View Full Version : "We speak English..."
Tim James for Governor of Alabama - this one has been lost among the hoopla over the recent legislation in Arizona but I doubt if the media will allow it to remain quietly standing in the political wings much longer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9ohsvJHkbY
And so it goes...;)
Richard's $.02 :munchin
No confusion there on what button to push.....
Snaquebite
04-29-2010, 10:33
No smoke and mirror politics in that message.
1stindoor
04-29-2010, 11:45
That message got "mainstreamed" a day or two ago. He brought up a very valid point in a follow up interview that was buried...All our traffic signs are in English.
He brought up a very valid point in a follow up interview that was buried...All our traffic signs are in English.
IMO the sign matter is a specious argument at best as most traffic signs are pretty much the same and simply understood internationally. I have driven all over the world wihtout always being able to speak the host language and have had no trouble with understanding and following the traffic signs.
Richard's $.02 :munchin
Dozer523
04-29-2010, 17:34
HUH? That's not English, he's speaking Alabaman.
Had to watch it twice to get the jist of wha he wa tawkin' 'bout.
Tim James for Governor of Alabama - this one has been lost among the hoopla over the recent legislation in Arizona but I doubt if the media will allow it to remain quietly standing in the political wings much longer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9ohsvJHkbY
And so it goes...;)
Richard's $.02 :munchin
¿Qué?
Pat
GratefulCitizen
04-29-2010, 20:48
ghuy'cha'
jIH'e' neH toQDujwIj
(Darn! I want my Bird of Prey!)
greenberetTFS
04-29-2010, 22:45
Tim James for Governor of Alabama - this one has been lost among the hoopla over the recent legislation in Arizona but I doubt if the media will allow it to remain quietly standing in the political wings much longer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9ohsvJHkbY
And so it goes...;)
Richard's $.02 :munchin
Amen...........;)
Big Teddy :munchin
Utah Bob
04-30-2010, 18:46
According to Alabama DMV, the driver license tests are computerized. It costs them nothing extra to do it in 50 languages. having the tests in English only would probably cost the state in court battles.
Non English speakers are going to drive anyway. Probably better if you can ensure that at least they know the rules of the road and have a license, no matter what language.
And any idiot can memorize foreign road signs. Look at Europe.
Dozer523
04-30-2010, 19:05
My Great-Grandfather was a teacher (probably a genetic defect:p) in Ireland when he came to America in 1904. A legal immigrant who spoke English and Gallic. My Dad remembers him as the "smartest man he ever met".
Since "Irish need not apply" he was a hod-carrier.
He was also a looter after the San Francisco earthquake but that is a family legend.:cool:
I guess the FNG's get treated like FNG's no matter what they look like. Builds character.
DJ Urbanovsky
05-01-2010, 10:38
Let me preface this by saying that I didn't watch the video.
I think it's more about assimilating with the culture of your host nation than anything. Here in the United States, our official language is English. If you wish to reside here, then you need to speak it.
If I'm going to live in your country, you would expect me to learn your language, so if you're going to live in my country, I expect you to learn my language. Don't move here and expect me to converse with you in Spanish or French, because that's not going to happen. And don't act like you don't know English if you do. That's just rude.
I think it's just that simple.
It's like you guys that have been over in Afghanistan working with the tribes. You didn't go over there expecting them to speak English. You learn the language. You learn the customs. And you do this so that you can interact with them on a meaningful level. Ok, granted, you QPs are way more dedicated than most folks (you have to be to go through all of that school and hardship). But you get what I'm saying.
Dozer523
05-01-2010, 12:22
Let me preface this by saying that I didn't watch the video . . .
. . . I think it's just that simple. "But you get what I'm saying."
Not really, :confused:
Utah Bob
05-01-2010, 12:30
Let me preface this by saying that I didn't watch the video. Why not?
I think it's more about assimilating with the culture of your host nation than anything. Here in the United States, our official language is English. No it isn't. We don't have one. If you wish to reside here, then you need to speak it.
If I'm going to live in your country, you would expect me to learn your language, so if you're going to live in my country, I expect you to learn my language. Like the Basques in Spain?
Don't move here and expect me to converse with you in Spanish or French, because that's not going to happen. You can move to Germany and get along pretty well without speaking German. And don't act like you don't know English if you do. That's just rude.
