Voting

[ydoaPs]

I was at the library and saw a poster. It was talking about how it ismportant to vote, BUT it was in Spanish. For those of you that don't know, I live in America. I found that poster disturbing. I don't think you have any right to vote if you can't understand the national language. What do you guys think?

[drz]

well, in 20 to 50 years the majority of people will be spanish speaking. As much as I don't feel I should have to learn it, it will become a need.

 

However, I feel it would be harder to understand the issues unless they are translated. On that note, I feel few people recognize the important issues anyways.

[ydoaPs]

Well, I firmly believe that if you move to a new country, you should leave your language behind and learn your new country's language. It is only polite.

[Mad Mardigan]

Im with ya on that, I speak two languages, bad english, and worse english. Its bad when you see a kid translating stuff at the local food shop for the parents.

[budullewraagh]

i believe that if you intend to move to a country, you should learn the language of the country you live in for your sake as well as the sake of others. there is no need for people to renounce their native tongue, but for the better good of everybody, i believe it is important that everybody in america know how to speak english moderately well

[ydoaPs]

When I said "leave your language behind," it was figurative. I meant use the new one, not say "screw my heratige."

[budullewraagh]

you should leave your language behind

apparently there was a misconception. my apologies

[Pangloss]

I'm all for adopting the language of your chosen country, but enforcing that through law (like not letting people vote) is something I would not agree with. It's somewhat antithetical to the general goals of the country, and we've always been a polyglot nation anyway. The last people you want to alientate (so to speak) are recent immigrants.

[drz]

certainly when they are slated to be the majority in the near future.

 

What if, in 30 years the national language is no longer english?

[ydoaPs]

i don't care if i alienate aliens. if they don't speak english, they don't belong here until they do. if i were in politics, i would make a bill requireing citizens to speak at least conversational english.

[Pangloss]

certainly when they are slated to be the majority in the near future.

Good point.

 

When I moved down to South Florida from Atlanta I couldn't believe the difference. They aren't kidding when they call Miami "the capital of Latin America". I've met people from just about every country in Central and South America, and all over the Carib., plus Germany, Canada, Great Britain, several former Soviet countries, and more. (And they actually call Atlanta an "international city"... pfft.) It's really fascinating. I think I've gotten more cultural exposure here then when I actually travelled in Europe (but I wasn't really there for long, just a couple months, and I was mostly hitting the tourist spots anyway).

 

Anyway, point being that English is still the common tongue, but Spanish is amazingly useful to learn here. Seems like half the job listings have "bilingual" listed in the requirements, or at least in the "desired" category.

[MolecularMan14]

If you understand the issues well, and know exactly what you're voting for (recieving info from spanish news stations broadcasting American News), then I see no problem in it. I agree with budullewraagh on the communications issue, however it takes some time to learn the language, and it doesnt come naturally to natives. In time, it's their obligation to communicate with others affectively

[Mad Mardigan]

I think we should stop catering to it, take down all signs in other languages.

[ydoaPs]

Good point.

 

When I moved down to South Florida from Atlanta I couldn't believe the difference. They aren't kidding when they call Miami "the capital of Latin America". I've met people from just about every country in Central and South America' date=' and all over the Carib., plus Germany, Canada, Great Britain, several former Soviet countries, and more. (And they actually call Atlanta an "international city"... pfft.) It's really fascinating. I think I've gotten more cultural exposure here then when I actually travelled in Europe (but I wasn't really there for long, just a couple months, and I was mostly hitting the tourist spots anyway).

 

Anyway, point being that English is still the common tongue, but Spanish is amazingly useful to learn here. Seems like half the job listings have "bilingual" listed in the requirements, or at least in the "desired" category.

__________________

[/quote']

they shouldn't have to have it listed in the reuirements or desired listings

[Pangloss]

By the way, the ad you saw was probably not paid for with taxpayer money anyhow. Those are typically done by 527 groups, which is actually the initial and one of the "correct" purposes for their existence.

