i dunno. i like the silly bastards. i dont care about my culture. i am not a caveman. i take no pride in my tribe. i am me, an individual. my kids can identify with whatever culture they want. i dont have kids, but my sister does. she lives on a military base and lots of her daughter's little kid pals speak spanish and english. she is 5 years old and knows lots of spanish. i wish i had learned spanish when i was little. my niece loes that cartoon, dora the explorer, where they speak spanish and english. i like it too. yunno 13% of the soldiers in your precious marine corps are latin. those bastards, cant they defend mexico instead of the US? this isnt even their culture!
That is true, but, they don't speak spanish in the Marine Corps, only english. In the Corps there is one color and one culture. Everyone is the same and is treated the same, no matter what pigment their skin may be or where they were born. It is not even an issue, and they don't make it one. They didn't join the Corps looking for a hand out. Some join the Corps in order to stay state side legally, others want to give back to the country that has given them and their families so much. They do not try to change the way things are done, and have been done for hundreds of years, they embrace the Corps' way of doing things. It is a shame that society, as a whole, does not reflect our values.
I find it interesting when I hear business people, like my husband, say, "I need to learn Spanish because there are so many Spanish speaking people in Texas." I then ask him if he's ever done business with anyone (for IBM and their business partners) who don't speak English. The answer is no. We have a Mexican guy who sometimes does some landscaping for us. He can speak English (I'm not so sure his workers do...) English isn't going to go away. It's rather like the big push when I was in elementary school to teach all of us kiddos the Metric system because our set of weights and measurements would soon not be used. It hasn't happened yet. I'm 35. My daughter attends an international preschool whose main goal is to teach preschoolers English so they don't have to be in ESL when they get to school. Children from over 30 countries attend. The school wants native English speakers like my daughter mixed in because she and other kids like her are intregral in helping the other children learn. For example, I've seen two of her friends (one from Israel, one from France) go from speaking no English at the start of last school year to being on level with native 3 year old speakers. The kids that have trouble at the school, and the only ones whose parents can't communicate with me or some of the staff, are some of the Mexican parents (that's why the school always employs some native speakers of Spanish). I have my daughter in the school because I want her to be exposed to people of many different cultures and colors. And she is truly colorblind, and I intend for her to stay that way and not discourage her way of thinking. But I still feel we have a strong American culture and language.
Fact of the matter is that throughout the history of the US, immigrants have come in and spoken their own languages, but they have also strived to assimilate into the American culture, including learning the English language.. English is not our official language because the US government refuses to recognize one.. and first it was because it was not seen as being needed, now it is because politicians are afraid to lose the hispanic vote... Making English the official language in the US will actually help elminate soem problems... being limited to your native language and not being able to speak english will guaruntee that you will never be able to leave you little immigrant neighborhood.. English ist he language of commerce, not only in the US but in most of the world, and it is also the language of education. What we need is a much more intensive english language education program in our school.. right now its ESL, english as a second language.. needs to be pushed into English as a First language if you ask me.
The problem with ESL programs is that while the children learn English at school, the parents aren't trying to learn English. And let me be blunt. The city where I live is very ethnically diverse, but the Mexican immigrants are the ones among that sea of diversity who are NOT learning English. In the school where I teach, immigrant children NOT from Mexico exit the program usually within two years. The Mexican children stay in the program many years, but they receive very little support from home to learn English.
other bottom line: people are going to speak whatever the hell they WANT to speak. even in the military, until someone tells them to stop, but then when that person walks away, they pick right back up. Situation: america has always been a diverse cultural melting pot. way back when,people from other countries that spoke different languages, attempted to learn english to communicate to live,eat,and stay in america. now they don't have to. because now there is so many hispanics and other nationalities that they can just communicate with each other. oh and another thing: on being stationed with the marines... all the hispanic people spoke spanish all the time,, it wasnt just my division either, cause when i was with several other divisions, they did it also, even the staff seargent and the gunny... so it does happen... even in the beloved corps.. but we can't be ignorant about the situation... we can't say: "this is america, speak english or leave" thats not really fair to anyone...but also, i think its rude to not even try or put forth an effort to speak english... most have migrated here for a better life... we can't look down upon them for wanting that.. thats what this nation was founded on...right?
We have every right to expect immigrants to learn and speak English if they want to suceed in America. Most do. But it is senseless to expect them to drop the language and culture of their heritage at the same time. Of course they will speak it among themselves. Those that won't speak English can just enjoy life in the agricultural harvesting, lawn care, and janitorial industries. If they want to speak Spanish while picking our beans, it's their choice. But they must speak English if they want to enjoy the good life as a Wal-Mart cashier or a MacDonalds busboy. Or if they want a free public education in America. There are plenty of schools in Mexico that teach in Spanish.
there should never be an "officlal" language or a requirement. america is about freedom, bro! red is right. it is a free market question. people can learn english if they want english speaker paychecks. if they dont want or need to speak english, thats ok too. you republicans are forgetting that you are supposed to be for less government. saltyone seems to be throwing all spanish speakers in with the illegal immigrants.
I don't care if you speak "pig latin" at home. Keep your traditions. English is still the main language in America. Speak it. If you don't need to in you neighborhood, so be it. Just don't ask me to give up MY traditions. Wonder how long it will be before Iraq will allow Catholic churches over there, KKK memberships, women's rights? Somehow, I don't think they are worried about being PC.
who asked you to do anything? i still dont understand who you are to tell anyone to do anything. should everyone be christian too? it is the "main" religion. why are so many of you opposed to freedom of choice? people should speak whatever they want at all times.