I think it's just that simple.
It's like you guys that have been over in Afghanistan working with the tribes. You didn't go over there expecting them to speak English. You learn the language. You learn the customs. And you do this so that you can interact with them on a meaningful level. Ok, granted, you QPs are way more dedicated than most folks (you have to be to go through all of that school and hardship). But you get what I'm saying.
I get what you're saying.
Erin go Bragh.
Your door is shut against my tightened face,
And I am sharp as steel with discontent;
But I possess the courage and grace
To bear my anger proudly and unbent.
The pavement slabs burn loose beneath my feet,
A chafing savage, down the decent street;
And passion rends my vitals as I pass,
Where boldly shines your shuttered door of glass.
Oh, I must search for wisdom every hour,
Deep in my wrathful bosom sore and raw,
And find in it the superhuman power
To hold me to the letter of your law!
Oh, I must keep my heart inviolate
Against the potent poison of your hate.
- Claude McKay (1890-1948)
And so it goes...
Richard's $.02 :munchin
I see this ad two or three times a day here. Generated a lot of discussion about the issue. I live in an area with a lot of immigrants (likely many illegals), but for the most part we've avoided the types of problems seen in Arizona. Of course, not sharing a border with Mexico certainly helps.
Honestly, I think it was just an attempt to get attention for Tim James. It's certainly succeeded in that regard. The ad also gives the national media a chance to portray Alabama folks as a bunch of bigoted rednecks.:rolleyes: Sure, some people will latch onto his message, but in the grand scheme of things, I think it will backfire. Alabama has more pressing concerns than how many languages the DMV offers for the driving test. Just my opinion.
The Reaper
05-01-2010, 17:36
Reviews of the legal section of the local paper tells me that the undocumented Democrats in my area have largely moved from driving without licenses or insurance to trafficking large quantities of illegal narcotics.
I served many years in Latin America, know a lot of Hispanics in this area, speak passable Spanish, and like their work ethic, but we have got to secure the border, start limiting benefits, and get this mess under control.
A key part of this is for the corrupt Mexican government to start working on paying laborers there a better wage. Unfortunately, as they already discovered when jobs went from the US, to Mexico, to China, that every dollar increase in pay causes a certain number of jobs to move elsewhere.
One thing for sure. The American taxpayer can no longer afford to subsidize millions of illegal aliens by putting them on the benefit gravy train here, and allowing them to export their wages home.
TR
Hmm, I wonder what someone has to do to gain their naturalized citizenship here in the US...oh, lookie here (http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=dd7ffe9dd4aa3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCR D&vgnextchannel=dd7ffe9dd4aa3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60a RCRD)!
ZonieDiver
05-02-2010, 10:24
I think it's more about assimilating with the culture of your host nation than anything. Here in the United States, our official language is English. If you wish to reside here, then you need to speak it.
I work with a lot of immigrants (legal and otherwise) and have met few who are not actively trying to learn to speak English. (English is hard! I am glad I was "born Into" it.)
I am also glad that there are so many native-speakers of Spanish around here. I don't have to travel to Cuernavaca in the summer to "immerse" myself in learning Spanish. :D A USA-Mexico soccer match will provide a great opporunity for linquistic interaction in a predominately Spanish-speaking-clientele bar - especially as the ONLY one rooting for USA!
Reviews of the legal section of the local paper tells me that the undocumented Democrats in my area have largely moved from driving without licenses or insurance to trafficking large quantities of illegal narcotics.
I served many years in Latin America, know a lot of Hispanics in this area, speak Spanish, and like their work ethic, but we have got to secure the border, start limiting benefits, and get this mess under control.
A key part of this is for the corrupt Mexican government to start working on paying laborers there a better wage. Unfortunately, as they already discovered when jobs went from the US, to Mexico, to China, that every dollar increase in pay causes a certain number of jobs to move elsewhere.
One thing for sure. The American taxpayer can no longer afford to subsidize millions of illegal aliens by putting them on the benefit gravy train here, and allowing them to export their wages home.
TR
Let's not forget about their U.S. citizens by birth kids...who also consume a huge amount of resourses.
BrainStorm
05-02-2010, 16:28
I can still remember my Grandparents studying for their citizenship tests more than 50 years ago. They learned enough English to read the questions. They studied hard to answer the questions properly.
