Romansch.
Complete with forms, menus, etc. in any combination of the above.
Going by train from, for example, Bern to Geneva, the conductor will sometimes pretend to no longer speak German (which he spoke fluently just a minute ago...) after having crossed over the imaginary line into the French speaking part.........
And it's about the least 'chaotic' place in the world........
Aside from that, it's kind of debatable what exactly it is Americans speak, 'English' is a little bit of a stretch........
sounds like we need to ship Switzerland a few illegals. Though small, with a huge army per capital population, there is not much room for illegals to hide. Of course the swiss have a liberal work program for foreigners, but it doesn't take long to round up those we in America would call illegals. Another huge difference between the Swiss and America, those foreign workers in Switzerland, know they are aliens. They do not hide it. They do not have to because the Swiss prisons are a very serious place. Unlike our country clubs where convicts are allowed cable tv that most Americans cannot afford. Libraries that are the envy of most townships, and every legal aid most John Doe citizens are not privy to.
We certainly need to revamp some of our immigration laws (not as tough as the Swiss or even Mexico) but we need the illegals to recognize our laws. Many do, but many don't.
What we've done in the past by businesses printing both English and Spanish manuals for customer convenience, is now required by our liberal lawmakers. (Like the woman who left the drivers seat of her new RV vehicle to go to the kitchen area for something to drink, and the vehicle left the road and crashed. this woman sued the dealership and manufacturer for not putting in manual Do not leave the drivers seat, and won. Not only did she win money, but the court made them give her a new RV.) What part of Blue Collar Comedy of Here's your stupid sign did they not understand? I'm talking about the judge & jury. Geesh, they should have pulled that woman's drivers license forever.
If the illegals were really to want to assimilate in America, why not obey the laws?
peace... don't be hatin'
| | 5/29/2008 5:58:20 PM | The Danger of Not Making English our Official Language | |
castertroy
Belmar, NJ
age: 38
| Switzerland (for example) is tiny - takes about 3 hours to drive from one end to the other - and has 4 (count 'em : 4 )'official' languages.
German, French, Italian and Romansch.
Complete with forms, menus, etc. in any combination of the above.
Going by train from, for example, Bern to Geneva, the conductor will sometimes pretend to no longer speak German (which he spoke fluently just a minute ago...) after having crossed over the imaginary line into the French speaking part.........
And it's about the least 'chaotic' place in the world........
Aside from that, it's kind of debatable what exactly it is Americans speak, 'English' is a little bit of a stretch........
Sounds very Familiar...
It's the same situation in this "Country" called New Jersey...
In fact i think we are pretty liberal for being one of the smallest Mexican Republics around.
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