[Pangloss]

they shouldn't have to have it listed in the reuirements or desired listings

 

So now you also want to forbid businesses from giving hiring preference to bilingual employees? What if they're being hired to do business overseas?

[ydoaPs]

no, i think that businesses in the US shouldn't discriminate against peopel that aren't bilingual.

[Phi for All]

if i were in politics, i would make a bill requireing citizens to speak at least conversational english.

You really have your panties bunched about people who speak more than english. The problem with your law is how vague the term "conversational english" is. By whose definition? About which subjects? What types of conversation? Any conversation you're involved in? You pass a law like that and soon it will used as a tool by people with all kinds of prejudices.

[john5746]

no, i think that businesses in the US shouldn't discriminate against peopel that aren't bilingual.

 

I don't think they should discriminate against non-technical people. Let english majors be scientists.

 

Come on, be sensible. I lost a job to China, it sucks but that's life.

[AL]

I don't think you have any right to vote if you can't understand the national language. What do you guys think?

There are inarticulate socially awkward young adults that work the fast food shops around here which can barely mutter some semblance of English, despite clearly being native-born English speakers. Should their right to vote be revoked? You do not need a grasp of the English language to understand American politics. Tonight's Cheney-Edwards debate was on several Spanish language channels, and was probably broadcast in SAP to boot.

 

i believe that if you intend to move to a country, you should learn the language of the country you live in for your sake as well as the sake of others. there is no need for people to renounce their native tongue, but for the better good of everybody, i believe it is important that everybody in america know how to speak english moderately well

I agree it is to their benefit to speak English, but it isn't necessary and certainly shouldn't be legally required.

 

I think we should stop catering to it, take down all signs in other languages.

You have a right to refuse to do business with people that don't speak English, just as the bank down the street has the right to setup an ATM in Spanish to cater to the Spanish-speaking community. I don't see how either of your rights are being infringed in any way here, and I fail to see how you could be threatened by businesses catering to other languages.

 

no, i think that businesses in the US shouldn't discriminate against peopel that aren't bilingual.

If it is irrelevant, then I agree with you. But if you want a job as a Spanish interpretor and you can't speak Spanish, don't cry discrimination.

[LucidDreamer]

I say let them vote if they are a citizen. Anyone that meets are criteria for citizenship should be allowed to vote. Alot of the people that don't speak English but are citizens are the children of illegal immigrants that grew up in isolated Spanish speaking communities. They often don't go to school or go the Spanish speaking schools. We should work harder at providing these children with an English-speaking education rather than barring them from voting. Its too late for this generation, but lets not let the next one slip by.

[ydoaPs]

You really have your panties bunched about people who speak more than english. The problem with your law is how vague the term "conversational english" is. By whose definition? About which subjects? What types of conversation? Any conversation you're involved in? You pass a law like that and soon it will used as a tool by people with all kinds of prejudices.

 

it isn't about people that speak more than english. it is about people living in US that DONT speak english. how would China react to me if i moved there and didn't even attempt to learn Chinese?

 

I don't think they should discriminate against non-technical people. Let english majors be scientists.

 

Come on' date=' be sensible. I lost a job to China, it sucks but that's life.[/quote']

 

that is complete spam. why should someone in America have to learn Spanish to get a job? to be a scientist, you need a backround in science, not english(duh), but why would you need to learn another language if you live in the USA and want a job?

 

I agree it is to their benefit to speak English, but it isn't necessary and certainly shouldn't be legally required.

how isn't speaking english necessary for living in the United States?

[AL]

how isn't speaking english necessary for living in the United States?

The very fact that there are people who do live here and don't speak English testifies to it.

[ydoaPs]

so why should the rest of america learn other languages to accomidate people that don't speak the language? that is just stupid.

[AL]

so why should the rest of america learn other languages to accomidate people that don't speak the language? that is just stupid.

As I said before no one is being forced to do anything. You are not required to learn their language anymore than they should be required to learn yours. I understand not everyone shares my libertarian view on this, but unless your rights are being infringed upon in some way, I really don't see the justification for demanding that they speak English.