Homestar Runner Wiki Forum

I'm going to assume everyone knows what the term "English-only laws" means.

So we're discussing it a little in my Constitution History class (yeah, we were a little off-topic), and my professor says I'm racist because I believe those who move to America should learn English.

Language has nothing to do with race. If there were millions of Swedes moving into Oregon and they refused to learn English, I'd have a problem with that, too.

And by the way, I think if you live in America, you should learn English. I'm fine with immigrants speaking their native language if they want, but they need to know English, too. If I moved to Russia, I'd learn Russian. If I moved to Brazil, I'd learn Portuguese. Why is this hard to understand?

_________________

I don't disagree with you at all.

Of course, the "speak your native language if you want, but you need to learn English if you expect to do business" attitude will make both sides of the debate mad at you.

The "anti-immigrant" crowd would chastise you for being too soft. The other side will call you racist.

_________________
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

Agreed with you both.

It just bugs me and is a huge burden on everything. For example: I might get passed up for a job just because I dont speak spanish and the only other guy applying does. It's ridiculous to me that there are so many people who refuse to speak english. As mentioned above, I wouldnt move to another country without at least learning the basics of the vernacular. I mean, I'm not expecting the immigrants to become fluent linguists, but at least be able to help and be helped without making me pull out a dictionary.

Now Lahi, don't faint when you read this, but I agree whole heartedly. I feel that if you are going to live in the US or Canada, you need to learn English. In fact it is mandatory if you plan on becoming a US citizen. I feel that the state governments should supply English language courses to those coming from various countries.

_________________

I don't think it's racist at all to expect people to learn English. If I move to Canada, I'll probably have to learn French; I've got a bit of a head-start on that, but you get my point. We should not have to pander to people who don't bother to learn our language.

_________________

Actually you don't. Quebec is a bilingual province. They speak as much English as they do French.

_________________

It'd still be pretty useful, but we digress.

_________________

I love the Spanish language and in a way I'm happy that it's spreading in the U.S. But I agree: it's unreasonable to expect everyone to learn Spanish. I think people should learn foreign languages anyway (not necessarily Spanish in particular), but I can't control their interests, and it certainly shouldn't be forced upon them. And, well, we clearly have much more of a right to expect them to learn English than they have to expect us to learn Spanish.

Luckily, I think most immigrants aren't like that except in a few communities. Such people definitely exist, though...

And lahimatoa, I'd like to have a word with your professor. (Well, not so much that I would bother to actually arrange one, but...) Lumping language and race together is silly. I could see an argument like that if the discussion were that people should learn English before doing so much as giving the U.S. a two-week visit on vacation, but I presume that's not what you were arguing for.

- Kef

_________________
404 sig not found

I actually agree with you Lahi. If you want to succeed, then yes, learning English is a must. If you want to retain your native language, fine.

_________________

No, we were discussing those who move into the United States for the long haul, legally or illegally (but that's for another thread, I think).

And how boring is this? No one disagrees with me? We need to find someone who thinks this position is evil for some reason.

(edited to fix bad bbCode)

_________________

Get COLA, his argument will be funny, pointless and you'd be able to carve it up like a Thanksgiving turkey. Or better yet the admins could unban your old friend, Rosalie.

Think of it: Lahi vs. Rosalie: ONE NIGHT ONLY!

_________________

I think everybody can communicate in any langauge they want. But if they hope to be understood, they need to speak a langauge the other people/person knows.

To be woefully boring, I very much agree with this. Since people all over the place are talking about celebrating diversity and culture, sometimes people need to remember to remember our own culture. We in America speak english and do certain culture-specific things that define us as American. To come to America, seeking the benefits of our culture, to be an American but yet keep only their identity of their old culture and not adopt ours, bears all the earmarks of mooching. Like it's been said, people who move to Russia learn Russian and learn Russian habits. People who move to Japan learn Japanese and learn Japanese habits. Following, people who move to America should probably learn English and should probably learn American habits. Remember your heritage, but don't refuse us ours.

Also, does anyone else find the mental image of "millions of Swedes moving into Oregon" really funny, or is that just me?

_________________

Swedish^

I actually agree, if you're gonna live in this country, you should learn to speak english.

_________________

I agree with...pretty much every person in the thread. All the street signs are in English. Most people speak English. It's required to pass the citizenship test. Immigrants should have to learn English.

_________________

TANK JAWD!

My governor was considering giving drivers liscenses to illegal immigrants. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliot_Spit ... immigrants

_________________

I'd offer the license, then arrest them for being here illegally. Oh, sure the "human rights" groups would throw a hissy, but I think someone in this country needs to grow some backbone and tell them where to go and what to do with themselves.

To keep from turning this into a debate that's already in another thread, I'm gonna say that I've never heard a convincing argument for not requiring immigrants to learn English.

_________________
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

To add on to this, you know they allow you to take driver's/permit tests in Spanish, right? Why in the world would they let someone get their liscense if they know Spanish but not English? How will they know where they are?

_________________

Because it's discriminatory to only give the test in English, that's why.

Common sense has nothing to do with it.

_________________

_________________

Nice spam.

Anything real to contribute here, or are you playing peanut gallery tonight?

_________________

Alright.

Common sense has everything to do with it because it's COMMON SENSE.

I think a smart person would put being "discriminated" (I wouldn't even call that discrimination, as we live in a primarily english speaking country) below getting lost because they can't read the freakin' street signs.

_________________

I was being sarcastic.

Sarcastic in sentence one, not sarcastic in sentence two.

Sorry for the confusion.

_________________

I also apologize.

I was hoping you weren't serious, but I've heard...things. About, you know. YOU.

_________________

Weird that your impression of me based on the things you've heard would lead you to believe I would post something like that seriously.

_________________

Shrug.

_________________

So we all agree?

_________________

Yeah. We do.


We all agree on something? There's a first.

_________________

Thread needs more controversy.

Shiva has more arms than Jesus.

_________________
Sincerely,

Vitruvian Zeno