There was enormous family pride when they passed. There effort and patience was rewarded.
I doubt most high school graduates could pass the test my Grandparents took.
Without effort, where is the achievement, where is the pride, where is the ability to understand what it means to be an American?
Unless we take Puerto Rico in as our 51st state and officially become a bilingual nation, I see no justification for us to endure the ongoing trauma of Montreal or Belgium.
DJ Urbanovsky
05-02-2010, 16:37
Utah Bob: Ok, I watched the video. It is still my belief that if you're going to live somewhere, you should try to speak the language. I wasn't familiar with the Basque situation so I did a little cursory research - based on what I read, I really don't think you can compare our situation and theirs. In the Basque situation, the Basques each seem to identify with their own particular region or village and not the Basque "nation" itself, and they're at odds with the influx of Spaniards. If I were to hazard a guess, I'd bet that like myself, you would identify yourself as an American. While you and I may have different nationalities, we are unified in the fact that we are American. I don't just love Nebraska even though I'm from here (that'd be more Basque-like). I love my nation.
Since our country was founded over 200 years ago, it has been pretty well accepted that English is our national language. When you go to school, what primary language are you taught? English. What language is emblazoned on our currency? Again, English (Ok, and Latin). What language are our newspapers printed in? English, again. What about the menus when you go out to eat? I'd say that pretty much makes it our official language. That's our collective culture. Our nation runs on English.
Right now people from Mexico are taking the most heat because they're among the largest portion of non-English speaking illegals and we share a porous border with them. But during one of my previous lives as a video and telephony technician, I came across tons of people of a wide array of nationalities who hadn't bothered to learn our language. I'm sure you can imagine how frustrating this might be, when they can't communicate to you what the issue they're having is.
I've never been to Germany, but while I'm sure that you can get by there without speaking German as you've suggested, I've never in my life met a German who didn't speak German. But why would you make the effort to move there and not make an effort to learn the language? Seems kinda lazy and irresponsible to me.
Insofar as that video is concerned, I can say that I agree with the guy about the language angle, but I can only make assumptions about what his motives might be because I don't have the slightest idea who he is, other than probably another bloated, douchey politician. Maybe it costs more money to give those drivers tests in an array of languages and maybe it doesn't. I'd almost guarantee that it does cost more money, because somebody is getting paid to do the translations.
I'm hip about maintaining a strong sense of your cultural heritage. Everybody is proud of their roots. I get it. I'm the same way. I'm very proud of my Sicilian heritage. But I don't walk around speaking Italian. Because here in America, we speak English. And also I don't know very much Italian.
craigepo
05-02-2010, 17:12
I think we are going to have to re-define "immigration".
200 years ago, when a person/family sailed to the US, they would often initially locate near family/friends/others from their country. They would hold on to much of their culture, language, etc. However, they stayed in the US till death, considered themselves "American", and their kids assimilated.
Today, this doesn't always happen. Some people do come here to become "American". Others, however, come here to work, with the idea of returning "home" later.
Were I writing the law for present-day, the law would hold that only the children of people intending to become citizens of the US would be granted citizenship at birth. Also, people intending to become citizens would be eligible for more benefits than those who have intentions of returning home.
Doesn't mean that we are cruel to people coming here to work; a free-market economy needs labor. They just need to pay their way---part of the expense of working here.
People coming here to be criminals get whomper-stomped(that's a legal term).
Entire post.Entire post.IMO, your posts in this thread thus far reflect the convictions of Thomas Bailey Aldrich more than the curiosity of Thomas Andrew Bailey.
alright4u
05-02-2010, 17:41
Hmm, I wonder what someone has to do to gain their naturalized citizenship here in the US...oh, lookie here (http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=dd7ffe9dd4aa3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCR D&vgnextchannel=dd7ffe9dd4aa3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60a RCRD)!
Unbelievable.
The Reaper
05-02-2010, 18:04
Is someone who comes here strictly for the economic benefits, sends the money home, considers themselves Mexican, Honduran, Salvadorean, Guatemalan, etc. and who plans to return to their native land permanently one day actually an immigrant?
TR
I cannot help wondering about the relative stability of monolingual countries versus multilingual nations. If members of a nation cannot communicate with each other, it seems possible that the chances of internal conflict increase.
If such conditions risk making internal conflict worse, is it wise to promote these changes?
Perhaps those who have experienced life in countries (or areas?) with such conditions could offer their insights?
Is someone who comes here strictly for the economic benefits, sends the money home, considers themselves Mexican, Honduran, Salvadorean, Guatemalan, etc. and who plans to return to their native land permanently one day actually an immigrant?
TR
Not in my book. Not even close.
And if they are not legal I don't think that their children, even if born here should be automatically granted citizenship either.
It's too big an incentive to come here at too big of a cost to those of us that already ARE here.... Legally.
But that's just me.
BrainStorm
05-02-2010, 19:24
Were I writing the law for present-day, the law would hold that only the children of people intending to become citizens of the US would be granted citizenship at birth. Also, people intending to become citizens would be eligible for more benefits than those who have intentions of returning home.
My father-in-law was born in England so that he would have British citizenship. His mother traveled to England for the birth of several of her children because they intended to eventually immigrate to the US. They were not wealthy people, just knew how to sacrifice for their goals. When the family gathered in England for the trip to the US, they were a few dollars short and could not book passage on the first ship available, the Titanic. They booked passage on another vessel soon afterward.
That message got "mainstreamed" a day or two ago. He brought up a very valid point in a follow up interview that was buried...All our traffic signs are in English.
Version 2 of this will be direct quotes from another famous speech "We speak 5.56 and 7.62, we don't need language skills". :cool:
Utah Bob
05-02-2010, 22:49
I cannot help wondering about the relative stability of monolingual countries versus multilingual nations. If members of a nation cannot communicate with each other, it seems possible that the chances of internal conflict increase.
If such conditions risk making internal conflict worse, is it wise to promote these changes?
Perhaps those who have experienced life in countries (or areas?) with such conditions could offer their insights?
On the other hand many people speaking the same language still cannot communicate with each other. There are a few examples on this website.
Perhaps more than a few.;)
And so it goes...
Richard
The Candidate From Xenophobia
As primary elections approach across the land, the award for best bottom-feeding campaigner surely belongs to Tim James, an Alabama gubernatorial candidate who vows to put an end to that grave threat posed by driver’s license tests being conducted in any language but English. “This is Alabama. We speak English,” Mr. James warns in a make-my-day growl.
“If you want to live here, learn it,” he declares in a video ad attacking the simple fact that the test is now offered in multiple languages, the same as in other states.
Running in a four-way Republican nomination race, Mr. James, a business executive, is transparently intent on tapping into the anti-immigrant, anti-government mood of malcontent voters. “We’re only giving that test in English if I’m governor,” he promises.
A primary race, in which politicians compete to pander to the basest instincts of their party’s base voters, can be a fantasy universe. In the case of Mr. James’s version of Alabama, it ignores the fact that the state has been quite successful in wooing foreign automakers to take root with workers who speak Japanese, Korean and German. And English.
The state is now ethnically rich enough to offer tests in those languages plus Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Greek, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese and American Sign Language.
Mr. James’s spin on the Know Nothing Movement has a track history reflected in an English-only driver’s test amendment already in the State Constitution. This dates to an earlier xenophobic exercise, but the state wisely declines to enforce it because court rulings suggest that doing so could cost taxpayers considerable federal aid.
Mr. James insists that he is not pandering to voters partial to hateful rhetoric about alien newcomers. He’s worried about safety on the roads and the ability of drivers to understand signs, according to his campaign.
Alabama voters should be insulted. The ploy is right out of the playbook of Willie Stark, the fantasy gubernatorial candidate in Robert Penn Warren’s “All the King’s Men.” Stark heeded campaign advice to low-road the voters: “Stir them up and they’ll love it and come back for more, but, for heaven’s sakes, don’t try to improve their minds.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/opinion/29thurs4.html
Dozer523
05-03-2010, 06:19
And so it goes...
Richard
The Candidate From Xenophobia
As primary elections approach across the land, the award for best bottom-feeding campaigner surely belongs to Tim James, an Alabama gubernatorial candidate who vows to put an end to that grave threat posed by driver’s license tests being conducted in any language but English. “This is Alabama. We speak English,” Mr. James warns in a make-my-day growl.
“If you want to live here, learn it,”
Innglush? Know he is ant! Eye toll ewe sew!!! (inn numb brrrrr 7.) :D